Everyone is talking about the Dallas Cowboys’ draft needs and who they will take in the first few rounds. It is clear they need a cornerback, a pass rusher at either outside linebacker or defensive end and an offensive lineman, preferably someone who can play both guard and center. However, there are a few other areas that need help, including wide receiver and tight end depth.

Here is a look at some players that Dallas might target later in the draft to fill in these offensive needs.

Ryan Broyles, Wide Receiver

Ryan Broyles broke the NCAA D1 record for most receptions in a career and looked to be a sure fire second round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. However, he tore his ACL against the Texas A&M Aggies and that killed his draft ranking. Recently, Broyles had a pro day for scouts and looked pretty good. He is undersized but plays with a lot of heart and might be a perfect slot receiver for Dallas. He catches everything thrown at him and has an eye for the end zone.

Michael Egnew, Tight End

Dallas needs to find a replacement for Martellus Bennett and Michael Egnew might be a great choice. Tight Ends don’t fly off the board and Egnew is the fourth ranked tight end in the NFL Draft, which means he should be available in the early middle rounds. He has natural hands, and at 6-5, can catch the ball in a wide radius. He also has great speed and might be the replacement Dallas needs for Jason Witten when the star finally retires.

LaDarius Green, Tight End

He ranks lower than Egnew partially because of his lower school credentials. The Louisiana-Lafayette tight end has great hands and can get to the end zone. He is also a great blocker, a necessity for a tight end playing opposite Jason Witten. He is strong and isn’t afraid of contact.

Rueben Randle, Wide Receiver

If Dallas decides they don’t need a big name guard or cornerback early because of their free agent moves, they might be able to nab LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle in the second round. While it might be a reach, it would give them a quality third receiver to replace Laurent Robinson in the lineup. Randle has great hands and can snatch the ball out of the air even when not throw perfectly. He also has great big play ability and is very fast.

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: NFL.COM

Other articles by Shawn S. Lealos:

Read More: Felix Jones (RB – DAL), DeMarco Murray (RB – DAL), Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys

During the Cowboys win over the Buccaneers on Saturday, Felix Jones’ hamstring tightened up on him. Jones had tied his career high with 22 carries in the win. Since DeMarco Murray was lost for the year, Jones had 38 carries for 214 yards and nine catches for 54 yards in two games.

With Demarco Murray and Phillip Tanner both out with injury, the next man up is Sammy Morris for Jason Garrett’s offensive unit as they prepare for the Eagles on Saturday.

Here is the full injury report for the Dallas Cowboys in week 16:

Held out of practice:

• Nose tackle Josh Brent (knee)
• Wide receiver Andre Holmes (hamstring)
• Running back Felix Jones (hamstring)
• Safety Danny McCray (ankle)
• Wide Receiver Kevin Ogletree (knee).

Limited in practice:

• Cornerback Mike Jenkins (shoulder)
• Right guard Kyle Kosier (foot)
• Nose tackle Jay Ratliff (rib muscle strain)
• Wide Receiver Laurent Robinson (shoulder)
• Outside Linebacker DeMarcus Ware (stinger)

For all news and information regarding the Dallas Cowboys, please visit Blogging the Boys. Go check out all things Philadelphia Eagles at Bleeding Green Nation.

December 15, 2011 – United Football League (UFL)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – Thursday, December 15, 2011 – Quarterback CHRIS GREISEN, who led the Virginia Destroyers to victory in the 2011 United Football League Championship Game, has rejoined the Dallas Cowboys.

Greisen, who also reached the 2010 UFL Championship Game as the starting quarterback for the Florida Tuskers, spent time on the Cowboys roster during the 2010 season and has signed to the NFL club’s practice squad following a season-ending injury to Jon Kitna.

“It’s always cool when an NFL team calls you up and says we want you to play for our team,” Greisen told his hometown Green Bay Press Gazette. “It’s the highest level of football, and one of the marquee franchises in the league.”

Greisen completed 61 of 87 pass attempts for 695 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in four games for the Virginia Destroyers in 2011. In the 17-3 Championship Game victory over the Las Vegas Locos he completed 21 of 31 passes for 154 yards.

“Chris Greisen has all the qualities that are important to a team, especially leadership,” said Destroyers head coach MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER. “Chris has an instinct for the game that jumped right out at me.”

