Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys came out with a sense of urgency, as though they had something to accomplish.

They wound up having a great weekend that put them back in first place in the NFC East.

“We just can’t let up,” receiver Dez Bryant said. “We know where we want to go and it don’t matter who comes in here, we’re going to keep the same intensity and just play hard and hopefully we can win out. … We just got to keep focusing and keep playing hard.”

Dallas (8-6) reclaimed the division lead by a game over the New York Giants with two to play. A week after winning at Cowboys Stadium, New York (7-7) lost at home Sunday to Washington, even though they knew the Cowboys had already won 31-15 at Tampa Bay the previous night.

“We really needed to get back on track,” said Romo, who threw three touchdowns and ran for another as the Cowboys took a 28-0 halftime lead against the Buccaneers.

Coach Jason Garrett spoke Sunday about how his team practiced well and with purpose all last week, and then played that way against Tampa Bay.

So what kind of added boost did the Cowboys get by the Giants losing?

“It doesn’t matter to us. What we are focused on is our football team,” Garrett said. “Again, processing this game (against Tampa) and going forward is the challenge we have this week against Philadelphia.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is that the Cowboys can clinch the division by winning their last two regular season games — or with a win next weekend in their home finale against Philadelphia combined with a Giants loss to the Jets. Dallas finishes the season on the road New Years’ Day against the Giants.

“We’ve got to get the wins. We’ve got to get in,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game in Tampa Bay. “Best way to do it is win this thing.”

While there is a clear-cut way to get to the playoffs, the Cowboys have already lost this season to both of the division foes that combined for 71 points and 1,005 total yards. That included a 34-7 loss against the Eagles at the end of October before Dallas swept through November with four consecutive wins.

Then came December, when the Cowboys lost in overtime at Arizona after rookie Dan Bailey’s apparent game-winning kick at the end of regulation was erased by Garrett’s timeout. They blew a 12-point lead over the final 5 1/2 minutes and lost 37-34 to the Giants after Bailey’s potential tying kick was blocked at the end of the game.

“It’s a big win for us (because) we know about the December woes,” tight end Jason Witten said. “The only way to put that behind you is to get a big win.”

So different than the gloomy feeling the past two weeks.

“We are a very confident team. … I don’t think we look at it as ‘Hey, we win two we get in.’ I think we just take it one day at a time, one week at a time,” Witten said. “Obviously, Philly got us good earlier in the year and they are coming to our place. It is going to be a tough challenge and that is where our focus is.”

Notes: Cowboys players had the day off Sunday, the first of consecutive days without practicing. They will return Tuesday to start preparing for another Saturday kickoff. … Dallas’ eighth victory guarantees a .500-or-better finish in the regular season for the 34th time in franchise history. … Bailey has made 32 field goals in 14 games. The only Cowboys kicker to make more field goals in a 14-game span was Richie Cunningham’s 33 in 1997. … Romo is only 105 yards shy of his third career 4,000-yard passing season.

Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys came out with a sense of urgency, as though they had something to accomplish.

They wound up having a great weekend that put them back in first place in the NFC East.

“We just can’t let up,” receiver Dez Bryant said. “We know where we want to go and it don’t matter who comes in here, we’re going to keep the same intensity and just play hard and hopefully we can win out. … We just got to keep focusing and keep playing hard.”

Dallas (8-6) reclaimed the division lead by a game over the New York Giants with two to play. A week after winning at Cowboys Stadium, New York (7-7) lost at home Sunday to Washington knowing the Cowboys had already won 31-15 at Tampa Bay the previous night.

“We really needed to get back on track,” said Romo, who threw three touchdowns and ran for another as the Cowboys took a 28-0 halftime lead against the Buccaneers.

Coach Jason Garrett spoke Sunday about how his team practised well and with purpose all last week, and then played that way against Tampa Bay.

So what kind of added boost did the Cowboys get by the Giants losing?

“It doesn’t matter to us. What we are focused on is our football team,” Garrett said. “Again, processing this game (against Tampa) and going forward is the challenge we have this week against Philadelphia.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is that the Cowboys can clinch the division by winning their last two regular season games — or with a win next weekend in their home finale against Philadelphia combined with a Giants loss to the Jets. Dallas finishes the season on the road New Years’ Day against the Giants.

“We’ve got to get the wins. We’ve got to get in,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game in Tampa Bay. “Best way to do it is win this thing.”

While there is a clear-cut way to get to the playoffs, the Cowboys have already lost this season to both of the division foes that combined for 71 points and 1,005 total yards. That included a 34-7 loss against the Eagles at the end of October before Dallas swept through November with four consecutive wins.

