The 2012 Dallas Cowboys schedule is out, and it looks like a tough one for the Cowboys. I would not be surprised if they go 8-8.

The Cowboys will be tested immediately. On Wednesday Sep 05, 2012, the Cowboys visit the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. The Cowboys have not fared well against the Giants in recent years. Defeating the defending Super Bowl champions on their home field, in the NFL season opener will be no easy task.

As if facing the Giants twice was not enough, the Cowboys will face the AFC North this season. That includes three teams that made the playoffs last season: Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. Two of these games will be away.

The Cowboys will face two other playoff teams from last season. On Nov 04, they will visit the Atlanta Falcons. On Dec 23, the Cowboys will host the New Orleans Saints. Despite the bounty scandal on the Saints this offseason, they are still a talented team. By the time they visit Cowboys Stadium, the Saints could be on a roll.

And don’t forget the highly talented Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles struggled in 2011. They failed to meet their high expectations. This season could be different. The Eagles have something to prove. And a talented team with a purpose is always dangerous.

So it looks like a tough season ahead for the Cowboys. I see a mediocre finish in store for them. That means no playoffs. But hey, you never know. That’s why they play the games.

Here is the complete 2012 Dallas Cowboys Schedule:

Week 1: Wednesday, Sep 05, at New York Giants, 8:30 pm ET

Week 2: Sunday, Sep 16, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 pm ET

Week 3: Sunday, Sep 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 pm ET

Week 4: Monday, Oct 01, Chicago Bears, 8:30 pm ET

Week 5: Bye

Week 6: Sunday, Oct 14, at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 pm ET

Week 7: Sunday, Oct 21, at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 pm ET

Week 8: Sunday, Oct 28, New York Giants, 4:15 pm ET

Week 9: Sunday, Nov 04, at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 pm ET

Week 10: Sunday, Nov 11, at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:15 pm ET

Week 11: Sunday, Nov 18, Cleveland Browns, 1:00 pm ET

Week 12: Thursday, Nov 22, Washington Redskins, 4:15 pm ET

Week 13: Sunday, Dec 02, Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 pm ET

Week 14: Sunday, Dec 09, at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 pm ET

Week 15: Sunday, Dec 16, Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:15 pm ET

Week 16: Sunday, Dec 23, New Orleans Saints, 1:00 pm ET

Week 17: Sunday, Dec 30, at Washington Redskins, 1:00 pm ET

More from Edwin Torres:

Running Quarterbacks Do Not Win Super Bowls

Dallas Cowboys 2012 NFL Draft Quick Look: Dre Kirkpatrick

Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. As a longtime fan of the National Football League, Edwin follows many interesting games and stories each week. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:

NFL – Statistics – Yahoo! Sports

Don’t tell me the Dallas Cowboys don’t have the players to win the NFC East. They do. In fact, they were in perfect position a year ago to claim the division for the second time in three years.

But they didn’t, and they didn’t because they couldn’t win their season finale vs. the New York Giants and because they lost four of their last five starts. Basically, the Cowboys blew it, with missed field goals, blown leads and poor play punctuating a descent that had them finish 8-8, with an 0-4 record against the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

Afterward, owner Jerry Jones pledged support for embattled coach Jason Garrett, and that’s good. The guy needed someone to stand behind him. Now he needs a defense to rely on, and last year’s unit didn’t qualify. It ranked 23rd vs. the pass and 16th in points allowed. Worse, it blew five fourth-quarter leads.

The Cowboys haven’t had a winning season in two years, losing 19 of their last 33 starts, and that must change. Garrett knows it. He was hired to put this team back on its feet, and this is his chance.

Again.

QB: After awhile, the criticism of Tony Romo gets old. The guy played through a broken rib, punctured lung and bruised throwing hand and still managed one of the best seasons of his career, with 31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, one fumble and a career-best 102.5 pass rating. The problem, of course, is that he must prove he can lead this team to the playoffs, then win at the next level. He has been to the playoffs, but he has won only once there. That’s the hurdle Romo must clear, and he might’ve made it last season if the Cowboys hadn’t become so one-dimensional after the loss of running back DeMarco Murray. If the heat is on Romo, it’s only to prove that he can take Dallas deep into the playoffs. Signing Kyle Orton as a backup was smart. The guy is a perfect safety net in case Romo suffers another injury, and he can and will win if called on. That’s not a knock on Romo’s predecessor, Jon Kitna. But getting Orton is an upgrade at a key position.

