Cowboys prevail in one wacky game

IRVING, Texas – Terrell Owens caught the long pass in stride, cruised into the end zone and began showing off.

With a shimmy in the direction of the Philadelphia Eagles, then some arm-flapping like he used to do when he scored for them, the final Monday night game at Texas Stadium was off to a wild start.

And it kept going from there.

After seven lead changes, the game fittingly came to a close with a pass that included two laterals. Dallas stopped it, then walked away with a memorable 41-37 victory.

“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!”

The wackiness included Tony Romo following one flub with another, leading to Philadelphia touchdowns 14 seconds apart; Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson losing an apparent touchdown because he flicked the ball away in celebration before he actually scored; and, ultimately, there was Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook wasting great performances by fumbling a fourth-quarter handoff exchange.

The game was decided cleanly after that turnover – a crisp Romo-led drive capped by Marion Barber’s 1-yard touchdown run, lifting the Cowboys to a victory that certainly will be remembered by anyone who saw it.

Nick Folk’s 47-yard field goal put Dallas in position to win it on Barber’s short run.

The Eagles hardly threatened on their final two tries. The final two-lateral play was shoved out of bounds.

Romo was 21 of 30 for 312 yards with three touchdowns. Owens had 89 yards on three catches, two for TDs.

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.