Then came December, when the Cowboys lost in overtime at Arizona after rookie Dan Bailey’s apparent game-winning kick at the end of regulation was erased by Garrett’s timeout. They blew a 12-point lead over the final 5 1/2 minutes and lost 37-34 to the Giants after Bailey’s potential tying kick was blocked at the end of the game.

“It’s a big win for us (because) we know about the December woes,” tight end Jason Witten said. “The only way to put that behind you is to get a big win.”

So different than the gloomy feeling the past two weeks.

“We are a very confident team. … I don’t think we look at it as ‘Hey, we win two we get in.’ I think we just take it one day at a time, one week at a time,” Witten said. “Obviously, Philly got us good earlier in the year and they are coming to our place. It is going to be a tough challenge and that is where our focus is.”

Notes: Cowboys players had the day off Sunday, the first of consecutive days without practising. They will return Tuesday to start preparing for another Saturday kickoff. … Dallas’ eighth victory guarantees a .500-or-better finish in the regular season for the 34th time in franchise history. … Bailey has made 32 field goals in 14 games. The only Cowboys kicker to make more field goals in a 14-game span was Richie Cunningham’s 33 in 1997. … Romo is only 105 yards shy of his third career 4,000-yard passing season.

Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys came out with a sense of urgency, as though
they had something to accomplish.

They wound up having a great weekend that put them back in first place in
the NFC East.

“We just can’t let up,” receiver Dez Bryant said. “We know where we want
to go and it don’t matter who comes in here, we’re going to keep the same
intensity and just play hard and hopefully we can win out. … We just got to
keep focusing and keep playing hard.”

Dallas (8-6) reclaimed the division lead by a game over the New York Giants
with two to play. A week after winning at Cowboys Stadium, New York (7-7) lost
at home Sunday to Washington knowing the Cowboys had already won 31-15 at Tampa
Bay the previous night.

“We really needed to get back on track,” said Romo, who threw three
touchdowns and ran for another as the Cowboys took a 28-0 halftime lead against
the Buccaneers.

Coach Jason Garrett spoke Sunday about how his team practiced well and with
purpose all last week, and then played that way against Tampa Bay.

So what kind of added boost did the Cowboys get by the Giants losing?

“It doesn’t matter to us. What we are focused on is our football team,”
Garrett said. “Again, processing this game (against Tampa) and going forward is
the challenge we have this week against Philadelphia.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is that the Cowboys can clinch the division by
winning their last two regular season games—or with a win next weekend in
their home finale against Philadelphia combined with a Giants loss to the Jets.
Dallas finishes the season on the road New Years’ Day against the Giants.

“We’ve got to get the wins. We’ve got to get in,” Cowboys owner Jerry
Jones said after the game in Tampa Bay. “Best way to do it is win this thing.”

While there is a clear-cut way to get to the playoffs, the Cowboys have
already lost this season to both of the division foes that combined for 71
points and 1,005 total yards. That included a 34-7 loss against the Eagles at
the end of October before Dallas swept through November with four consecutive
wins.

Then came December, when the Cowboys lost in overtime at Arizona after
rookie Dan Bailey’s apparent game-winning kick at the end of regulation was
erased by Garrett’s timeout. They blew a 12-point lead over the final 5 1/2
minutes and lost 37-34 to the Giants after Bailey’s potential tying kick was
blocked at the end of the game.

“It’s a big win for us (because) we know about the December woes,” tight
end Jason Witten said. “The only way to put that behind you is to get a big
win.”

So different than the gloomy feeling the past two weeks.

“We are a very confident team. … I don’t think we look at it as `Hey, we
win two we get in.’ I think we just take it one day at a time, one week at a
time,” Witten said. “Obviously, Philly got us good earlier in the year and
they are coming to our place. It is going to be a tough challenge and that is
where our focus is.”

Notes: Cowboys players had the day off Sunday, the first of consecutive days
without practicing. They will return Tuesday to start preparing for another
Saturday kickoff. … Dallas’ eighth victory guarantees a .500-or-better finish
in the regular season for the 34th time in franchise history. … Bailey has
made 32 field goals in 14 games. The only Cowboys kicker to make more field
goals in a 14-game span was Richie Cunningham’s 33 in 1997. … Romo is only 105
yards shy of his third career 4,000-yard passing season.

Eli Manning threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Marion
Manningham and the New York Giants had a 22-20 lead over the NFC
East-leading Dallas Cowboys after three quarters on Sunday
night.

New York came in with a four-game losing streak, but with a win
over Dallas would match the Cowboys for the NFC East lead with
three games left. The division rivals play again New Year’s Day at
the Meadowlands in the regular-season finale.