Prior to signing with the Cowboys on December 27, 2010, he connected on 58 of 84 pass attempts for 664 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions for the Florida Tuskers. Having won the starting job under center, he passed for 346 yards and rushed for two touchdowns in a 23-20 defeat to the Las Vegas Locos in the 2010 UFL Championship Game.

Greisen joins JOSH MCCOWN (Chicago Bears / Hartford Colonials 2010), RICHARD BARTEL (Arizona Cardinals / Sacramento Mountain Lions 2010), JEFF GARCIA (Houston Texans / Omaha Nighthawks 2010) and 2009 UFL Championship Game winner J.P. LOSMAN (Miami Dolphins / Las Vegas Locos 2009) among former UFL quarterbacks currently with NFL clubs.

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“It was a big win, no doubt,” Giants quarterback Eli Manning said after throwing for 400 yards and two touchdowns. “We’re excited. It’s been a while since we’ve had that winning feeling.”

The Cowboys led, 34-22, with just less than six minutes to play after quarterback Tony Romo’s 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dez Bryant. But the Giants got an eight-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end Jake Ballard with a little more than three minutes remaining. They got the ball back and drove to tailback Brandon Jacobs’s one-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds to go, and added a two-point conversion.

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey missed a 47-yard field goal attempt with one second left. The Giants called a timeout just before Bailey made the kick on his first try, then Jason Pierre-Paul blocked the ensuing attempt that counted.

“It wasn’t easy, obviously,” Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said. “Gosh, there’s plays out there you just shake your head.”

Manning also connected with wide receiver Mario Manningham for a third-quarter touchdown pass. He threw what appeared, at the time, to be a costly fourth-quarter interception to linebacker Sean Lee, just before Romo’s touchdown pass to Bryant. But the Giants persevered for their first victory in more than a month.

“We were just clicking,” Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz said. “We understood what we had to do. We understood we had to get down there and get down there fast, and that’s what we did.”

Manning added to what has been a superb season for him, although it largely has been overshadowed by the potential record-breaking exploits of other quarterbacks like Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, New England’s Tom Brady and Drew Brees of New Orleans.

“He was really upset over the interception,” Coughlin said. “But he comes right back. He made some great plays coming down the stretch.”

Said Jacobs, who also had a first-half touchdown run: “If you ask me, he’s the best in the business when we have our backs to the wall and we need a score.”

The defeat was particularly painful for the Cowboys, who lost rookie tailback DeMarco Murray to a season-ending ankle injury suffered on a first-quarter carry. The team announced that Murray suffered a fractured right ankle and a high ankle sprain, and Coach Jason Garrett said after the game that he doesn’t expect Murray to play again this season.

Felix Jones filled in capably at running back and Romo threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers. But it wasn’t enough for the Cowboys.

“I just think you have to keep going,” Garrett said. “We’ve won probably four or five games this way, too.”

ARLINGTON, Texas – DeMarco Murray left the Dallas Cowboys locker-room on crutches, his face shrouded by a grey hoodie and his right leg immobilized by a protective boot.

The running back knew his record-setting rookie season is over. His teammates left wondering whether their season is falling apart, too.

The Cowboys lost a second straight game on Sunday night, but what really stings is the way they did it. The defence gave up two touchdowns in the final 3:14.

Miles Austin failed to haul in a potential winning touchdown; coach Jason Garrett again struggled with his clock management; and rookie kicker Dan Bailey had a last-second kick blocked.

All in a home game against the New York Giants, a team that had lost four straight games, and in a game that would decide first place in the NFC East.

“You always think about would’ve, should’ve, could’ve when you don’t win,” linebacker Bradie James said. “I’m going to be thinking about this one.”

Then again, the Cowboys should be getting used to these kinds of finishes.

Dallas has led in the fourth quarter of five of its six losses this season, and in eight of its nine losses under Garrett.

Even big leads aren’t safe with this club. This was the third time this season the Cowboys have blown a fourth-quarter lead of at least 12 points; to put in perspective how unusual that is, it happened only twice over the franchise’s previous 51 seasons.

“The nature of our team is we’ve played a lot of close games,” Garrett said. “We’ve won maybe half of them and we’ve lost some other ones. You have to look at situations, see what happens, some way, somehow process it, learn from it and hopefully go forward. Just because you’ve figured out how to do it once doesn’t mean you’re going to do it all the time. I think that’s the nature of the National Football League, we just need to find ways to do it much more often than we have.”

