Baltimore 33, Dallas 24

All week when asked what I thought of this game, I said I thought the Cowboys should win-but that I wasn't convinced that they could. When my handicapping friend Berry asked me about it-saying that he thought the Cowbos -4 was a gimme spread-I gave the that pause and decided against wagering on the game. The fact of the matter is this, Baltimore is far more Pittsburgh than New York (Giants) in their style of play, and I think this loss reflected that. New York is a team on the snide, actually bearing quite a resemblance to the Cowboys of last year, whereas Baltimore is a hard-nosed defensive team that is very well coached and focused on the running game but not afraid to let their quarterback-whom happens to be a rookie playing better than half the QBs in the league-make a play when it's necessary. And while not quite as crushing as the PIT loss (there wasn't quite the clutching defeat from the jaws of victory this time), the games bore quite a resemblance.

For the next week, you're going to hear people question Romo (24/45 for 252 2TD/2INT). And that's fair-that was one of the most average performances I've ever seen from a pro-bowl QB throwing for 250 and 2 TDs. For those who own proverbial stock in Romo, you're going to hear them defending him and questioning Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett and his continually odd play calls that include an over-reliance on the shotgun, despite Tashard Choice being the obvious hot hand. And then you'll hear the usual smattering of 'off with his head' regarding Wade Phillips, or indictments of the Dallas defense. Also fair.

The fact of the matter though, is this was a collective loss. The defense played very, very good for the bulk of the game-tell me you haven't heard that before (see: Pittsburgh game)-before folding late, while in the same game the offense struggled and idled in neutral for the majority of the game (again see: Pittsburgh game). The offense, led mostly by Garrett's continually strange playcalling and Romo's inability to launch a drive against a good defense until the shit hits the fan, set up a defense that was obviously gassed by the end of the game, if not the half.

I don't know about you, but I saw a valiant effort from that defense-a gut check performance-that was wasted because by the end of the game they'd spent so damn much time on the field up against a very phsyical running game, that they had nothing left. Is that an excuse for the 77yd McGahee TD and the 82yd McClain TDs on back to back plays? Absolutely not. On the former there was good blocking creating an open hole and absolutely no safety in the middle of the field-if you are going to depend on a single linebacker to make the tackle, that can happen. On the second, it should have been a tackle for a loss and instead was a long run to put the game on ice (though again with no safety help whatsoever). My point though is that while the defense surrendered those huge plays, they're the only reason the team was even close to in this game. Why you might ask?

Maybe because of the ridiculous penalties (10 for 86). Maybe because Romo kept missing recievers. Maybe because Owens dropped a couple and quit on a couple routes. Maybe because on two plays Romo had Owens and then Austin in stride for 6pts and missed the throw (and on a third Owens lost the ball in the lights). But really, because tonight Tashard Choice was the only offensive player that looked anything resembling a professional (and man, he was good, don't let that get overshadowed). If the offense had been able to do anything with any drive the defense hadn't given them (fumble at the 4yd line), I firmly believe the D wouldn't have been so tired, something that it was plainly obvious they were.

It was a bad loss, and now you need a little help to get into the tournament. My gut feeling is that you should get that help (and history backs me up, 10-6 gets into the playoffs most of the time), and that now this entire season rides on winning in Philly next weekend. On the upside it wasn't a conference game, and the tiebreakers seem to favor the Cowboys-but again, you've got to win next week. I think this team can rebound, really I do, I'm just not sure that even if they do they can string together strong performances on both sides of the ball. Early in the season the offense was humming and the defense struggling, and now the tables seem to have turned. It's going to be a wild last week.