America's Team Sucks

(Forgot to post this when it happened)

IRVING, Texas -- Lead change after lead change, spectacular play after spectacular play, head-slapper after head-slapper, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles played a game Monday night that was more gripping than many movies.

A good ol' fashioned Western, Tony Romo called it.

"It's a good thing we were Clint Eastwood," he said, smiling after the 41-37 victory.

There were the highs of a long touchdown pass to Terrell Owens and a longer kickoff return by Felix Jones. The lows of back-to-back flubs by Romo that gave Philadelphia touchdowns 14 seconds apart. And that was just the first 17 minutes.

Then came Eagles rookie DeSean Jackson losing a touchdown because he flicked the ball backward before crossing the goal line, Donovan McNabb showing the fancy footwork of his youth and Brian Westbrook scoring twice on runs, once on a catch, only to have the McNabb-Westbrook connection go wrong on a fourth-quarter handoff.

When it was done -- after Marion Barber's second second-half touchdown and after the Dallas defense snuffed a reception followed by two laterals -- the Cowboys came away with a win in their final home opener at Texas Stadium, and the highest-scoring of the 98 games between these teams.

"We know that no game is going to be perfect," Owens said. "There's going to be interceptions, fumbles, missed assignments by everyone. But as a team, we came to play tonight. Offensively, defensively, I think everyone stepped up when they needed to."

Romo was 21-of-30 for 312 yards with three touchdowns, plus an interception and a lost fumble that came on consecutive snaps, taking Dallas from near-breakout to near-breakdown.

"We kept believing in each other," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "Everyone said 'Hey, hang in there, we're going to come out on top,' and we did!"

Philadelphia, coming off an impressive romp in its opener, went from trailing 14-6 to leading 30-21 just before halftime. The Eagles were still up 37-31 after Westbrook's third score, early in the fourth quarter, but his fumble on the next series led to the seventh and final lead change.

"These were two great teams going at it," McNabb said. "There are a lot of positives we can take from this game. But that's not important right now. What we need to do is focus on the working on the negatives. That's going to make us a better team."

This was the rare September game that will linger in the memory of anyone who saw it. For anyone who didn't, think back to Romo's big comeback in Buffalo on a Monday night last year, or to Romo's playoff goof in Seattle two years ago, or McNabb's great escape on a scramble four years ago or even Leon Lett's premature touchdown celebration in the January 1993 Super Bowl. This game had plays reminiscent of all those, most in the first half.

"It was one of the best games I've not only seen, but been a part of," Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said.

Owens had 89 yards on three catches, including a 72-yard touchdown on Dallas' first series that he punctuated with the kind of arm-flapping celebration he used to do for Philadelphia, and a 4-yard touchdown. His first TD moved him into second place on the NFL's career receiving touchdown list; he finished at 132, well behind Jerry Rice's record of 197.

"It doesn't matter what they say about me now," Owens said. "The Lord has obviously blessed me with a lot of talent."

T.O. didn't catch a pass in the second half, but took pride in opening the middle for tight end Jason Witten, who caught seven passes for 110 yards. He had a 42-yarder to set up a 51-yard field goal before halftime, then a 32-yarder on the game-winning drive. Witten did most of his damage with a shoulder separated in the first half. Dallas also lost safety Roy Williams to a broken right arm.

McNabb was 25-of-37 for 281 yards with a touchdown and four sacks, two on the final series. He also matched Ron Jaworski's club mark of 175 career TD passes.

Jackson caught six passes for 110 yards, becoming only the second player in NFL history to open his career with consecutive 100-yard games. The other was Don Looney, also for Philadelphia, in 1940.

Westbrook ran 18 times for 58 yards for two touchdowns, and caught six passes for 45 yards and another score.

"We came so close," tight end L.J. Smith said. "We knew it would be a tough battle. To lose like this hurts."

This game was destined to be different when the opening kickoff went out of bounds between the 1-yard line and the pylon.

The long scores by Owens and Jones, then a great pass breakup by rookie Mike Jenkins got the old stadium rocking. Then it got quiet real fast.