Now here’s the really crazy part. Dallas still has a clear path to the division title. If the Cowboys win their final three games — at Tampa Bay on Saturday night, at home against Philadelphia the following Saturday, then on the road against New York on New Year’s Day — then they will win the East and host a playoff game.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, especially with a running game that will be missing Murray.

“We know what we have in front of us,” cornerback Terence Newman said. “After losing two straight, there isn’t much we can do as far pointing fingers. You have to try to correct the mistakes you make.”

There are some specific things that need cleaning up, such as the way Newman and the rest of the secondary were routinely burned. A unit that allowed a 52-yard touchdown pass in overtime to lose the previous game gave up catches of 64 and 47 yards.

They also were flagged for pass interference in the end zone on what would’ve been a third-down incompletion, thus forcing a field goal, and they gave the Giants a first down on the winning drive when nickel cornerback Frank Walker was flagged for holding in the secondary.

Walker’s penalty was the second of that drive. DeMarcus Ware was caught being offside. Not even counting penalty yards, the Giants gained 510 yards on Sunday night.

“We have to find a way to be on the same page,” James said. “When those pressure situations come, people crack or they make plays. We didn’t make enough plays in the end.”

The offence put up enough points to win, but still had enough costly mistakes to cost guys some sleep. It started early, with Doug Free’s missed block that led to quarterback Tony Romo getting twisted around and toppling into the end zone for a safety.

And it lasted late, with Austin watching that pass flutter past him, perhaps not able to find that extra gear because of the hamstring injuries that have limited him all season.

But the part that causes the most gnashing of teeth among Cowboys fans is Garrett’s continued problems managing the clock.

NBC cameras showed Sunday night that team owner Jerry Jones and everyone in his booth knew when to call a timeout, but it took the coach about 15 seconds to do it.

Jones was so frustrated after the game that he only issued a brief statement. He didn’t answer any questions.

The Cowboys have essentially turned into the anti-Tebows. Just like the Denver quarterback has a knack for turning seemingly lost games into victories in the final minutes, Dallas turns likely victories into losses right at the end.

Again, there’s a pattern to it. Romo is 19-2 in November, just 9-14 in regular season games in December and January. That includes 4-0 this November and 0-2 this December.

After the game, Garrett and Romo offered little insight into anything, instead deferring to “the process.”

They also kept talking about looking ahead to Tampa Bay, as if it was unbeaten Green Bay and not a 4-9 team that just got spanked 41-14 by another 4-9 team that has a rookie quarterback and an interim coach.

“You have to put your head down and keep playing games,” Romo said. “For us it is about us coming back and figuring out some detail things that we can use from this game to improve and using that. Getting better as a team and playing our best game next week.”

The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Arizona Cardinals and there is one person to blame for the defeat: Jason Garrett. With time running out, Tony Romo(notes) completes a clutch pass to Dez Bryant(notes) to set up Dallas in position to win their third straight game with a field goal. Then, right as Dallas prepares to kick the field goal, Garrett calls time out and ices his own kicker.

Dan Bailey(notes), who missed his first field goal since Week 2 earlier in the game, kicked the ball right through the uprights for what should have been the win. Because of the time out, Bailey had to hit it again and missed short, sending the game into overtime.

In overtime, the Dallas defense rushed Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) when he flipped out a desperation pass to backup running back LaRod Stephens-Howling(notes), who then ran it 52 yards for the game winning touchdown.

The final last time out of regulation is enough for any Dallas Cowboys’ fan to shake their head in disbelief.

Add to the frustration the fact that DeMarco Murray(notes) only got 12 carries in the game, which when added to Felix Jones(notes) six carries, gave Dallas the least amount of runs in any game since Murray came on the scene. Explain why Dallas doesn’t run the ball more against a team they should be able to dominate, especially since the running game is why they are winning now?

The defense played fine, limiting running back Beanie Wells(notes) to 67 yards in the game and the only touchdown of regulation. But there is little you can do when the offense puts you behind the eight ball one too many times.

There were so many good points in the game that were soured, such Dez Bryant’s great punt return in the fourth quarter than was called back because of holding. Felix Jones averaged 37 yards on kick returns, putting Dallas in a spot to do damage. Yet, somehow, Romo dropped back to pass 42 times in the game and they never even tried to run with Murray, punting over and over on the day.

This was a horribly coached football game, and with how the New York Giants played against Green Bay, Dallas blew their chance for a safety cushion. The end of the world is not coming for Dallas but they have to ask Jason Garrett what he was thinking in this game and hope he fixes it next week.

