Football

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

America's Team hits stride

Cowboys now No. 1 in NFC East, look impressive after shaky start

By: Tim Cowlishaw

27/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Dallas Cowboys running Felix Jones leaps into the end zone for a touchdown. (MIKE FUENTES / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- There are those who would tell you that the real season is just about to begin, that nothing of consequence happens until the Cowboys establish themselves as December's darlings.

It's just not true.

The Cowboys do need to put their awful finishes of seasons past behind them. No question about that.

But a strong December would be irrelevant if Dallas had not finished the first two-thirds of the schedule on a high note at Cowboys Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Against a Raiders defence that dared them to make big plays and a Raiders offence void of the ability to match them, the Cowboys scored a methodical 24-7 victory to raise their record to an NFC East-leading 8-3.

That's something for Dallas fans to shout about because that is all that the first three months were ever about.

The Cowboys have reached December in first place with the ability to misfire here and there and still reach their goals.

If they can have a decent December (and January, as that's when the Eagles visit in the regular-season finale), then ridding themselves of that 12-season streak of playoff futility can turn to reality.

And quarterback Tony Romo will tell you that's more important than, as he put it, the "reality show" this team lives through on a weekly basis.

"Part of the importance of consistency is just getting those wins," Romo said after throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns Thursday. "That's why beating Washington, beating Kansas City -- those games matter just as much as the games in December, shocking as that is."

The Cowboys understand that the success achieved to this point is minimal. There are no rewards for leading the NFC East at the end of November.

In addition, the schedule is about to get significantly tougher.

To go from a very shaky 2-2 to an impressive 8-3, the Cowboys played two teams that had winning records (Atlanta and Philadelphia) in a seven-game stretch.

Their next three games are not only against teams with winning records. But they play the Giants, who beat them earlier, on the road in what has become a "must" game for last year's division champs.

Then the Cowboys face division leaders San Diego here and New Orleans on the road.

After that comes a trip to Washington to play a team Dallas beat here by a single point last Sunday, then the closer against the Eagles.

"We probably have as tough a schedule remaining as anyone," coach Wade Phillips said. "We've got to keep winning, but we know that. We're not anywhere yet."

But signs of a full recovery and possibly a more memorable December are in place.

Against the Raiders, everyone was a star. Miles Austin and Jason Witten had 100-yard games, Roy Williams had a touchdown, Felix Jones had a long touchdown and Tashard Choice produced the biggest gain of the day on a 66-yard run.

Now that's not likely to continue against the Giants and Chargers defences, but it doesn't have to. The Cowboys don't need five or six big playmakers each week. Two or three will do just fine as long as the defence is continuing to lead the NFC in fewest points allowed.

Linebacker Anthony Spencer had his first two sacks of the season against the Raiders. He already had displayed an ability to make plays, but now he's no longer the guy who replaced Greg Ellis who can't get any sacks.

Add his play to Keith Brooking's leadership and Mike Jenkins' continued rise at corner, and this is a much different unit from the one that gave up 33 to the Giants in Week 2.

That's not even considering the fact that New York is a far different team from both last year's division champs and the team that started this season 5-0.

-- The Dallas Morning News

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 27, 2009 C9

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