RB:Had you polled people close to the team at midseason they would’ve told you that DeMarco Murray was the Cowboys’ MVP. The reason: He resurrected the club’s rushing game and became the Cowboys’ first legitimate feature back since Emmitt Smith. Murray averaged 5.5 yards per carry and produced a 253-yard game == that is, before he bowed out with a fractured ankle. Felix Jones was supposed to have a big season but demonstrated he can’t play extended periods of time without getting hurt and is probably best suited as a backup. Jones enters the last year of his contract and, barring a breakout year, there’s no reason to believe he has a future here. Phillip Tanner is the next option, a strong special-teams player who plays hard. Murray has a future, but the Cowboys must keep him healthy. Remember, this is a club that last year had only five rushing touchdowns, the second-lowest total in the league.

WR: In Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, the Cowboys have two legitimate playmakers. Yeah, I know, Bryant still must run more precise routes, but he caught nine touchdown passes, while Austin was handicapped by injuries that sidelined him six games. Still, he managed to score seven times. The real question here has nothing to do with them, and everything to do with the No. 3 receiver … because there isn’t one. Not now there isn’t. A year ago, that man was Laurent Robinson, but he left for Jacksonville and took 11 touchdowns with him. Robinson was the red-zone threat Dallas had been missing, and there’s a hole there — with nobody on the scene today to take his place. Kevin Ogletree was re-signed, but he’s not the answer. Neither, I suspect, is Andre Holmes or Raymond Radway. Look for the Cowboys to spend at least one draft pick on this position.

TE: Jason Witten remains one of Romo’s favorite targets, coming off his eighth straight season with 60 or more catches. But he didn’t have a spectacular season, with his string of consecutive Pro Bowl appearances ending at seven. Nevertheless, he’s one of the most reliable pass-catching tight ends and will be among its leading receivers. John Phillips is the backup, taking the place of Martellus Bennett, who left for the New York Giants. Bennett never became the threat the Cowboys envisioned, and they grew tired of waiting on him. This is another spot where a draft pick or free agent could land.

OL: Tyron Smith shifts from right to left tackle to protect Romo’s back, and the move makes sense. First of all, Smith was the team’s best offensive lineman last season. Second, Doug Free, who played the position, was not. In fact, he struggled so much the Cowboys moved him back to the right side where he originally played, hoping the switch makes a difference in a game that was nothing more than mediocre last season. The acquisitions of guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau should make the Cowboys better inside, and maybe they help a running game that had trouble finding the end zone. The real question here has to do with center Phil Costa, another lineman who struggled in 2011. His play must improve. Otherwise, there’s an opening for Bill Nagy of Kevin Kowalski. Trust me, center could be a focus of concern as the season unfolds.

DL: Jay Ratliff continues to be a top defensive tackle, but his play and numbers declined last season. Still, he made the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight season, and there’s a chance he could be moved to defensive end where the Cowboys are desperate for playmakers. Kenyon Coleman, Marcus Spears and Jason Hatcher are decent vs. the run, but all had trouble pressuring the quarterback. Coleman was OK the first half of the season but wore down, while Hatcher — who had a career-high 4.5 sacks — was moved inside in nickel packages. Josh Brent is a promising backup at nose tackle, but look for the Cowboys to exercise a draft choice, and maybe a high draft choice, on this position.

LB: With DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer on the outside, the Cowboys seem to be set. Ware had 19.5 sacks, second best in the NFL and the second most in his career, while Spencer held up well against the run. In fact, Spencer was so solid the Cowboys made him their franchise player. But Dallas drafted him as a pass rusher, not a run stopper, and he had a disappointing season in that department, producing six sacks. That must improve … or the Cowboys must find someone better to pair with Ware. Inside linebacker Sean Lee is the second best player on defense, leading the team in tackles, tackles for losses and interceptions, while newcomer Dan Connor should compete with Bruce Carter at the other spot. Carter, a second-round draft pick, missed the first six games last season with an injury and struggled to make an impact.

