So far, so good.
That can be the motto as the Dallas Cowboys enter their bye week with a 6-1 record, and first place in the NFC East Division. On Sunday, the Cowboys defeated Minnesota 24-14 at Texas Stadium. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo completed 31 of 39 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. Terrell Owens caught 7 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. Marion Barber was the Cowboys leading rusher with 12 carries for 96 yards.
Dallas got the scoring started in the first quarter as Romo threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Terrell Owens and Nick Folk kicked the extra point giving Dallas a 7-0 lead. Minnesota wasted no time in tying up the game as Adrian Peterson-the rookie out of Oklahoma, and the Vikings leading rusher on the day with 12 carries for 63 yards-scored on a 20-yard run. Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell added the extra point and the score was 7-7 after one quarter of play. In the second quarter, Minnesota’s Cedric Griffin recovered a Dallas fumble and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown giving Minnesota the halftime lead of 14-7 after Longwell’s second extra point.
At that point it appeared the Vikings might be headed for an upset win. But in the third quarter the Cowboys Marion Barber scored on a one-yard run.
Folk’s PAT tied the game at 14-14. Then it appeared Minnesota would take the lead on a field goal, but the kick was blocked and the Cowboys Pat Watkins returned the blocked kick 68-yards for the go -ahead touchdown. Folk’s third extra point of the game put Dallas up 21-14.
The Cowboys will be off next week, but in two weeks will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, one of their most hated rivals. After the Cowboys play the Eagles, they will travel to the New Jersey Meadowlands to take on the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. Then the Cowboys come home to take on their most hated rival of all, the Washington Redskins at Texas Stadium.
The next few weeks could determine whether the Cowboys have a real chance to be Super Bowl contenders or just a playoff team. Right now at least with the best record in the NFC, they look like they have a shot to be Super Bowl contenders.
Stay tuned.