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ARLINGTON — The Giants and Cowboys played their usual Cowboys Stadium game Sunday night. New York had won its first two trips here by an average score of 37-33.
Inching closer wasn’t enough for the Cowboys, who lost the game, 37-34, and sole possession of first place along the way.
For much of the night it appeared all that the Cowboys would lose — not that it was insignificant — was running back DeMarco Murray. The rookie from Oklahoma was injured 10 minutes into the first quarter and diagnosed with a fractured right ankle and high ankle sprain.
“It appears he’s done for the season,” coach Jason Garrett said afterward.
The game featured a staggering eight lead changes, and that doesn’t include the alteration in the NFC East standings. The Giants, who came here with a four-game losing streak, moved into a first-place tie with Dallas at 7-6.
Felix Jones did a largely admirable job filling in for Murray, rushing for 106 yards on 16 carries. If those numbers sound worthy of more praise, Jones also had a costly fumble not far from the Cowboys’ goal line that led directly to a Giants field goal in a three-point Dallas defeat.
“I thought [Jones] did a really good job tonight; he had to take a fuller load,” Garrett said. “He ran the ball very well and he caught the ball very well.”
Actually, Jones’ six catches netted only 31 yards, a lackluster 5.1-yard average. He will have to do better than that — and hang onto the football — if Dallas is going to keep this season from ending at New York on Jan. 1.
“We loved the [running back] depth we had, obviously. This is going to put a lot of pressure on Felix,” quarterback Tony Romo said.
Clearly, in this era, teams can win NFL games without much support from the running game. Although Jones and the Giants’ Brandon Jacobs (101 yards) were big contributors, Sunday’s game, like so many, was all about the quarterbacks. While Romo threw for 321 yards, the Giants’ Eli Manning lit up the Cowboys’ secondary for 400 yards in 47 attempts without suffering a single sack.
But, for Dallas, the running game has been an important complementary feature to Romo and his receivers. Romo’s interceptions all but disappeared once Murray started shredding opposing defenses at 6 yards per carry.
How much Jones can deliver in the closing weeks is anyone’s guess. Yes, he was a first-round pick and clearly he has a great burst of speed, but he’s been inconsistent when relied upon too heavily.
Even Sunday night, in a game in which defense for either side was mostly a rumor, Jones burst out of the gate with eight carries for 81 yards in the opening half. After halftime, Jones carried eight more times for just 25 yards.
If there was hesitancy among Cowboys fans to get too giddy when things looked like they would at least turn out well on the scoreboard Sunday, the combination of defeat and loss of Murray could prove devastating.
A younger, more mobile offensive line has shown an ability to run block beyond its years. Even if Garrett is regarded as too pass-happy at times, he’d still like to maintain something approaching balance when the team tries to avenge earlier division losses to the Eagles and Giants.
In all likelihood, that won’t be possible. With the return of Miles Austin (four catches for 63 yards, one TD) on Sunday night, perhaps the Cowboys can just throw it around without the preferred support of a running game.
That tends to be a dangerous way to travel. Romo was sacked three times while throwing just 31 passes Sunday.
The Cowboys may encounter little resistance from woeful Tampa Bay, but if an Eagles team that would love to spoil Dallas’ season gets the opportunity to tee off on Romo, it undoubtedly will.
The same goes for the Giants in a rematch that still could determine the winner of the NFC East.
The Cowboys will need everything Felix Jones can provide in those last two games. Based on what we saw late Sunday night, it wouldn’t hurt if he could play some defense, too.
Inching closer wasn’t enough for the Cowboys, who lost the game, 37-34, and sole possession of first place along the way.
For much of the night it appeared all that the Cowboys would lose — not that it was insignificant — was running back DeMarco Murray. The rookie from Oklahoma was injured 10 minutes into the first quarter and diagnosed with a fractured right ankle and high ankle sprain.
“It appears he’s done for the season,” coach Jason Garrett said afterward.
The game featured a staggering eight lead changes, and that doesn’t include the alteration in the NFC East standings. The Giants, who came here with a four-game losing streak, moved into a first-place tie with Dallas at 7-6.
Felix Jones did a largely admirable job filling in for Murray, rushing for 106 yards on 16 carries. If those numbers sound worthy of more praise, Jones also had a costly fumble not far from the Cowboys’ goal line that led directly to a Giants field goal in a three-point Dallas defeat.
“I thought [Jones] did a really good job tonight; he had to take a fuller load,” Garrett said. “He ran the ball very well and he caught the ball very well.”
Actually, Jones’ six catches netted only 31 yards, a lackluster 5.1-yard average. He will have to do better than that — and hang onto the football — if Dallas is going to keep this season from ending at New York on Jan. 1.
“We loved the [running back] depth we had, obviously. This is going to put a lot of pressure on Felix,” quarterback Tony Romo said.
Clearly, in this era, teams can win NFL games without much support from the running game. Although Jones and the Giants’ Brandon Jacobs (101 yards) were big contributors, Sunday’s game, like so many, was all about the quarterbacks. While Romo threw for 321 yards, the Giants’ Eli Manning lit up the Cowboys’ secondary for 400 yards in 47 attempts without suffering a single sack.
But, for Dallas, the running game has been an important complementary feature to Romo and his receivers. Romo’s interceptions all but disappeared once Murray started shredding opposing defenses at 6 yards per carry.
How much Jones can deliver in the closing weeks is anyone’s guess. Yes, he was a first-round pick and clearly he has a great burst of speed, but he’s been inconsistent when relied upon too heavily.
Even Sunday night, in a game in which defense for either side was mostly a rumor, Jones burst out of the gate with eight carries for 81 yards in the opening half. After halftime, Jones carried eight more times for just 25 yards.
If there was hesitancy among Cowboys fans to get too giddy when things looked like they would at least turn out well on the scoreboard Sunday, the combination of defeat and loss of Murray could prove devastating.
A younger, more mobile offensive line has shown an ability to run block beyond its years. Even if Garrett is regarded as too pass-happy at times, he’d still like to maintain something approaching balance when the team tries to avenge earlier division losses to the Eagles and Giants.
In all likelihood, that won’t be possible. With the return of Miles Austin (four catches for 63 yards, one TD) on Sunday night, perhaps the Cowboys can just throw it around without the preferred support of a running game.
That tends to be a dangerous way to travel. Romo was sacked three times while throwing just 31 passes Sunday.
The Cowboys may encounter little resistance from woeful Tampa Bay, but if an Eagles team that would love to spoil Dallas’ season gets the opportunity to tee off on Romo, it undoubtedly will.
The same goes for the Giants in a rematch that still could determine the winner of the NFC East.
The Cowboys will need everything Felix Jones can provide in those last two games. Based on what we saw late Sunday night, it wouldn’t hurt if he could play some defense, too.