DB: Brandon Carr moves into the left cornerback position after playing the right side in Kansas City, but the Cowboys are covered on the right with Mike Jenkins, who played OK despite a series of injuries. Carr was expensive, but a move was necessary. Dallas last year surrendered 3,906 passing yards, the second most in franchise history, and the Cowboys had to upgrade the position. So they got rid of Terence Newman and signed Carr. Gerald Sensabaugh returns to strong safety, but a true free safety is needed. For the moment, Brodney Pool is penciled in as a starter, but that could change. Orlando Scandrick returns as the nickel back but must improve on inconsistent play from 2011. Make this another area where a draft pick or veteran free agent could land.

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

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

The disappointing 2011 National Football League (NFL) Season is finally over for the Dallas Cowboys. There were some high moments and some very low ones. Here are five areas that need fixing on the Cowboys.

The Philadelphia Eagles embarrassed the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.
commons.wikimedia.org/Billy Bob Bain

Primary Running Back?

Who will be the primary running back for the Dallas Cowboys next season? DeMarco Murray should be the guy. However, Murray suffered a fractured ankle in Week 14 that ended his season. That is cause for concern because the Cowboys are thin at running back. Felix Jones continues to be plagued by injuries. Even when healthy, Jones is not the power back the Cowboys need.

Defense When it Counts

New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan implemented a new scheme that promised aggressiveness. The defense played well at times but failed in the most crucial moments. Poor defense resulted in two late-season losses to the New York Giants. Are the players still learning the new system? Do the Cowboys simply lack enough talent on defense?

Dr. Tony and Mr. Romo

Will the real Tony Romo please stand up? Sometimes you get a gutsy performance like the Week 2 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Other times you get the Romo who literally threw the game away against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. How many more chances does Romo get? He is still not an elite quarterback in the NFL.

Is Garrett the Guy?

Why is owner Jerry Jones convinced that Jason Garrett is the right coach for the Cowboys? Jones criticized Garrett for being too conservative in Week 6 against the New England Patriots. Garrett goofed in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals. His clock management effectively iced his own kicker and lost the game. The Cowboys were embarrassed by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. They failed to clinch the playoffs in Week 17 against the Giants. Garrett is supposed to know these teams. Aside from the Washington Redskins, his division rivals got the best of him this season.

Involved Owner

Jones is one of the most involved owners in the NFL. But his control on the team may be part of the problem. Jones is the owner, president and general manager of the Cowboys. He is not the head coach. Jones needs to step back and let the coach be the coach. He needs to give his coach the power to make all coaching decisions and fully support those decisions. Until that happens, this team will not move forward.

These are five areas that need fixing on the Cowboys. They have a lot of work ahead of them. The offseason starts now.

More from Edwin Torres:

The Ten Commandments of Tim Tebow: Explaining His Stunning Success

Giant Loss Reveals Truths About the Dallas Cowboys: Fan Reaction

Top Ten NFL Stories in 2011: 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. As a longtime fan of the National Football League, Edwin follows many interesting games and stories each week. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:

NFL – Statistics – Yahoo! Sports

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

For the NFL schedule maker, this is perfection.

After a season of inconsistency and disappointments, the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants play one game that will make the winner forget the frustrations of the regular season and send the other home for a long rest.

Archrivals facing off for a division title in prime time. Delicious.

The Cowboys (8-7) and Giants (8-7) close the regular season Sunday night at Metlife Stadium, the winner getting a first-round home game against either Atlanta or Detroit. Oh, in case of a tie, which hasn’t happened all season in the NFL, the Giants capture the division and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 based on head-to-head play.

“I think everyone knows this is the most important game of the season,” Giants veteran left tackle David Diehl said. “We all know what’s at stake. We know what we are playing for. When we started this season our No. 1 goal was to win the division and here we are. It’s right in front of us.”

The division title has been in front of both teams all season and neither has grabbed hold of it.