Romo avoided a sack, then made the kind of "impulse play" former coach Bill Parcells hated, resulting in an interception. Westbrook scored on a short screen, cutting Dallas' lead to one point.

The Cowboys fumbled the kickoff, recovered at the 5, then got pushed back by a false start. Romo lost the ball three times on the next snap and Philadelphia's Chris Gocong landed on it in the end zone for a touchdown.

Dallas came right back with another long kickoff return by Jones and another TD by Owens.

Next came Jackson's early celebration of a long touchdown. The Cowboys challenged and, with all the extra cameras for a Monday night game, officials easily found an angle that showed him letting go too soon. Using similar logic to the controversial fumble-whistled-dead in the Broncos-Chargers game Sunday, the ball was put at the 1 and Westbrook scored on the next play.

The unbelievable part of Jackson's goof: He did it before. In a 2005 high school all-star game, Jackson spread his arms for a swan dive into the end zone, only to land at the 1.

McNabb kept the next drive alive by somehow breaking free from linebacker Greg Ellis and running for 10 yards. McNabb came away smiling and dancing. After another run that took five defenders to drop him, Philadelphia kicked a 22-yard field goal to go up 30-21 with 45 seconds left until halftime.

Plenty of time, in other words, for Dallas to get within 30-24.

The Cowboys went ahead on a 17-yard touchdown catch by Barber midway through the third quarter. The Eagles came right back, with McNabb overcoming a second-and-21 by scooting out of two near collisions, avoiding an ankle tackle and zipping the football like a fast-pitch softball to Westbrook. The drive ended with Westbrook churning into the end zone for his third touchdown and a 37-31 lead.

Want an encore? Well, the teams meet again in Philadelphia. In the season finale.

Game notes

The 54 first-half points were second-most in a Monday night game. ... The Cowboys hadn't had a kickoff returned for a touchdown in the regular season since Randal Williams did it, also against Philadelphia, in 2003. ... Owens also broke a tie with Cris Carter for the second-most games with multiple touchdowns.

You know, part of the reason I don't like this picture is what he takes away from the Dallas Cryboys. The drama and all that (not the skills, he drops too many). This actually has the potential to make the Cryboys a little better, and that is NEVER good.

Found this in a bunch of old pictures. Was taken off the TV during the 2008 Major League Baseball playoffs in Philadelphia.

That's six Dallas. Six. More than you have. Suck it. Especially Texascowboy.

SUCK IT - HARD!

"Tony Cheats On Jessica In Her Own Bed"

While Jess was out of town, Tony Romo went out partying with buddies (Laguna Beach's Stephen Colletti and Entourage's Kevin Connolly) and when the club closed at 2 a.m., Tony rounded up a bunch of people and brought them back to his place. His place was actually Jessica's house. People were getting in on in every room; Tony went upstairs and made out with a "cute olive-skinned brunette who wore a blue-green print dress." Moving on!

You Cryboys fans realize that if Pittsburgh wins on February 1st, you can shove your "Five Trophies" line up your ass. It won't matter anymore.

Dallas hasn't won a playoff game since 1996!

Improving locker room chemistry will be the highest priority for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason and that will force serious discussions between Wade Phillips' coaching staff and owner Jerry Jones about whether to release controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, according to team and league sources.

"I think we all know that chemistry is the problem with this team more than the schemes or anything else," a Cowboys source said. "Are we going to continue to allow talent to outweigh everything else in the decisions we make with players and putting the roster together? We're like the Redskins used to be when they signed every player they wanted. There's more to it than talent. It has to be more about the team.

"The big one [Owens] didn't get discussed yet, but I'm sure it will and real hard."

The Cowboys released twice-suspended cornerback Pacman Jones last week and Tank Johnson is expected to depart through free agency. Both decisions are at least partly related to the renewed emphasis on creating a different atmosphere in the locker room. The Cowboys began their ill-fated 2008 season with three players on the roster who had been suspended by the league or their previous teams -- Jones, Johnson and Owens.

