Dallas Cowboys Loss Sets Up Showdown in D.C. With Playoff Implications

 

The Dallas Cowboys looked dead in the water when the New Orleans Saints got up by 14 early in the fourth quarter.

With news that the Washington Redskins won their game against the Philadelphia Eagles the Cowboys, needed to do anything and everything possible to keep pace in the NFC East.

Tony Romo orchestrated two drives late in the fourth to send the game into overtime for the third straight week.  One ended in a 16-yard corner strike to Dwayne Harris and the other was a 19-yarder to Miles Austin on fourth-and-10 from the Saints’ 19-yard line.

Once again, Romo brought the team back when it counted, but the football gods had other plans.  In overtime, the Cowboys went three-and-out, and the Saints took over and did what they do best on offense.

The game ended after a Marques Colston fumble rolled down to the 2-yard line, which was subsequently recovered by Jimmy Graham.  It set up the Saints to kick the game-winning field goal.

The Cowboys needed to win this game to keep pace in the NFC East, but also to keep pace in the NFC wild card race.  While the Cowboys are still alive in the playoff hunt, the loss to New Orleans kept the New York Giants’ hopes of reaching the post season alive.

If the Giants lose to the Baltimore Ravens, next week’s showdown between the Cowboys and Redskins could ultimately decide which team wins the division.  The win by the Minnesota Vikings over the Houston Texans kept them in the hunt for a wild card spot and effectively eliminated the Saints from playoff contention.

Overshadowed by the loss was Jason Witten’s NFL record setting day.  Witten set the NFL record for the most catches in a season by a tight end by hauling in his 103^rd catch of the season. He surpassed the previous mark set by Tony Gonzalez of 102.

Witten now only needs 9 more catches to become the Cowboys’ record holder for catches in a season.  That stands at 111 catches and was set by Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin.

Oh yeah, Go Ravens!

Jesus Flores is a Dallas Cowboys writer for www.RantSports.com  Follow him on Twitter @SSgtFlo1