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: Yahoo! Sports

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The Dallas Cowboys beat the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day and find themselves now all alone in first place in the NFC East. With the Arizona Cardinals on the schedule, it looks like they will remain in that position when they host the New York Giants on Dec. 11. With the NFC East suddenly in the Cowboys’ hands, here is a look at their opposition within their own conference.

New York Giants

What has happened to the New York Giants? They began the year on a tear. They started off with a 6-2 record and looked to be coasting to the NFC East title. However, this is the New York Giants we are talking about and have always had the propensity to choke in the NFC East race. It is also interesting that two of their early losses were to Washington and Seattle, two teams that Dallas beat pretty soundly.

People like to talk about how Dallas is playing an easy schedule now and that contributed to them taking this lead. However, during the 6-2 start, New York beat St. Louis, Arizona, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Miami. Does that sound familiar to a certain Cowboys’ franchise? Yes, the Giants beat New England, but since then, they have lost three in a row, including to San Francisco, who Dallas also beat this season. Next up is Green Bay and Dallas should have a two-game lead when the Giants come to town.

Philadelphia Eagles

Remember when the season started and everyone called Philadelphia the 2011 Dream Team? Everyone compared them to the Miami Heat. But then, they beat St. Louis is Week 1 and dropped four in a row. When they beat up Dallas on Oct. 30, it looked like they were about to rebound into the NFC East race. It didn’t happen as they lost three of the next four games.

However, don’t count Philadelphia out yet. They are three games out of the NFC East, and if Dallas chokes down the stretch, the Eagles have a tiebreaker over them right now. Their next three games are against Seattle, Miami and the Jets, so they could easily win those three heading into their next game with Dallas. Could the Eagles race back? Stranger things have happened.

Washington Redskins

Norv Turner. Marty Schottenheimer. Steve Spurrier. Joe Gibbs(notes). Jim Zorn. Mike Shanahan. Three of those names were extremely successful earlier in their career. Another had greatest success after leaving. Another was a college legend. The other used to be a quarterback. None of them have been able to win since Daniel Snyder bought the Washington Redskins. They have been to the playoffs three times since he took over ownership and this will be another disappointing season for the Redskins

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: Dallas Cowboys

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

Thanksgiving Day is my favorite holiday. It is a day filled with good company, good food and good football. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted his team to treat the Thanksgiving Day game like it was the Super Bowl. But the Cowboys started the game like it was preseason. The Cowboys almost spoiled my Thanksgiving Day, but they narrowly escaped with a 20-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Rough Start

After a delicious Thanksgiving Day meal, I was all set to watch the Cowboys play the Dolphins. A victory would top off my meal better than homemade pumpkin pie. Unfortunately, the Cowboys’ rough start had me reaching for the Pepto-Bismol. Two interceptions by Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo(notes) told me that this was not going to be easy. The Cowboys were lucky to be trailing 3-0 after one quarter. My appetite was gone.

Big Receiver, Big Problems

Big receivers pose big problems for the Cowboys’ defense. In Week 4, Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson(notes) victimized the Cowboys with his height. On Thanksgiving Day, Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall(notes) used his size to dominate the secondary. Marshall caught one touchdown with Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman(notes) draped helplessly on his back. The Cowboys will need a consistent pass rush, or teams will expose their secondary. We saw the Dolphins do it. Imagine what a team like the Green Bay Packers will do.

More Murray

The Cowboys found a true stud in rookie running back DeMarco Murray(notes). He was a workhorse on Thursday, rushing for 87 yards on 22 carries. He also caught four passes for 41 yards. Murray once again gave the Cowboys a balanced offensive attack. He may not flashy, but he gets the job done

Total Team Effort

You have to like the way the Cowboys won this game. With less than five minutes left, the Dolphins looked to run out the clock. But the Cowboys’ defense forced a three-and-out, and gave the offense a chance. Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant(notes) returned the punt 20 yards to the Cowboys’ 36-yard line. Two pass plays to tight end Jason Witten(notes) and runs by Murray put the Cowboys in position for a game-winning 28-yard field goal. It was good, and the Cowboys come-from-behind win was complete.

Character Building Wins

The past two games have been character building wins for the Cowboys. They have won with effort, execution and clutch performances. Overconfidence is not a problem for the Cowboys. They know they have to get better. But getting wins in the process is a boost.

