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.

Random NFL Musings

In what could only be deemed a statement game, the Green Bay Packers showed that they indeed will be players in the NFC race so long as Ryan Grant produces...while the Chicago Bears showed that they are mere frauds without a number one--or two--wideout and a severely overrated defense.

In the statement game that closed out NFL action on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys stole a victory in D.C. behind Marion Barber's 114 yards on 24 carries and Terence Newman's return to the lineup. Who would have thought that Tony Romo would take a backseat in his return to Big D's lineup. I thought he was the savior?

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen is slowly moving into Matt Ryan territory in my book: a guy that proves me wrong week after week. He has a 2:1 TD-INT ratio and, while I'd like to see his completion percentage rise, the guy is keeping his team in ballgames. He also is fleet-footed, which helps him avoid sacks behind a porous offensive line.

By the way, do you think the Minnesota Vikings are kicking themselves for not signing Chad Pennington? The Dolphins are now 6-4 behind steady play from their QB, a nice dose of Ronnie Brown, and a near-dominant D. Oh, and a touch of The Big Tuna.

Watch out for the Indianapolis Colts, who will have as good a shot as any team in the playoffs if they get consistent play from Joseph Addai and if Bob Sanders can get healthy. I feel like Peyton Manning is about to get in the zone.

It'll be interesting to see just how serious of a knee injury Brandon Jacobs sustained yesterday in the Giants' thrashing of Baltimore at the Meadowlands. I love Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward, but their production--I believe--is contingent on the battering style of Jacobs. They are effective because of their change-of-pace nature, and hopefully Jacobs' injury is not too serious.

I still can't figure out the Denver Broncos. I'm not sure if I correctly predicted a game they were involved in all year long.

Finally, I really hope reports that Jim Fassel sent a handwritten letter to Raiders owner Al Davis expressing his interest in coaching the team aren't true. Here's a letter of my own:

Dear Jim-
As a man who really wanted you to get the Washington Redskins head job last offseason, I beg you to retract such a letter to Al Davis. Do you really know what you would be getting yourself into? You say you admire and respect the guy? What's there to respect about a guy who meddles in coaching decisions and treats his employess like garbage? Please say it ain't so Jim.

Rays Advance to Franchise's First World Series

The Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the World Series with a thrilling 3-1 Game Seven victory over the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS on Sunday night at Tropicana Field. Matt Garza, who was named ALCS MVP, was magnificent, striking out nine in seven innings and only giving up a single run. Jon Lester took the hard-luck loss, tossing seven frames and giving up all three Rays runs while striking out eight.

Tampa's David Price, the 23-year-old rookie left-hander, looked like The Next Big Thing in major league baseball, striking out J.D. Drew to end the eighth and retiring Mark Kotsay and Jason Varitek on strikes in the ninth before inducing a forceout from Jed Lowrie to end the game. The Rays will meet the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the World Series on Wednesday night in Tampa.

This just in: The Dallas Cowboys looked really awful yesterday afternoon. The St. Louis Rams embarassed the 'Boys 34-14, as Brad Johnson threw three interceptions and looked terrible in the first half en route to the Rams taking command of the game 24-7. With Tony Romo out--along with Pacman and Felix Jones--and an unhappy T.O., this looks like a possible combustible situation in Big D.

Finally, we will find out a lot about the Indianapolis Colts a week from tonight when Peyton & Co. go into Tennessee to take on the unbeaten Titans. The Colts have not shown any rhythm on offense this season and continue to play sloppy defense, two uncharacteristic traits of a team looking to rebound from a disappointing finish to last season.

Goodell Gobbles Up Pacman

The rain has stopped in Dallas. At least for four weeks. Cowboys cornerback Pacman Jones was suspended on Tuesday by commissioner Roger Goodell for at least four games for his most recent violation of the league's personal conduct policy. Jones reportedly was involved in an alcohol-related incident at a Dallas hotel on October 8th, where he scuffled with one of his bodyguards. Goodell will decide after the team's game against Washington in Week 11 whether or not to reinstate Jones.

When Goodell reinstated Jones from suspension before the regular season began, sources said one of the commissioner's conditions for Jones to remain an active player was that he remain in compliance with all aspects of his three-year probation from when he pleaded no contest last February to a felony in Fayette County, Ga. This violation comes at a time when the Cowboys can ill afford any distractions, as the team is playing in the toughest division in football with the highest of expectations for the season.

Goodell also said his decision on whether Jones can return to play will be based on Jones' strict compliance with the NFL and the Cowboys in relation to treatment plans and evaluations by clinical experts.

Really folks, raise your hands if you did not see this coming...