On Sunday November 20, 2011, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins in Week 11 of the National Football League (NFL). It was a typical smackdown between the NFC East rivals. The Cowboys are playing well and I am stoked! Here are my thoughts on the game.
NFC East Factor
It is always a battle whenever the Cowboys and Redskins get together. The Redskins did not play like a team on a 5-game losing streak. In fact, the Redskins could easily have won this game. Whenever these NFC East foes face off, you can forget about team records. Forget everything you know about the teams. Expect an exciting matchup like this overtime thriller between the Cowboys and Redskins.
Turnovers
In a close game such as this one, there is usually one statistic that tells the story: turnovers. The Cowboys had no turnovers. The Redskins had an interception and a fumble that led to a Cowboys touchdown. Look no further than the turnover differential. This says it all.
Romo has been great at quarterback for the Cowboys. The Cowboys have won three in a row. In these games, Romo has thrown eight touchdowns and no interceptions. He has averaged a 124.8 quarterback rating. Romo has not fumbled the ball either. He was great in this game, making clutch throw after clutch throw. Romo is proving once again why people call him Mr. November.
Murray is the Man
The Cowboys remained committed to the run. Rookie running back DeMarco Murray rushed for only 73 yards but the Cowboys called on him 25 times. Murray also caught six passes for 32 yards. The Cowboys have found a true weapon in Murray. They are looking to use him whenever and however they can.
Balanced Offense
Now that opposing teams have to respect the running game, the Cowboys have balance on offense. They were able to move the ball against a solid Redskins defense. Romo also spread the ball around. He completed passes to nine different receivers.
A Little Help From a Foe
On Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles did the Cowboys a favor by defeating the New York Giants. Now the Cowboys share the top spot in the NFC East with the Giants. The Giants have tough games at the New Orleans Saints and home versus the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys host the Miami Dolphins (Thanksgiving Day) and visit the Arizona Cardinals. Then the Cowboys and Giants face off in Dallas in what will be a highly anticipated NFC East showdown. The Cowboys could be two games up on the Giants by then.
It is good to be a Cowboys fan right now. This is hard to believe after the earlier heartaches. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Hopefully the Cowboys will make it even happier.
More from Edwin Torres:
Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. He enjoyed watching the Dallas teams of the 90s dominate opponents on both sides of the ball. Edwin also follows local teams such as the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. As a longtime fan of the National Football League, Edwin follows many interesting games and stories each week.