The Cowboys lost rookie sensation running back DeMarco Murray
because of a fractured right ankle. He got hurt while being tackled
at the end of an 8-yard run in the first quarter when his foot got
twisted under a defender.

Murray has 897 yards rushing, 111 shy of breaking Tony Dorsett’s
team rookie record that has held since 1977. NFL career rushing
leader Emmitt Smith ran for 937 yards as a rookie in 1990.

Manning was 17-of-31 passing for 257 yards through three
quarters. The touchdown to Manningham came with 4 1/2 minutes left
in the third quarter.

The point differential in the game came when Cowboys quarterback
Tony Romo was spun around by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and
fell in the end zone for a safety in the first quarter.

Pierre-Paul, filling in for injured Osi Umenyiora, also forced a
fumble when he stripped Felix Jones just before halftime. That led
to a field goal for the Giants.

In addition to Murray, the Cowboys also lot center Phil Costa
(concussion) and safety Barry Church (right shoulder) in the
game.

Giants linebacker Travis Beckum was out knocked out of the game
by a chest injury.

Dan Bailey kicked two 49-yard field goals for the Cowboys, while
Romo threw for two touchdowns and surpassed 20,000 career yards
passing.

Bailey’s first field goal came with 15 seconds left in the first
half for a 17-15 halftime lead. He added another 49-yarder for the
only Dallas score in the third quarter.

Dallas had won four in a row before losing 19-13 in overtime a
week ago at Arizona, when Bailey missed a 49-yard field goal
attempt at the end of regulation.

Bailey’s miss came after Cowboys coach Jason Garrett had called
timeout just before Bailey had kicked a ball through the uprights
for an apparent victory.

Romo was 14-of-20 for 135 yards through three quarters. Jones
rushed 13 times for 102 yards.

After going three-and-out on their first drive of the game, the
Cowboys started their second possession on their own 8.

On the second play, Pierre-Paul got pressure on Romo, spinning
the quarterback around and causing him to fall backward into the
end zone.

After the Giants got the ball on the free kick, Manning hit
Hakeem Nicks in stride for a 64-yard completion to the Dallas 5.
But New York bogged down there and had to settle for a 23-yard
field goal by Lawrence Tynes for a 5-0 lead.

Romo became the Cowboys’ fourth 20,000-yard passer with a
12-yard touchdown pass to John Phillips. Romo rolled to his right
and then threw a screen to Phillips on the left side for the tight
end’s first career touchdown.

The other 20,000-yard passers for the Cowboys are Hall of Fame
quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, and Danny White.

Romo hasn’t really had any good memories against the Giants in
Cowboys Stadium, where New York won the first regular season game
played there two years ago. Romo sustained a broken collarbone at
home against New York last season and he didn’t play again.

Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had a sack for a safety before forcing the fumble by Jones. Lawrence Tynes had two field goals.

New York came in with a four-game losing streak, but with a win over Dallas would match the Cowboys for the NFC East lead with three games left. The division rivals play again New Year’s Day at the Meadowlands in the regular-season finale.

Tynes’ second field goal, a 26-yarder with 1:03 left in the half, came after Pierre-Paul forced the fumble that gave the Giants the ball at the Dallas 14.

Jones was left as the Cowboys’ only healthy running back after rookie sensation DeMarco Murray had to be helped off the field at the end of an 8-yard run in the first quarter. Murray’s right ankle appeared to get bent under a defender while being tackled.

After going three-and-out on their first drive of the game, the Cowboys started their second possession on their own 8.

On the second play, Pierre-Paul — filling in for injured Osi Umenyiora — got pressure on Tony Romo, spinning the quarterback around. Romo stuttered going backward, losing his balance and falling down into the end zone for a safety.

After the Giants got the ball on the free kick, Eli Manning hit Hakeem Nicks in stride for a 64-yard completion to the Dallas 5. But New York bogged down there and had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Tynes for a 5-0 lead.

Romo was 10 of 14 with two touchdown passes and surpassed 20,000 career yards.

He became the Cowboys’ fourth 20,000-yard passer with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Phillips. Romo rolled to his right and then threw a screen to Phillips on the left side for the tight end’s first career touchdown.

The other 20,000-yard passers for the Cowboys are Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, and Danny White.

Romo hasn’t really had any good memories against the Giants in Cowboys Stadium, where New York won the first regular season game played there two years ago. Romo sustained a broken collarbone at home against New York last season and he didn’t play again.

Hicks already had four catches for 105 yards after one quarter, but didn’t have a catch in the second half. Manning was 9-of-19 passing for 146 yards at halftime.

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