At least two sources believe that vice president Stephen Jones will attempt to convince his father that Owens should be finished with the Cowboys. But Jerry Jones just last year invested a $12 million signing bonus in Owens, which means there would be salary-cap fallout. In fact, Jerry Jones has suggested that there might be enough damage that the team would find it difficult to sign NFL sack leader DeMarcus Ware to a new contract.

"I think some of people want to just cut our losses and get rid of all those guys ... T.O., Tank, Pacman,'' another Cowboys source said. "But I really think Jerry likes the thrill of trying to make it all work."

The discussions involving Owens have not yet been formally initiated and probably will not occur until the Cowboys are more certain of the composition of their coaching staff.

Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett's candidacy for at least two NFL head-coaching positions could influence the Owens debate. Garrett met with the St. Louis Rams on Wednesday after interviewing last week with the Detroit Lions.

At the moment, Jones has insisted that Phillips will return, but he might have to reconsider if Garrett secures another opportunity. There are people within the Cowboys' organization who do not believe that Garrett would turn down another job unless Jones was willing to promote him to head coach in Dallas and purge Owens from the roster.

Not only does Owens have relationship issues with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten, but the controversial receiver consistently criticized Garrett's play calling and his offensive schemes to the point that sources say the offensive coordinator does not believe they can coexist.

The potential of the Cowboys losing Garrett to another team could accelerate the timetable for a decision about Owens. They had expected not to face a deadline until his $3 million roster bonus is due June 3. But that changes if Garrett finds himself in a position to leave the Cowboys and makes Owens' departure a condition of his remaining.

"I think Jerry would have to think about it, but I believe he'd let Jason leave,'' said one team source, believing Jones would prefer to be relieved of his remaining $6 million obligation to Garrett.

Regardless, Owens could still be jettisoned. His detractors can argue their belief that Owens, 35, is a poor route runner with inconsistent hands and generally a descending player who seldom accepts responsibility for his own shortcomings. There is fear internally that he will become more volatile if his performance continues to deteriorate -- and that he may feel more empowered if he perceives that his presence forced Garrett to depart.

Of particular concern is the apparent negative influence Owens has had on teammates such as Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton and even running back Marion Barber.

"You have to be worried about his influence over there, and I think we'd get some of those players back over to our side if he was gone,'' another source said. "I think we have to decide how detrimental he is to Witten and Romo.''

While the productivity of Garrett's offense plunged and quarterback Romo appeared to regress in his second full season as the starting quarterback, Jerry Jones apparently still covets his young offensive coordinator. The perception within the Cowboys' coaching and executive offices is that the team's demise was more the result of poor locker room chemistry and a serious leadership void than it was a failure of Garrett's system.

It was Jones who personally returned Garrett to the Cowboys' organization with the expectation that he would eventually become the next head coach of the franchise. When Garrett was offered head-coaching positions with the Ravens and Falcons exactly a year ago, Jones persuaded him to remain with the Cowboys by making him the highest-paid assistant coach in football. Jones was fiercely determined to have Garrett develop Romo and maintain offensive continuity, and even mentioned his view of the team's future with Garrett as head coach in the new $1 billion stadium which the team opens next season.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer was arrested over the weekend after a disturbance outside a downtown Indianapolis nightclub, police said.

Spencer was arrested on preliminary charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct about 3 a.m. Sunday outside the Have a Nice Day Cafe, city police Sgt. Matthew Mount said.

Spencer, 24, was later released without bond. A court appearance was scheduled for Jan. 15.

Police said Spencer and another man were thrown out of the bar when they refused to leave at closing time, then argued with officers and ignored orders to leave.

A bouncer at the nightclub told officers that Spencer had offered to pay for it to stay open past the 3 a.m. closing time set by law and after being told no tried to punch the bouncer, a police report said.

Spencer's agent, Roosevelt Barnes, did not immediately return a call Monday from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the team was aware of the arrest but would not comment further until it learned more about what happened.

Spencer, 6-foot-3 and 257 pounds, was the Cowboys' first-round draft pick in 2007. He played at Purdue and is from Fort Wayne, Ind.

He had 34 tackles and two sacks for the Cowboys this season.