The Thanksgiving Day victory over the Miami Dolphins was a very satisfying win on my favorite holiday of the year. The Cowboys are now 7-4. They have more than a week to prepare for their next game in Arizona. But first things first, it is time for that pumpkin pie… with whipped cream.

More from Edwin Torres:

Cowboys Defeat Redskins in NFC East Smackdown: Fan Reaction

The Dallas Cowboys Have a Chance at Redemption: Fan Preview

Should Cowboys RB Felix Jones Lose His Job Due to Injury? Fan View

Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. He enjoyed watching the Dallas teams of the 90s dominate opponents on both sides of the ball. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:

SI.com – NFL

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

Believe it or not, the Dallas Cowboys have roared back into the playoff race. While many fans from around the NFL would love to pronounce the Cowboys dead, and I have heard a lot of those cries, they are now sitting in first place in the NFC East. Yes, they are officially tied with the New York Giants, but Dallas is 2-1 in the division and that tiebreaker puts them in first.

Plus, Dallas plays Miami on Thanksgiving Day and then travel to Arizona while the Giants have to travel to New Orleans to battle the Saints and then host the undefeated Green Bay Packers the next week. Believe it or not, Dallas could be two games up on the Giants when they play on Dec. 11.

After that, Dallas goes to a struggling Tampa Bay and then faces the Eagles and Giants to finish the season. On the other hand, the Giants get Washington, a road game against the Jets and host Dallas to close things out. At this time, I predict the Giants finish 8-8 or 9-7 and believe they will split the Dallas series. I see Dallas finishing up 10-6 if they split the Giants series or 11-5 if they beat the Eagles on Christmas Eve.

But what if Dallas slips up and the Giants sweep them and takes the NFC East? What if Dallas relies on a wildcard to get in? I still see Dallas finishing no worse than 9-7, so that leaves a few teams able to overtake them.

Green Bay is going to win the NFC North. San Francisco will clinch the NFC West in the next two weeks. They might clinch this week if Seattle loses and they win. New Orleans and Atlanta are fighting for the NFC South. That means, for the two wildcard spots, the NFC East teams will battle Detroit, Chicago and either Atlanta or New Orleans.

We are looking at the loser between the Giants and Cowboys in the NFC East being 9-7. New Orleans has a nice schedule to close out the season and I think they can finish up 11-5 or 12-4. So that leaves Atlanta, who I think can also finish up with 10 or 11 wins as well. Even without Jay Cutler(notes), I see Chicago finishing no worse than 9-7, maybe even 10-6, if they get Kyle Orton(notes) back. As good as Detroit is, I seen them falling to 9-7 but they might also end up with 10 wins if they win a tough game or two on the road.

That means the NFC North and NFC South will provide the wildcard team. The Dallas Cowboys have to win their division to make the playoffs. Only one team from the NFC East gets in, and right now, Dallas has the best chance based on the remaining schedule.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: CBSSports

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

I was fine when the Dallas Cowboys lost to the New York Jets in Week 1 of the National Football League (NFL). Mistakes cost them the game but it was only the first week. Then in Week 4, the Cowboys gave up a 24-point lead at home against the Detroit Lions. That loss made me feel physically ill. Finally in Week 8, the Cowboys were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles. Of all the teams to get pummeled by, why did it have to be the Eagles? The Cowboys were 3-4 at that point and I was ready to fold. However, winning the last two games has given the Cowboys a great chance at redemption.

Resurgence

After a comfortable win against the Seattle Seahawks and a dominating performance against the Buffalo Bills, the Cowboys find themselves at 5-4. The game against the Bills was particularly impressive. The Cowboys played very well in all facets of that game. That was the game Cowboys fans have been waiting for.

Timing is Everything

The next three games for the Cowboys are the Washington Redskins (away), Miami Dolphins (home) and Arizona Cardinals (away). All three of these opponents have losing records. With a win against the struggling Redskins this week, the Cowboys will go two games over .500 for the first time this year.

Beasts of the East

The Cowboys are just one game behind the division-leading New York Giants. But that may change. The Giants have three difficult games ahead of them: Philadelphia Eagles (home), New Orleans Saints (away) and Green Bay Packers (home). The game against the Eagles will not be easy, the Saints are a playoff team and we know how good the Packers are. After these games, the Giants will visit the Cowboys for a much anticipated division showdown.