The Giants won six of their first eight games then went on a four-game losing streak to fall a game behind the Cowboys in early December. New York, however, rallied from a 12-point deficit on Dec. 11 to beat Dallas 37-34 and regain first place on a tiebreaker.

The momentum lasted a week. New York put in a no-show in losing to Washington on Dec. 18, putting Dallas back in first. Of course, the inconsistency continued last week as the Giants played one of their best games of the season in knocking off and shutting up the local rival Jets 29-14.

Meanwhile, Dallas lost to Philadelphia for the second time this season and quarterback Tony Romo bruised his right hand — his passing hand.

So who shows up this week with everything on the line? Who knows?

“I think these two teams are very comparable team-wise, not only in record but the types of seasons we have had,” said Romo, who plans on playing. “I suspect that talent-wise, we are pretty close so there will be a few plays here or there that will decide this game. We have to be ready to make those plays.”

Coincidentally, both teams have been in similar situations in recent years as far as making the playoffs and came up short.

The Giants have had late-season collapses the past two years. They lost to Carolina and Minnesota in the final two games of the ’09 season to miss the playoffs and they were beaten by Philadelphia and Green Bay in the 14th and 15th games last season — blowing a 21-point fourth-quarter lead against the Eagles — to also go home early.

The Cowboys, who last went to the playoffs in the 2009 season, had another win-and-in game on the road in 2008 against the Eagles and were blown out 44-6.

“I think it’s the same thing,” Cowboys Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware said of the parallel to 2008. “Going into this game, this is an opportunity where you can sort of get a birth, an opportunity where you can catapult yourself sort of where you need to be, showcase what we actually have. We haven’t been the most consistent team this year but if you get this game and get to the playoffs, that’s like rebirth, a rebirth of the team. I think it’d be great to just keep going.”

Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said this is an easy game to get ready to play because the picture is so clear, the teams know each other so well after having played only three weeks ago — and having played each other twice a year for decades.

“There is only one game we have to focus on and only one game we have to win to get to what our next goal is,” Kiwanuka said. “We have one game and one opportunity to continue on our way to accomplishing our goal, which is winning a national title.”

The Giants could get a lift on defense with two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora expected to play for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain late last month. The Cowboys might be a little fresher because they rested several players after the Giants beat the Jets with the outcome of their game against the Eagles having no effect on the showdown nature of Sunday’s game.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin or Cowboys coach Jason Garrett will be under the microscope if their team fails to make the playoffs. Coughlin, who hurt his left leg when run into on the sideline by Giants running back D.J. Ware in the fourth quarter last week, might be in a better position after the win over the Jets, a result that had co-owner John Mara singing his praises.

Garrett has seen his team blow fourth-quarter leads of at least 12 points three times this season and might be in a little more trouble if Jerry Jones’ team misses the playoffs a second straight year.

“It’s do or die,” Dallas linebacker Bradie James said. “We can all sit here. The coaches talk about the Xs and Os and my job is just to go out there and play. It’s just sheer determination. Coach Garrett talks about will. It’s heart, determination. We can get in there and talk about execution and what we plan against this guy. They know us, we know them. It’s really going to be whoever outlasts the other. That’s how you break it down. I like to keep it as simple as possible.”

This will be the first time the NFC East winner has less than 10 wins since the division was created in 1970. The lone exception was the strike-shortened 1982 season when teams played nine games.

Brandon Jacobs has a message for Dallas Cowboys’ football fans. He said that it is not the team’s fault so many people hate them. The New York Giants’ running back said the reason people hate the Cowboys is because their fans are so bad.

Brandon Jacobs
Wikimedia Commons

Jacobs even said that Dallas fans are worse than Philadelphia Eagles fans. He did back up and say it is not the way they act at games that makes them bad but it is instead the way Cowboys’ fans act in their everyday life.

This week, Dallas Cowboys’ fans are at the tip of Jacobs’ hate filled tongue.

It is nice to see that Jacobs has moved on. If you remember right, this is the same Brandon Jacobs who went face to face with Rex Ryan last week when Ryan told the running back to shut up until they win the Super Bowl. Jacobs then told Ryan he would punch him in the face and called him fat.

