With the Dallas Cowboys’ loss to the New York Giants officially ending their season, there has to be a time to look back and see what went right with the franchise. One of the best stories of the season featured a wide receiver that had never reached his potential getting another chance and exploding in 2011.

Laurent Robinson
Wikimedia Commons

Laurent Robinson joined the Cowboys to help out the team when Miles Austin went down with a hamstring injury. After integrating himself into the offense in Week 3, with three receptions for 49 yards, he exploded against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. While Dallas might have lost the game at the end, they found a new star for the wide receiver corps. Robinson caught seven balls for 116 yards.

Austin returned in the next game, after the bye week, but by Week 8, Robinson made his name with the Cowboys. Against Philadelphia, in that game, Robinson caught five balls for 103 yards and his first touchdown of the season.

Over a five game stretch, Robinson caught at least one touchdown pass in each game, with two against Buffalo and Miami. He broke 100 yards again in Week 14, against the New York Giants, and then finished the season, against the Giants once again, with two more touchdowns.

By the end of the Dallas Cowboys’ 2011 NFL season, Laurent Robinson finished with season high in receptions (54), yards (858) and touchdowns (11).

Robinson started his career in Atlanta and then moved on to the St. Louis Rams. At both stops, he was supposed to be a star but failed to hold onto a job at either location. With this fresh chance in Dallas, and a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback throwing him the ball, Robinson finally showed what he is capable of.

If anything, Robinson has shown that he has a chance to be a solid starter for a team in 2012. It would be nice to see him return to Dallas, but does he really want to play secondary roles behind Dez Bryant and Miles Austin? He said he loves it in Dallas and would love to return, though. Fans of the Cowboys will have to wait and see, but if Robinson comes back in 2012, Dallas should have one of the top receiver corps in the NFL once again.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

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It is time for the Dallas Cowboys to try to gain some revenge against the Philadelphia Eagles but this is a definite trap game for the Cowboys. Even if Dallas loses to the Eagles, they can still beat the Giants the next week and make the playoffs. However, Philadelphia just found a glimmer of light, and if they win their last two games, they might still make the playoffs as well depending on the Giants final two games.

It is a trap game because Philadelphia has to win but Dallas does not. Of course, if the New York Jets beat the Giants in the noon game then the Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot by beating the Eagles that afternoon. But, if the Giants win, it all comes down to the last game of the season.

And that might be a good thing, because the last times these teams played, Philadelphia beat Dallas, 34-7. The Eagles out-gained the Cowboys, 495-267 in total yards and held onto the ball for 42:09 while Dallas only notched 17:50. Needless to say, Philadelphia whipped Dallas every way there is to beat a team.

The bad thing is that the Eagles dominated the Cowboys offense and took them completely out of their game plan. DeMarco Murray only ran eight times in the game, and when Dallas runs less than 20 times in a game, Dallas loses. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant only finished with three receptions each. Laurent Robinson was the only reliable target in the game, catching 103 of Tony Romo’s total 203 yards of passing.

The Dallas defense was shredded as well. Coming into the game, it was an exciting matchup pitting the No. 1 rush defense in the nation against the No. 1 rushing offense. LeSean McCoy made a joke out of the matchup by running for 185 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns. Dallas’ defense has not even sniffed the top of the rushing defense leader board since.

That was also the game that Sean Lee was injured. Punter Mat McBriar and corner Mike Jenkins also left the game with injuries. It was a game Dallas might want to forget but should take strong note of heading into Saturday.

After the Eagles trounced Dallas, they lost four of the next five but have won two straight heading into Week 16. Their season is on the line this game. Win and their playoff hopes are still alive, with a Giants loss. Lose and go home. By the time the two teams play, they will know the result of the Giants game. If the Giants win, the Eagles are only playing for pride. If the Giants lose, Dallas is playing for and early division win.

This might be the most exciting game of the season for one of these teams.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Note: The opinions expressed here are my takes on each player’s individual matchup. As always, use your best judgment and conduct your own research on who to start or bench each week. You know your individual team and/or league situation better than anyone else.

Tony Romo, QB

Averaging 21.80 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Romo is a solid fantasy quarterback to carry in the playoffs. He scored 25.86 fantasy points last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but has a tough matchup this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. He scored just 12.02 fantasy points against Philadelphia in week eight but should have a better performance this time around at home.

Felix Jones, RB

Jones had a solid game last week against the Buccaneers scoring 13.10 fantasy points after putting up 11.70 fantasy points the week prior against the New York Giants. He has a very favorable matchup this week against the Eagles who are giving up 20.75 fantasy points per game to running backs this season. Expect a strong week this week.

Dez Bryant, WR

Averaging 10.40 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Bryant is a solid fantasy receiver to carry into the playoffs. He scored 10.00 fantasy points last week against the Buccaneers and has a decent matchup this week against the Eagles. Philadelphia is giving up 22.01 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season so expect Bryant to get his fair share this week.

Laurent Robinson, WR

Averaging 13.00 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Robinson has proven to be a reliable receiver to carry in the fantasy playoffs. He scored 8.90 fantasy points last week against the Buccaneers and shares the decent matchup with the rest of the Dallas Cowboys’ receivers. Expect a similar performance this week against the Eagles as he had last week.

Miles Austin, WR

Austin put up a solid 11.30 fantasy point performance last week against the Buccaneers to follow up his 12.80 fantasy point performance against the Giants the week prior. He has looked good since returning from injury so expect a similar performance this week.

Jason Witten, TE

Averaging just 6.50 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Witten’s performance has dropped as the wide receivers have stepped up their game. He scored 7.70 fantasy points last week against the Buccaneers and should have a similar game this week against the Eagles. I would recommend seeing if other options are available first, but if not, feel confident in starting him this week.

Dan Bailey, K

Averaging 9.00 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Bailey is still a solid fantasy kicking option to start in the playoffs. He scored 7.00 fantasy points last week against the Buccaneers but should show some improvement this week against the Eagles.

Defense

Averaging just 5.40 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, it would appear the Cowboys’ team defense would not be the best option. However, they did score 9.00 fantasy points last week against the Buccaneers and have a very favorable matchup this week against the Eagles. It is a risky move given their recent history but I am confident they will continue to do well this week.

Sources:

All data provided by Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football

Paul Rados is an avid fantasy football participant and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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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.