But here it is, driving those Monday morning blues away.
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The Cowboys had to kick off from their own 20, and Dan Bailey had a poorly executed squib kick that went only 40 yards with the Dolphins taking over at their own 46.
Let’s also remember that winning out will be no simple task, especially with the 10-0 Carolina Panthers coming into AT&T Stadium in just four days for Thanksgiving.
Carolina wasn’t projected to be a Super Bowl favorite at the beginning of the season, but they just keep on winning, having defeated their last two opponents by a combined 43 points. The same Panthers beating the Eagles, 27-16, already.
Tannehill capped the drive with a 12-yard TD pass to tight end Jordan Cameron with only 16 seconds left in the half.
The secondary for the -1 favored Panthers has been stellar this season, ranking eighth in the league when defending the pass. Their success and ability to cover Dallas’ talented pass-catchers hinges upon the front four to get to the quarterback. The defense sacked Ryan Tannehill three times and kept Miami’s top two playmakers in check. The defense shut Miami’s offense down the rest of the way, and Dallas successfully burned off enough clock with determined running and a key pass to Cole Beasley that there was never a chance for the Dolphins to get back in it. Dallas closed out the game on both sides of the ball – something they had not done for over two months.
McFadden was questionable going into Sunday’s game against Miami because of a groin strain but equaled his season high with 29 carries and finished with 129 yards.
“It feels good. At the same time we have to work”, Dez Bryant said after his 50th touchdown catch from Romo, topping the franchise record of 49 connections between Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin.
The Cowboys are still alive because the NFC East is mediocre.
Tony Romo made his return in the rain against Miami. He had a 113.2 passer rating past year, throwing for 3,705 yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 15 games. It was the same narrative that had dogged Romo for the better part of his previous eight-plus years in Dallas. No one, no matter how talented they are, can sit out that much time and ball out of control. Sunday’s 14-carry, 70-yard performance was more evidence of this. Maybe he needs to be R-Turbo or something.
The Cowboys’ offense wasn’t always clicking against the Dolphins, but Dallas was in control of the game for most of the way. “He brings that kind of energy to his team”. He’s the leader of our team.
“We don’t want a flag”, he said, “but that strikes confidence”. With a quarterback who can make plays, everyone around him becomes better. I thought you saw him do that today at his best. His running mate, Terrance Williams, looked like a valid sidekick again.
The game matched a pair of last-place teams and looked it at times. “I’m just glad to have him back”. If a player comes in, wins the first two, is out seven and you lose all of those, and then for whatever the reason, [he] comes back, and you win big and are a heck of a football team, that’s going a long way toward that definition and probably the most dramatic example of it in the NFL.
“I think they also understand that the season is not over”. I told them that the wins and losses are what people talk about, but the way that they played was inspiring. And the worst moment of the game may have been a taunting flag thrown on Williams and Bryant, when they were nearly certainly just being exuberant because Romo was back.
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And, he smiled. They all smiled for a change.
