Cowboys lose to Ravens but stay alive for playoff Spot

It was the final game ever to be played in Texas Stadium and for a place that will be remembered for its many great Cowboys moments, Saturday’s finale against the Ravens won’t be one of them. It was a lost opportunity for the Cowboys and a game they would soon rather forget. Had they won, the Boys would’ve already clinched a playoff berth as a result of what took place in the NFL on Sunday, but they didn’t of course. Instead the Ravens walked away victorious and now Dallas will have to travel to Philadelphia and somehow find a way to win there if they want to make the postseason.

Last week against the Giants Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes, but it was what he didn’t do that may have been more impressive. He didn’t turn the ball over. Against the Ravens, however, it only took him about two minutes to throw a pick. Dallas was fortunate that the interception didn’t cost them as the Ravens quarterback, Joe Flacco, gave it right back when coughed the ball up on a sack. The Cowboys took advantage of the excellent field position they inherited from the fumble and got in the end zone on a two yard touchdown run by Tashard Choice.

After the Choice touchdown the Cowboys offense would be unable to do much of anything for the rest of the half. Romo was under constant pressure and his passes, when he was able to get them out, were well off the mark. He threw a second interception late in the half and overall he was 8 for 17 passing with 59 yards. The Cowboys also had trouble getting their running game going against the Ravens defense and while Baltimore was dismantling the Dallas offense they quietly tacked on three field goals and took a 9-7 lead into halftime.

Early in the second half the Dallas offense struggled as Romo continued to misfire, but their defense kept the game close, stopping the Ravens first two drives. But on the third Raven drive the Cowboys defense broke down and Flacco connected with Desmond Mason on a 13 yard touchdown pass. The score was aided by a fake field goal attempt on fourth down by Baltimore who would take a 16-7 lead over Dallas.

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The teams traded field goals early in the fourth quarter and then a game that had been mostly a defensive battle turned into a bit of a shootout. The Cowboys struck first, flying down the field in less than three minutes and capped off the drive with Romo’s first touchdown pass of the game, a seven yarder to Owens. But no sooner than the Cowboys had trimmed the lead to two did the Ravens counter with a touchdown of their own. It took one play, a 77 yard run by Willis McGahee to give Baltimore their nine point lead back. But the Cowboys wouldn’t give up. This time they scored in less than two minutes on a 21 yard pass from Romo to Witten and again drew to within two points.

With a 1:41 remaining in the game and all three of their time outs in hand, Dallas elected not to try an onside kick and to trust in their defense to get a quick stop. It was a fatal mistake because for the second time in a row the Ravens needed only one play for a touchdown, an 82 yard run by Le’ron McClain. By the time McClain finished running there was very little time left and the game was over.

Once again the Cowboys lost a “big” game, but they’ll have another chance this coming Sunday. There is only one spot left to be clinched in the NFC and the Cowboys are the one team of several that controls its own destiny. They win and their in, but Philly still has a chance with a win and some help. It should be a classic division rival showdown in the city of brotherly love.

By Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com Dallas Cowboys Correspondent