The Cowboys have a chance at redemption now. They can win their next three games. If they do, they will be 8-4 when the Giants come to town. They will have erased the hurt of the heartbreaking losses and given themselves a chance to compete for the division. But they cannot lose to the hapless Redskins this week. Not now. A loss would cripple us Cowboys fans. It would prolong the slow, painful death that has been the Cowboys’ 2011 season.

More from Edwin Torres:

Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. He enjoyed watching the Dallas teams of the 90s dominate opponents on both sides of the ball. Edwin also follows local teams such as the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. As a longtime fan of the National Football League, Edwin follows many interesting games and stories each week.

Sources:

SI.com – NFL

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

The Dallas Cowboys and Thanksgiving go together like pumpkin pie and whipped cream. When the NFL schedules are released, the first thing I look at is who Dallas’ opponent will be on Thanksgiving Day. Being an ardent Dallas Cowboys fan, my favorite Thanksgiving memory is when they met the Green Bay Packers at Texas Stadium on November 24, 1994. The Cowboys had one of the best second-half comebacks in their storied history.

Even though the Cowboys were the 2-time defending Super Bowl champions, expectations for them were low. The Cowboys had to turn to their third-string quarterback, Jason Garrett. Since starting-quarterback Troy Aikman and backup Rodney Peete were both injured, Cowboys’ first-year head coach Barry Switzer had no choice but to start Garrett. Prior to this game, Garrett had only started once and had never thrown a touchdown pass in the NFL.

Not many fans were surprised when the Packers jumped out to a 17-6 halftime lead. They dominated Dallas in the first half and this looked like it was going to be a blowout. But Garrett and the Cowboys came storming back in the second half. They scored a total of 36 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. They ended up winning the game by the unlikely score of 42-31 mainly fueled by Garrett. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. The Cowboys had to overcome Packers’ starting quarterback Brett Favre(notes), who completed 27 of 40 passes for 257 yards and 4 touchdowns.

This game turned out to be the highlight of Jason Garrett’s playing career. Even though he only started nine games for Dallas in his career, the contribution he made in this game endeared him to Dallas fans forever. In our house, Thanksgiving dinner tasted much better because of him.

This would be the only game Garrett started in 1994. The Cowboys finished the regular season 12-4 but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. This ended Dallas’ effort to become the first team in history to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Interestingly, the Packers would finish the season at 9-7 and make the playoffs, only to be eliminated by these same Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional playoff game.

Daniel has been a Cowboys fan his whole life. His parents and brother are lifelong fans as well.

References:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199411240dal.htm

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1994.htm

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GarrJa00.htm

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Read More: Laurent Robinson (WR – DAL), Tony Romo (QB – DAL), Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo didn’t have a good night for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, either in real life or for fantasy football purproses. The Cowboys quarterback completed 18 of his 35 passing attempts for a touchdown and an interception in a 34-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Romo was unable to really get anything going against the Eagles. He was sacked twice on the team’s opening drive and never really looked like he was comfortable, eventually culminating in the Cowboys trailing 24-0 at halftime. It did seem he found a new favorite receiver, however, as Laurent Robinson caught five passes for 103 yards and the only touchdown of the game.

For more on Romo and his matchup with the Eagles, check out Cowboys blog, Blogging The Boys, and our Eagles blog, Bleeding Green Nation. Also be sure to check out all of our fantasy football news and video highlights of the best Week 8 action. 

Foxboro, MA (Sports Network) – Aaron Hernandez’s touchdown within the final minute gave the New England Patriots an historic 20-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

The win is the 116th time the quarterback-head coach duo of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick has won a game, tying Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins from 1983-1995. New England also won its 20th consecutive regular season home game, tying the 1929-32 Green Bay Packers for the fourth- longest streak all-time.

Brady completed 27-of-41 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for New England (5-1). The two touchdowns gave Brady 277 for his career and moved him past Vinny Testaverde for sole possession of eighth place all-time.

The one record New England failed to reach was recording its 14th straight regular-season game with more than 30 points scored. The Patriots’ streak ended at 13, one shy of the league record set by the 1999-2000 St. Louis Rams.

Tony Romo threw for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 27-of-41 passing for Dallas (2-3), but his Hail Mary throw as time expired went wide of the end zone and the Cowboys dropped their second consecutive game.

Dez Bryant caught four passes for 78 yards and Miles Austin hauled in seven receptions for 74 yards in the loss.

“We just need to figure out how to get the win at the end and I think we will going forward,” Romo said. “This team is continuing to grow and get better, we just need to finish out a game like today, and we will I think, as the season progresses.”

