How 'Bout Them Cowboys?

Really, how 'bout them Dallas Cowboys? After pulling to within two points twice on Saturday night in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens, Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain ripped off two incredibly easy, long runs up the middle to take the life out of the Texas Stadium crowd and stun the Cowboys 33-24. The loss crippled Dallas' playoff hopes while providing the Ravens with a banner win in coach John Harbaugh's first season. Unable to pick up the Ravens blitz throughout the game, the Dallas offensive line looked sluggish, lost and old. Tony Romo threw two desperation fly balls to Ed Reed that had no business being tossed. And now, the Cowboys find themselves needing help to sneak into the NFC playoffs.

By the way, how tough is Derrick Mason? Certainly a nice contrast to the main wideout on the opposing sideline, as Mason played through a dislocated left shoulder and caught the lone Joe Flacco touchdown.

Another NFC East team flopped big-time this weekend, as the Philadelphia Eagles played a clunker of a contest in a 10-3 loss to the Washington Redskins. The Eagles blew a chance to move ahead of both Dallas and Tampa Bay in the race for the final NFC wild-card spot with a game to play and now need a victory over Dallas--and help--to get in. The loss also snapped the Eagles' three-game winning streak, as a seemingly resurgent offense during the streak went suddenly inept on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants remained the class of the NFC East--and of the entire conference--with a 34-28 overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night. The victory, fueled by Derrick Ward's career-high 215 rushing yards and Brandon Jacobs' three touchdowns, earned the Giants the NFC's top seed for the playoffs. The Panthers wasted a terrific effort by DeAngelo Williams, who rushed for four touchdowns en route to setting Carolina's single-season rushing touchdown mark.

The New York Jets wasted no terrific efforts in their pathetic showing in a loss to Seattle. The Jets continued their losing ways on the West Coast, falling to 0-4 in games three time zones away from home as Brett Favre failed to throw a touchdown for the third time in four games. He now has just one touchdown and six picks in that period as the Jets' playoff hopes are now on life support.

The Arizona Cardinals certainly looked playoff-ready in their 47-7 loss to the New England Patriots, as quarterback Kurt Warner went just 6-of-18 for 30 yards in his worst performance of the season. Just as the Jets can't win out West, the Cards can't win out East. The past two weeks have seen the Cards down at least 28-0 at the half, the first time a team has trailed by at least four touchdowns at the half in back-to-back games since the '61 Raiders.

Is there any reason at all to mention the AFC West "battle" taking place between Denver and San Diego? Good luck to both teams next week as the two collide in a battle of mediocrity on Sunday Night Football.

Finally, the Atlanta Falcons clinched an incredibly unlikely playoff berth with a 24-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. The Falcons forced four Minnesota turnovers and Matt Ryan was steady again under center, as Atlanta prevented the Vikings from clinching the NFC North division title. They now must hope the Bears lose at home tonight to Green Bay or at Houston next week, or the Vikes must beat the New York Giants at the Metrodome next Sunday.