ATLANTA – The Cowboys came to Atlanta on a short week with something to prove after their embarrassing loss to New Orleans. Doubt crept in.
Was Tony Romo coming back to earth?
Was the defense as porous as it seemed against the Saints?
Would December again doom the Cowboys' playoff chances?
The Cowboys left Atlanta on Saturday night by answering some of those questions positively, while other questions lingered, especially defensively.
But more important, the Cowboys left with a track-meet type of victory, 38-28, at the Georgia Dome against the Falcons and moved a step closer toward clinching a playoff spot for the second time in Bill Parcells' four seasons.
Coming off his first subpar outing last week against New Orleans, Romo responded with 278 yards on 22-of-29 passing with two touchdown passes to Terrell Owens. The defense, battered for most of the second and third quarters, came up with big stops when it mattered most late in the third and into the fourth.
"If we lost this game, the team's confidence could have gone down a little bit," Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten said. "Bill's been talking to us the last few weeks about controlling our destiny and how important it is. We're still in control."
At 9-5, the Cowboys will remain at least one game ahead in the NFC East with two games to play, regardless of what happens today, with Philadelphia (7-6) visiting Texas Stadium on Christmas Day.
The Cowboys can even clinch a playoff spot today with losses or ties by Minnesota and Carolina or a loss or tie by Minnesota and a win or tie by New Orleans.
A win on Christmas Day against the Eagles, and the Cowboys could potentially clinch their first NFC East title since 1998. At the very least Saturday, they earned a tiebreaking edge on Atlanta with the win.
"This was as big a game as we've had this year," Romo said. "I think we are trailing everybody when it comes to tiebreakers. We knew the importance of this one coming in. At the same point, you can't let that make you play scared. You have to play loose and let it go. ... The championship teams, the teams that really have a chance come January, bounce right back and win."
The Cowboys showed resiliency in Saturday's game – the same resiliency they had shown all season. They have not lost back-to-back games all season, and they have followed up their five losses with wins by double-digit margins.
But a 14-0 lead turned into a 28-21 deficit in the third quarter after the defense allowed touchdowns on four straight drives.
A week after allowing New Orleans' Drew Brees throw for five touchdown passes, the defense saw Michael Vick throw four. Vick also set an NFL record for rushing yards in a season by a quarterback with 990 yards.
Defensively in the second and third quarters, the Cowboys looked as lost as they did against New Orleans. Roddy White caught passes of 52 and 43 yards to set up scores in the second quarter by beating Anthony Henry and Aaron Glenn.
And even when things went good momentarily, such as a fumble recovery by Akin Ayodele, they went bad when Ayodele fumbled the ball right back. That drive ended with 11 seconds left in the first half when Vick connected with Ashley Lelie on an 8-yard touchdown pass.
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VERNON BRYANT / DMN Marion Barber (24) powers past Atlanta's Keith Brooking to score a touchdown. |
But a funny thing happened after a 48-yard field goal by Martin Gramatica made it 28-24 with 7:17 left in the third quarter: The sieve-like defense actually got a stop for the first time since DeMarcus Ware's interception return for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.
Romo then directed a seven-play drive that ended with Marion Barber pinballing his way into the end zone for a 31-28 lead.
Another funny thing happened on the Falcons' next drive: The Cowboys defense put together back-to-back stops for the first time since the first quarter when Henry batted away a pass for Lelie on fourth-and-1 from the Dallas 37.
"When it was time to make plays and win the game, we were stepping up to the plate," linebacker Bradie James said.
Romo answered again, completing five straight passes for 45 yards, and Barber closed the deal with 35 yards on the ground, including the final three for the game-clinching, doubt-ending touchdown with 2:23 to play.
"I'm really proud of them," Parcells said. "We're in the race now and we'll be in it till the last day."
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
| ON THE ROAD |
| With their 38-28 win over Atlanta, the Cowboys finish the season with a winning road record for the first time since 1995. A look at the Cowboys' road record since then: |
| Year | Rec. | Year | Rec. |
| 2006 | 5-3 | 2000 | 2-6 |
| 2005 | 4-4 | 1999 | 1-7 |
| 2004 | 2-6 | 1998 | 4-4 |
| 2003 | 4-4 | 1997 | 1-7 |
| 2002 | 1-7 | 1996 | 4-4 |
| 2001 | 1-7 | 1995 | 6-2 |