Trailing 16-13 with 5:13 left in the game, New England was held to a quick three-and-out. After forcing the same from Dallas, the Patriots started a drive with 2 1/2 minutes remaining at their own 20.

Brady threw for first downs on consecutive completions to Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski before finding Wes Welker for a short gain at the two-minute warning.

After a quarterback sneak gave the Patriots a first down at the Dallas 27, Brady hit Danny Woodhead for a 13-yard gain to move the ball into the red zone. Two plays later, Hernandez hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass with a defender on his back to give New England a 20-16 lead with 22 seconds left in the game.

“It was great protection. Great catch by Aaron. A lot of guys made big plays on that drive; we really needed it,” Brady said.

Romo was intercepted by Kyle Arrington on the opening drive of the game and New England took over at the Dallas 47. The Patriots failed to push the ball in for the score from within the Cowboys’ 10-yard line and had to settle for a Stephen Gostkowski 31-yard field goal.

New England started its next possession at its own 10 after a Dallas punt. Brady was picked off by Terence Newman on the first play of the drive, giving the Cowboys the ball at the Patriots’ 23. Dan Bailey’s 48-yard field goal made it a 3-3 game.

Matthew Slater had the ball slapped out of his hand on the ensuing kickoff and the Cowboys recovered the fumble at New England’s 32-yard line. But Tashard Choice lost a fumble to give the ball right back to New England.

Deion Branch’s 45-yard catch-and-run moved the ball into Dallas territory, but the Patriots again had to settle for a red-zone field goal when Gostkowski split the uprights from 26 yards out early in the second quarter.

After the Cowboys were forced to punt, New England took over at its own 31. Gronkowski rumbled for a 20-yard gain on a screen pass on the first play of the drive, and a roughing the passer penalty moved the Patriots further down the field before Brady found Welker for a five-yard score.

Welker was initially called out at the one-yard line but a challenge revealed he stretched the ball across the goal line before falling out of bounds, giving the Patriots a 13-3 lead.

Dallas answered with an 11-play, 93-yard scoring drive to send the game into half time with a 13-10 score. Bryant’s 33-yard reception highlighted the march before Romo hit Jason Witten for a one-yard touchdown grab.

The Cowboys took their first drive of the second half within the Patriots’ 10- yard line, but a sack on Romo moved the ball back to the 18 and Choice was stopped short of the goal on a screen pass to force a game-tying, 22-yard field goal by Bailey.

New England then marched down the field, helped by a running into the kicker penalty on a punt that gave the ball back to the Patriots. But deep in Cowboys territory, Hernandez fumbled and Dallas recovered.

The Cowboys had to punt and New England had another drive into Dallas territory halted with a turnover. Sean Lee picked off Brady at the Cowboys’ 26-yard line.

Laurent Robinson caught a short pass from Romo, fought off a defender and raced down the right sideline for a 32-yard gain to move Dallas deep into New England territory. Dallas was denied a touchdown yet again inside the red zone, and Bailey’s 26-yard kick put the Cowboys ahead, 16-13.

Game Notes

New England has not lost a regular-season game in Gillette Stadium since a 33-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 30, 2008…Welker caught six passes for 45 yards, ending his streak of three straight games with over 120 yards receiving…Dallas leads the all-time series 7-4 but has lost the last four meetings…Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware had two sacks and has recorded 13 sacks in his last eight games.

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Published: Oct. 8, 2011 at 11:34 PM

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 8 (UPI) — The Dallas Cowboys are the favorite team of adults who follow professional football for a fifth straight year, a U.S. poll indicates.

The Harris Poll of 2,462 U.S. adults surveyed online Sept. 12-19 by Harris Interactive found the second- most popular NFL team was the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Chicago Bears. For the third year in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars wer last.

The football season is only a few weeks old, but some are looking forward to the Super Bowl. One-quarter of Americans who follow professional football believe the Packers will win the Super Bowl, 23 say it will be the Patriots, 8 percent say the Philadelphia Eagles and 6 percent the Steelers.

Fifty-five percent of Americans say they follow professional football, a slight increase from last year’s 53 percent, although the attraction is more popular with men than women — 71 percent vs. 41 percent.

Fifty-seven percent of Generation Xers, those ages 35-46, and baby boomers ages 47-65 say they follow football, as do 55 percent of those age 66 and older — but just over half of echo boomers ages 18-34 say they are football fans.

No margin of error was provided.