Updated: 15 December 2014 06:28 AM
Talk with SportsDay columnist Rick Gosselin at 1 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Cowboys went to Philadelphia needing a victory to stay alive in the NFC East race.
They left Philadelphia with a much greater aspiration -- the top seed in the NFC playoff bracket.
The Cowboys used a 38-27 victory over the Eagles Sunday night to seize control of the NFC East. With a 10-4 record, the Cowboys are still in play for the top seed in the NFC along with 11-3 Arizona and three 10-4 teams -- Detroit, Green Bay and Seattle.
The Cowboys survived the Eagles and avenged a Thanksgiving thrashing at the hands of Philadelphia on the arm of Tony Romo.
The Cowboys may have established an identity as a running team in 2014 with DeMarco Murray in pursuit of a 2,000-yard season. But it’s clear the Cowboys have not forgotten how to pass.
That’s been the franchise calling card since Romo stepped in at quarterback in 2006. But the Cowboys haven’t asked Romo to carry the team this season. He has only one 300-yard passing game on the year -- this from a quarterback who set a franchise record with nine such games in 2012.
Instead, the Cowboys asked Romo to hand the ball off this season. Take a back seat. Knowing that he had to protect a quarterback with bad back and a defense with an lack of playmakers, new coordinator Scott Linehan made Murray the focal point of a ball-control attack.
But the Cowboys always knew the passing game would always be there if they ever needed it.
And they needed it Sunday night in their biggest game of the season. A loss would have left the Cowboys a longshot to make the playoffs even with an 11-5 record. But a win would give them control of the division -- a one-game lead over the Eagles with two to play.
The Eagles did not let Murray get rolling on Thanksgiving day, holding him to a season-low 73 yards, and were intent on keeping him bottled up in the rematch.
Romo did not make the throws the Cowboys needed on Thanksgiving to compensate for the struggling Murray, completing only 18 of his passes for 199 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Cowboys knew they would need a better effort Sunday night -- and they got it.
Murray again struggled. He finished under 100 yards for only the third time this season, gaining 81 yards on 31 carries. Thirteen of his carries went for no yards or less.
So it was on the shoulders of Romo and he was brilliant when he needed to be, both early and late. He completed nine of his first 14 passes for 111 yards, including two touchdowns to stake the Cowboys at a 21-0 lead 18 minutes into the game.
After the Eagles rallied to take a stunning 24-21 lead, Romo again heated up. He completed seven of his final eight passes to lead the Cowboys on three scoring drives over the final 20 minutes to ground the Eagles.
Romo threw a pair of 22-yard passes to Bryant to set up a short Murray touchdown run, then hit Bryant with a 25-yard over the shoulder lob into the end zone, then hit Bryant again with 15-yard pass to set up an insurance field goal in the closing minutes by Dan Bailey.
Romo knew he could not put his defense in poor positions so he kept the ball out of danger. He didn’t throw an interception for the fifth time in his last six games. Four of his first five incompletions were shrewd throwaways, avoiding both sacks and interceptions.
And when Romo did throw incompletions the rest of the night, he was either high or long with his throws -- keeping them out of reach of the Eagles. Philadelphia defenders only got their hands on two of his 31 passes, both times to bat passes away.
Romo victimized Bradley Fletcher for all three of the touchdown passes to Bryant. Cary Williams, the other Philadelphia corner, also had a rough night against the Romo passing attack, getting penalized three times for 60 yards for illegal contact and pass interference.
Maybe Tony Romo is finally warming up to the month of December.
Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges, and follow @RickGosselinDMN on Twitter.
Talk with SportsDay columnist Rick Gosselin at 1 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Cowboys went to Philadelphia needing a victory to stay alive in the NFC East race.
They left Philadelphia with a much greater aspiration -- the top seed in the NFC playoff bracket.
The Cowboys used a 38-27 victory over the Eagles Sunday night to seize control of the NFC East. With a 10-4 record, the Cowboys are still in play for the top seed in the NFC along with 11-3 Arizona and three 10-4 teams -- Detroit, Green Bay and Seattle.
The Cowboys survived the Eagles and avenged a Thanksgiving thrashing at the hands of Philadelphia on the arm of Tony Romo.
The Cowboys may have established an identity as a running team in 2014 with DeMarco Murray in pursuit of a 2,000-yard season. But it’s clear the Cowboys have not forgotten how to pass.
That’s been the franchise calling card since Romo stepped in at quarterback in 2006. But the Cowboys haven’t asked Romo to carry the team this season. He has only one 300-yard passing game on the year -- this from a quarterback who set a franchise record with nine such games in 2012.
Instead, the Cowboys asked Romo to hand the ball off this season. Take a back seat. Knowing that he had to protect a quarterback with bad back and a defense with an lack of playmakers, new coordinator Scott Linehan made Murray the focal point of a ball-control attack.
But the Cowboys always knew the passing game would always be there if they ever needed it.
And they needed it Sunday night in their biggest game of the season. A loss would have left the Cowboys a longshot to make the playoffs even with an 11-5 record. But a win would give them control of the division -- a one-game lead over the Eagles with two to play.
The Eagles did not let Murray get rolling on Thanksgiving day, holding him to a season-low 73 yards, and were intent on keeping him bottled up in the rematch.
Romo did not make the throws the Cowboys needed on Thanksgiving to compensate for the struggling Murray, completing only 18 of his passes for 199 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Cowboys knew they would need a better effort Sunday night -- and they got it.
Murray again struggled. He finished under 100 yards for only the third time this season, gaining 81 yards on 31 carries. Thirteen of his carries went for no yards or less.
So it was on the shoulders of Romo and he was brilliant when he needed to be, both early and late. He completed nine of his first 14 passes for 111 yards, including two touchdowns to stake the Cowboys at a 21-0 lead 18 minutes into the game.
After the Eagles rallied to take a stunning 24-21 lead, Romo again heated up. He completed seven of his final eight passes to lead the Cowboys on three scoring drives over the final 20 minutes to ground the Eagles.
Romo threw a pair of 22-yard passes to Bryant to set up a short Murray touchdown run, then hit Bryant with a 25-yard over the shoulder lob into the end zone, then hit Bryant again with 15-yard pass to set up an insurance field goal in the closing minutes by Dan Bailey.
Romo knew he could not put his defense in poor positions so he kept the ball out of danger. He didn’t throw an interception for the fifth time in his last six games. Four of his first five incompletions were shrewd throwaways, avoiding both sacks and interceptions.
And when Romo did throw incompletions the rest of the night, he was either high or long with his throws -- keeping them out of reach of the Eagles. Philadelphia defenders only got their hands on two of his 31 passes, both times to bat passes away.
Romo victimized Bradley Fletcher for all three of the touchdown passes to Bryant. Cary Williams, the other Philadelphia corner, also had a rough night against the Romo passing attack, getting penalized three times for 60 yards for illegal contact and pass interference.
Maybe Tony Romo is finally warming up to the month of December.
Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges, and follow @RickGosselinDMN on Twitter.