While Rex Ryan took a lot of grief for the confrontation, it was Jacobs who kept talking. In the press conferences and interviews after the game, Ryan said it was a private conversation and he knows that Jacobs doesn’t like him. When Jacobs was interviewed after the game, he made more fat comments and reiterated that he would punch Ryan in the face.

Someone needs anger management classes.

In interviews this week, Rex’s brother Rob Ryan, the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, was asked about the situation. He said he respects both his brother and Jacobs and then said that he was pretty sure it was not a one-sided argument. He then pointed out that Jacobs ran for 101 yards last time the Cowboys played the Giants.

In interviews, Jacobs also claimed there was a long standing feud between the Ryan family and Giants’ assistant coach Kevin Gilbride. Rob Ryan laughed that off as well.

This is a championship game between the Giants and Cowboys. This isn’t about grudges, it is about winning the NFC East. Anyone who thinks otherwise is only trying to create problems. Of course, if you ask Jacobs, that is what Dallas Cowboys’ fans might be best at.

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.

84,834 excited Dallas Cowboys fans showed up at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Christmas Eve hoping for an early Christmas present and a Cowboys victory over the hated Philadelphia Eagles. Philly embarrassed the Cowboys earlier in the season in Philadelphia, and Dallas was hoping for revenge to maintain their 1-game lead over the New York Giants in the NFC East on the next to the last game of the regular season. Unfortunately, it became pretty evident early on things weren’t going to go Dallas’ way.

The Eagles won the coin toss and elected to receive to begin the game. Michael Vick led the visitors down the field, aided by a couple of spectacular catches by his receivers and a face mask call on Anthony Spencer. He hit Brent Celek in the end zone from 13 yards out with 11:30 left in the first quarter, capping an 8-play, 80-yard drive that took 3:30. Alex Henery added the PAT and Philly led 7-0.

Dwayne Harris returned the kick from the goal line out to the 34, setting Tony Romo and the offense up with good field position. The offense picked up 1 first down and moved the ball to midfield, but on a 4th-and-4, the offensive line fell apart, forcing Romo to rush his throw, and after an incompletion Matt McBriar punted the ball away to the Eagle 19.

Vick moved his team out to his 45, but the Dallas defense stiffened and Dallas went back to work on offense at their 20. The offense came back on the field with Stephen McGee at the helm after it was announced that Tono Romo had suffered an injury to his right hand and was in the locker room undergoing x-rays.

McGee moved the offense out to the 48, but the drive stalled and McBriar punted the ball down to the Philly 9 and the Eagles took back over on offense from there with 2:44 left in the opening period.

The Eagles picked up 1 first down and then stalled out, and Dallas got the ball back at their 21 after Chas Henry punt with 14:52 left in the first half of play. It was announced as the drive began that x-rays on Romo’s throwing hand were negative, but McGee came back on the field with the offense.

McGee moved the team down the field, but a holding call resulted in the possession running out of gas, and McBriar punted away down to the Philadelphia 10. A holding call against the visitors during the kick moved the ball back to the 5 and Vick and the offense took the field again.

Vick carved the Dallas defense up like slicing a turkey, aided by a bone-headed unnecessary roughness call on Anthony Spencer. Philly moved 95 yards and appeared to score their second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard pass from Vick to Jason Avant, but when the call was reviewed it was determined that Avant fumbled the ball into the end zone prior to the ball crossing the goal line, and Dallas was awarded possession on a touchback at their 20, averting what could have well been a deficit too large to overcome. The turnover gave the Dallas fans new life and hope that their hometown heroes would still find a way to win the game.

The ‘Boys got a good drive going, but stalled out on the Eagle 39 and McBriar punted the ball down to the Philly 13 where the visitors got the ball back with 55 seconds left in the first half.

Vick took his team 87 yards in just 6 plays, using 50 seconds off the clock, and hit Jeremy Macklin from the 5 on a 3rd-and-goal play for the second Eagle TD of the day. Henery added the point after and Philly had a commanding 14-0 lead going into the locker room.

