Cowboys try to turn season around starting with Redskins

Romo returns for Sunday Night Football game @ Washington

If the Cowboys are going to turn their season around and make the playoffs this year they’ll have to start with a win in Washington on Sunday. To this point the Cowboys have been a major disappointment, filled with injuries, controversy, and sub par play. Now, heading into week eleven, it’s ironic that Dallas will try to revitalize their season against the same team that may have triggered their downfall. After all it was the Redskins who handed the Cowboys their first defeat of 2008 at Texas Stadium in week four. Since then the Boys have gone 2-3 and looked shaky in the two games they won. Sunday is a chance for them to change that and return to the form that had many predicting Super Bowl.

The return of Tony Romo should give the Cowboys a much needed boost. He may not be the answer to all of Dallas’s problems, but they are clearly a better team with him at quarterback than Brad Johnson or Brooks Bollinger. It’s true that the Cowboys were 1-2 in their last three games with Romo just as they were 1-2 without him, but the numbers show they had better chances to win in the games he played. Prior to his injury, Romo had thrown 14 touchdown passes and the Dallas offense was averaging slightly over 29 points a game. Without Romo under center the Cowboys have scored no more than 14 points in each of their last three games.

The offense should improve for Dallas, and it’s going to need to. The Cowboys will be hoping to get their running game going with an improved passing game, but it won’t be easy against the Redskins defense, which is ranked fourth overall in the NFL and second in the NFC against the run. Marion Barber’s numbers have dwindled in Romo’s absence as opposing defenses have been able to zero in on him without a passing threat. Dallas would like to get their bruising running back more involved, but the real key to success on offense will likely come through the air.

Another key for the Cowboys will be to get their defense going as well. Two weeks ago, before going into their off-week, the Cowboys defense was dominated by the Giants in what turned out to be a 35-14 rout. Two weeks before that they were torched by the St. Louis Rams 34-14. They did show some grit in a win against the Buccs in which they only surrendered 9 points, and they’re going to need a lot more of that type of toughness against the Redskins. It could also help that they will be getting starting cornerback Terence Newman back from injury.

> Find a great selection of Dallas Cowboys hats & apparel online through Pro Football Fans or apply online for a Cowboys credit card!

The Redskins success this season has been just as surprising as the Cowboys failures. Washington is 6-3 two games back of the Giants for first place. Barring a complete meltdown by the Giants the division title should go to them, making this match up between the Cowboys and Redskins more of a battle for a playoff spot. The Redskins would hold a huge advantage over the Cowboys by beating them Sunday because a win would essentially have them up by three with a season series sweep. However, the injury to Clinton Portis, who may not play Sunday, could hurt their chances of getting the victory. Washington will have to rely on their quarterback Jason Campbell who has made tremendous strides in his game this year. Campbell will certainly look to get his passing game going and favorite target Santana Moss, who has been a Cowboy killer throughout his career.

The Cowboys know that their chances of winning the NFC East are all but gone, but a playoff spot is attainable. They will most likely need to go 5-2 in their final seven games to have a shot. That would finish them up at 10-6 and give them a chance for a wild card. But you can only play one game at a time and it all starts Sunday for the Boys.

By Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com Dallas Cowboys Correspondent