You know what, just go ahead and call it a comeback.This isn't the Dallas Cowboys team we think we know. This Cowboys team is supposed to be wilting. It's not supposed to be mentally tough. It's a roster and coaching staff filled with lowly regarded castaways. The team's talent level dropped in the offseason. It wasn't supposed to get better!
Just a couple of weeks after the Philadelphia Eagles pasted them, the Cowboys got revenge on Sunday Night Football with a 38-27 win over their divisional foes. Quarterback Tony Romo, who has received the bulk of the blame over the past few seasons, was 22-of-31 for 265 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
A 24-21 Eagles lead quickly escalated in the Cowboys' favor, as they closed things out with a 17-3 run. It wasn't all Romo, either. Wide receiver Dez Bryant played out of his mind, collecting all three of Romo's touchdowns and 114 of the passing yards. Running back DeMarco Murray had two touchdowns of his own.One of the things that was highlighted in this game, though—as it should've been all season—was how much the defense pitched in to help with the win.
Last year, the defense was terrible. This year, it could be better, but it's not the gaping black hole of talent it was just a season ago.This is a huge credit to defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, who was as much of a castoff as anybody when he got to Dallas.After failing as the Detroit Lions' head coach and really just biding time in Chicago with Lovie Smith running the defense, Marinelli went to Dallas, where the Tampa 2 defense seemed to be on its last legs with Monte Kiffin running the defensive show.What he's done with the Dallas defense—even as it lost DeMarcus Ware to the Denver Broncos and Sean Lee to yet another injury—is simply outstanding.
This time around against the Eagles, Marinelli's defense held its opponent not only to 27 points, but more importantly to only 75 rushing yards. Along with the special teams, the Cowboys created four total turnovers and made it all but impossible for the Eagles to get any traction for much of the game.
This isn't the Cowboys defense we know.Linebacker Rolando McClain was supposed to be done in the NFL. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan had failed as a head coach and in Detroit. The media fired head coach Jason Garrett more times than any coach in the league.
The list goes on and on between players being written off for talent or injuries, and coaches who hadn't lived up to their promise elsewhere.
Because of the top-heavy nature of the NFC, where a number of fantastic teams will be left out of the playoffs, it's not going to be easy for Dallas to just waltz in.
This season, though, the Cowboys have been up to the challenge more than ever before.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2300209-romo-cowboys-get-redemption-take-control-of-division-with-win-over-eagles
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