Dallas got the ball to begin the 3rd quarter, but had a quick 3-and-out and the visitors got the ball back. Thanks to an intentional grounding call against Vick, Dallas got the ball back on a punt. Dwayne Harris took the ball and took a helmet-to-helmet blow from an Eagles defender, giving the Cowboys an additional 15 yards out to their 47.

McGee hit Martellus Bennett for a gain of 14 on the first play of the drive, moving the ball to the Philly 39. Two incompletions and a run for no gain later, McBriar punted the ball away to the Eagle 12 with 10:50 left in the 3rd quarter.

Rob Ryan got the defense motivated and after a 3-and-out, the offense got the ball back again. The offense came back out at the Dallas 25 after a 56-yard punt. The inept offensive line was non-existent as far as protecting McGee, and the ‘Boys suffered another 3-and-out. After a 43-yard McBriar punt, the Eagles had excellent starting field position at their 41.

On the first play of the possession Vick hit Celek for a gain of 39 down to the Dallas 20, and Cowboys fans began to realize the game was almost certainly a lost cause. The defense stiffened, forcing a 43-yard Henery field goal, but the visitors had an almost insurmountable 17-0 lead with 4:30 left in the 3rd quarter. The scoring drive was 5 plays, 34 yards, and 2:27.

The offensive line was inept yet again in the next Dallas possession, and the Cowboys suffered yet another 3-and-out. Chad Hall returned McBriar’s punt 1 yard to the Philly 41 with 2:53 left in the quarter.

The Eagles went on a 9–play, 26-yard drive in 4:28 before settling for a 51-yard Henery field goal, putting the visitors ahead 20-0 with 13:25 left in the game.

Harris returned the ensuing kickoff 51-yards to his 49, giving his team their best starting field position of the contest. It didn’t do any good though, as the offense proved once again they didn’t belong on an NFL field this day, going 3-and-out yet again.

Philly picked up one first down before having to punt away on the next series. Harris returned the punt to his 23 and Dallas took over with 9:33 left in the game, trying to find the end zone for the first time.

The offense FINALLY managed to put a decent drive together, converting on a 4th down at the Eagle 34. They ‘Boys had another 4th-and-8 at the Philadelphia 16 with 2:22 left in the game. McGee’s pass for Bennett in the end zone was incomplete and the Eagles took over at their 16 with 2:13 left in the game.

The defense rose to the occasion, forced a punt, and Bruce Carter blocked the kick inside the Philly 20, giving the home team one last chance to get on the scoreboard and avoid a shutout. The inept offense finally got it together and McGee hit Miles Austin with under 30 seconds left for a touchdown. Dan Bailey hit the PAT, and the gap narrowed to 20-7. The Cowboys attempted an onside kick but the Eagles recovered, ran one play, and the game was over.

To make matters even worse, on top of the loss, the Giants defeated the New York Jets, earlier in the day, technically giving the Giants the lead back in the NFC East, with both teams at 8-7 on the year.

It all comes down to Sunday at the new Meadowlands when the Cowboys travel to East Rutherford, NJ. The winner of the game will win the NFC East, while the loser is done and doesn’t make the playoffs. Cowboys’ fans hope the ‘Boys take care of business, realistically they DON’T deserve to make the playoffs and they very well may be one-and-done if they do.

As fans seem to say about them annually, there is always next year!

The New York Giants have no more time to celebrate Saturday’s satisfying and season-saving victory over the New York Jets. The Giants are where they wanted to be, hosting the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET/NBC) at MetLife Stadium for the right to go to the playoffs. The winner takes the NFC East title and a playoff berth. The loser begins their off-season.

“It [beating the Jets] was a great feeling but we have to win one more to get to where we want to go,’ said Giants safety Kenny Phillips. This is just the beginning and if we don’t take care of business next week, this was all for nothing. It was a great win.”

Should the Giants lose to Dallas on Sunday night it would mark the third consecutive season in which they missed the playoffs. If they win Sunday, it would mark an excellent achievement for a team that suffered a rash of devastating preseason injuries and free-agent defections, and had lost five of six prior to beating the Jets on Saturday.

“We knew that if we won two that we would be the winner of the NFC East and be in the playoffs so we have two games and now one under our belt. To be honest with you, we need to put this one aside as fast as we can and go to work on Dallas with the same attitude we had last week,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “Basically, I just walked into the team meeting Tuesday and said, ‘if we win two, then we are in. I am not going to focus on last week’s game at all, everything that we are going to do is in front of us.’

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo injured his throwing hand Sunday against Philadelphia, but expects to play Sunday against the Giants. The Cowboys look as if they have lost starting left guard Montrae Holland to a torn bicep, however.

For the Giants, it appears they will be without defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle) for a fifth straight week.

By Kris Willis

– Newsdesk contributor

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Dec 26, 2011 – The Dallas Cowboys could be without the services of starting left guard Montrae Holland who was injured in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Holland has a partially torn left biceps muscle and is undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury and whether or not he might be able to play again this season.

Holland has started 10 games for the Cowboys at left guard since being signed to replace rookie Bill Nagy who suffered a season ending ankle injury. Holland had originally been among the final cuts made by the Cowboys in training camp before being re-signed.

Undrafted rookie Kevin Kowalski replaced Holland on Sunday and will be a candidate to start if Holland can’t play Sunday in the pivotal match up against the New York Giants. Derrick Dockery is also an option for the Cowboys to replace Holland.

For more on the Dallas Cowboys offensive line situation and Montrae Holland be sure to check out Blogging The Boys.

Read More: Derrick Dockery (G – DAL), Montrae Holland (G – DAL), Kevin Kowalski (C – DAL), Bill Nagy (C – DAL), Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

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The Dallas Cowboys didn’t give their fans a very Merry Christmas with their performance Saturday.

In a game where little was on the line, the Cowboys couldn’t do anything to build on the momentum from the previous week at Tampa Bay.

But the Cowboys and Giants did wrap a big present and put it under NBC’s tree. The network of Sunday night football gets a chance to wrap up its season with a ratings bonanza.

But given one final chance to show they deserve to be in the playoffs as the NFC East Champions, can the Cowboys demonstrate the ability to receive?

Opportunity has knocked on the door all season long. The season opened on NBC’s big stage in New York and the Cowboys couldn’t close the deal against the Jets.

Fourth-quarter leads have led to head-scratching failures in many cases. The Cowboys probably realize they should be sitting down at the postseason party with 11 or 12 wins and letting Stephen McGee and Sammy Morris play out the string Sunday as they rested up for the playoffs.

The completely mediocre Broncos and Chiefs with gaping holes all over the roster should be fighting it out on NBC to be the last team in.

The Giants are in the same boat as the Cowboys as at times they look better than their record. They have an excellent quarterback and a couple of name players who can rush the passer. But the only consistency has been their inconsistency.

Both are considered dangerous teams in the NFC. We’d be surprised if the NFC East winner made it to the Super Bowl, but an upset win at New Orleans or San Francisco wouldn’t shock anyone.

I’ve been picking Dallas to win this division all year. There’s a chance I’m proven wrong on Sunday night.

As easy as I can make the argument that the Cowboys should already have won this division, there’s the fact that they are 2-3 in division games and those two wins were the result of a little bit of luck with a wild scramble pass to Dez Bryant and then a missed field goal in overtime turning two Washington victories into narrow Dallas escapes.

It’s not Tony Romo that has given me reason to doubt. It’s more a result of the defense and Jason Garrett’s brief history in decision-making down the stretch of close games.

I’ll pick the Cowboys one more time. They were the better team for 55 minutes just two weeks ago. But seizing on opportunities, the way the really good teams do in this league, has been a season-long problem for the Cowboys.

I guess we’ll watch and find out if everything really does begin and end in New York, at least for the Cowboys of 2011. Recent history doesn’t favor the Cowboys in any game considered big. Their previous “last-chance” for playoff finale at Philadelphia three years ago was a disaster.

But just as we pull out our new calendars, they get one more chance to prove this team is different.

Dallas fans felt like they got the short end of the “Dirty Santa” game on Saturday evening. Garrett, Romo and Rob Ryan will see if they can do better for a Happy New Year.

The Philadelphia Eagles beat up the Dallas Cowboys for the second time this season. The big difference this time around is that no one cares. The Eagles beat the Cowboys, 20-7, in a game that meant absolutely nothing to either team.

When the game started, it still meant something. If the New York Jets could have come from behind to beat the New York Giants, the Eagles could have had something still to play for. Dallas could have clinched the NFC East with a win. Since the Giants lost, the Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention and Dallas will play for the NFC East title in Week 17, win or lose.

That is why when Tony Romo hurt his hand by slapping it off a helmet in the first quarter, his coaches wouldn’t let him return even when X-rays came back negative. That is why, with Felix Jones running on a tight hamstring, he also left the game along with Romo to protect his health.

These are not excuses, these are facts. Dallas pulled their starting quarterback and starting running back in the first quarter to protect them from further injury because the only game that matters is Week 7 against the Giants.

Instead, Stephen McGee got some pretty solid playing time. Sure, Troy Aikman made all kinds of backhand comments while announcing the game, saying Romo better get healthy because the way McGee is playing, he won’t win for the Cowboys. He didn’t win but he did throw 24-of-38 for 182 yards and a touchdown at the end of the game to Miles Austin. He didn’t throw an interception. That is a lot better than Aikman gave him credit for.

Sammy Morris shouldered the running game, but did little on the ground. Morris ran for 29 yards on 13 carries, only one yard more than McGee scrambled for on four carries. Felix Jones finished with four carries for 24 yards. Newly signed Chauncey Washington carried the ball once for negative one yard.

Plus, you have to credit the defense. They did give up 293 yards through the air to the Eagles, and two passing touchdowns for Michael Vick, but they held LeSean McCoy to 35 yards rushing on 13 carries. This wasn’t a butt kicking in any sense. Even with the Cowboys’ offense anemic, the Eagles managed a touchdown in the first quarter, another in the second quarter and two field goals in the second half.

That was it for scoring.

Now, Dallas prepares for the Giants and a chance at the playoffs. A banged up hand will not keep Tony Romo off the field and a tight hamstring won’t keep out Felix Jones. Week 17 actually means something and will determine if the Cowboys’ season ends or continues on.

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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The Philadelphia Eagles have a tough test against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. The playoff hopes could still be alive when the game kicks off so there is something to play for in terms of saving the season. But even if those hopes are shot, the Eagles still need to come out strong. They want to finish the season strong and a win against Dallas is a good way to do that. As an Eagles fan, here are five things that need to happen for the Eagles to beat the Dallas Cowboys.

1. Air it out

Michael Vick is finally looking healthy. His ribs are healed and he seems like he can throw the ball deep again. That needs to happen in this game. Vick has played well against NFC East opponents and I think that trend needs to continue. I think the he will air it out in the first quarter. The Eagles will have at least one or two deep passes completed early. That will help set the tone for the entire game.

2. Run the football

As Philadelphia fans, we know Andy Reid is afraid of the running game. But he is smart enough to know that there is a big correlation between LeSean McCoy’s carries and Eagles wins. McCoy is the best player on this football team and he needs the ball. He is a threat to make something happen every time he has the football. Reid needs to run enough plays to McCoy to allow him to be effective.

3. Rush the passer

The Cowboys have no running back depth with DeMarco Murray out. Felix Jones is battling a hamstring injury and might not be effective. That means that Dallas will throw the football as much as they ever have. Jason Babin and Trent Cole need to rush the passer the way they have all season. Babin has been a sack machine the last three weeks. If he gets to Tony Romo early in the game, the quarterback will start making mistakes.

4. Special teams

The Eagles don’t need to worry about the kicker and the punter. Instead, they need to worry about the return game. They have had four turnovers in the past two weeks in the return game. That simply can’t happen. The Eagles have been lucky so far but that luck will only go so far. If they botch a return again, this football team will be in trouble.

5. Stay aggressive

For the past two weeks, the Eagles players seem to have shed their attitudes and focused on the game. It has shown on the scoreboard. Everyone looks like they are playing with passion. That is important even if they find out they are eliminated from the playoffs. If the Eagles maintain their swagger, it will say a lot for the coaches and the players.

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