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Top ten moments of 2007: #1

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#1: Nick Folk's 106 yard winning field goal

Week 5; Dallas Cowboys versus Buffalo Bills

I had a bad feeling about this game before it even started. During the pre-game shows leading up to the Monday Night Football game, ESPN did nothing but talk about Tony Romo. How great he had been playing so far in the season and how far he will take the team that year. There were plenty of other storylines to focus on but you know ESPN, they have to go for the big fish. And Tony Romo was their prize catch. Just sitting there and watching all the cameras focused on Romo, I couldn't help but think that things just weren't going to go all that well for him.

The way the Buffalo crowd was amped up was disconcerting as well. From my couch, it just seemed like the Cowboys were taking this game too soft. They had played some pretty good ball in the first four weeks but were only truly tested once. And Buffalo was sitting there waiting, just foaming at the mouths to spoil the Cowboys' fun. What made me even more uneasy was how that whole week, every single person in the media stated that this could be a "letdown" game for the Cowboys. It had all the classic makings for one. In the past, this was the kind of game the Cowboys never really played well anyway. So I was braced for the worst as the game started.

How I wish I was wrong.

After Romo threw the first interception, I told myself that it would be alright. I wasn't all that worried about the Buffalo offense and I was confident the Cowboys' defense could hold their own. Shake it off, get back out there and get the score back. Never would I have thought that Romo would throw another interception on his very next pass. It became almost comical from that moment on.

Every time Romo went back to pass you held your breath. He was struggling mightily out in the field and it was painfully obvious that he was having trouble getting a read on the Bills' defense. Romo did have a touchdown pass in the first half that tied things up, but even that wasn't a very good throw. Romo would end up throwing five interceptions as well turning the ball over with a fumble in the second half. And while everything was going wrong around them, not one player on the Cowboys sideline gave up and they all pulled together to rally around their star quarterback.

It was tough to see Romo struggle but it was even more heartbreaking to see him sitting on a cooler on the sideline, his head down in defeat. The image of Terrell Owens coming over to Romo and giving him words of encouragement quite honestly choked me up a bit. This was a guy that put everything he had into the game of football and had played unbelievably for his team so far in the season. Now it was his team's turn to save the game for him. Even though it had all gone horribly wrong, the Cowboys were still very much in it when they got the ball with just under four minutes remaining in the game, down 16-24.

Coming out onto the field for that last gasp drive, Romo looked like a man on a mission. He had thrown away a golden chance just a few minutes earlier with a red zone interception, but this time he was determined to put his team in a position to pull off the unthinkable. That drive Romo was 9 for 11 for 77 yards as he led his team down the field, throwing a touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton with just 24 seconds remaining. Unfortunately Owens was unable to hold onto the two point conversion and it looked as if the improbable comeback would fall just short.

I have to be honest here and say that I walked away from the television at that point. It had just been too much of an emotionally draining game and I was exhausted. It had been the toughest Cowboys game I had ever sat through and the whole time I kept telling myself that we could still pull it off. When Owens dropped that pass I just couldn't take it anymore. And as I walked into my bedroom I heard Brad Sham exclaim that the Cowboys had recovered the onside kick. I couldn't believe it. After everything that had happened they still had a chance. Romo stepped right back on the field as confident as ever and made a couple of brilliant throws that put his team in position to win with just 2 seconds remaining.

Now we come to Nick Folk, the Cowboys rookie kicker. For too long the team had been searching for a dependable leg, a guy they could count on to nail the game winning field goal when he was called upon. And now Folk was being asked to kick a 53 yard field goal to cap an impossible comeback. As he stepped into the ball and just absolutely NAILED the kick, the refs started blowing their whistles. The play was called dead because the Bills had called timeout at the very last second. Could Folk kick it again?

Yes he could. It was the most amazing game I had ever seen the Cowboys play. Every single player on that team REFUSED to lose and pulled together around their quarterback. The defense did all it could to keep the Cowboys in the game, giving up just three points the entire game. Nick Folk nailed a perfect onsides kick and Tony Curtis out ran everyone on the field to fall on the loose ball. Folk kicked the game winning 53 yard field goal not once, but twice.

And Tony Romo overcame the worst game of his career to put together two magical drives in the final four minutes to pull his team back from the brink.

Watch the highlights from the game here.

0 recs  |  Comment 21 comments

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I have to agree Brandon

Watching that game made me sick to my stomach and twisted my emotions into a knot – until Folk nailed his SECOND kick for the most glorious victory the cowboys have had in years. I live on the east coast so by the time the game ended my wife and son were sound asleep so I was jumping around the living room like an idiot and screaming into a pillow. Only a cowboys fan would understand.

Great job on the top ten by the way – I think the playoff loss last year left such a bad taste in my mouth that I forgot what an amazing and entertaining regular season the cowboys had. Here’s to taking that success to the postseason in 2009.

by Billito on Jul 19, 2008 7:45 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

+++++++1 ... I'll echo the sentiments already posted...
Great job on the top ten by the way – I think the playoff loss last year left such a bad taste in my mouth that I forgot what an amazing and entertaining regular season the cowboys had. Here’s to taking that success to the postseason in 2009.

And from Deke…

Outstanding job Brandon on the top ten moments of the year, I enjoyed reading your series

Well done Brandon!

Tar Heels football will surprise this year

by DalaiLuke on Jul 19, 2008 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

+1 on it being late and not wanting to wake anyone

But I went ahead and woke my wife up, I couldnt contain myself. Thankfully the little one didn’t here me screaming.

"So you can’t stiff arm at all? What about the throat?"- Marion "Barbarian" Barber

by DC_fan on Jul 20, 2008 8:44 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

What a great ending!

I agree I was sick watching most of that game. I was really happy to see how TO was encouraging Romo during the game after Tony threw an interception. Then to see Tony drive the team down the field twice in the last few minutes to put them in a position to win. Of course the 2 GREAT kicks by rookie Nick Folk were AMAZING. I don’t know when his contract expires, but I hope we can keep him for a few years. This game reminded me of the comeback that Roger orchestrated against Washington in 1979.

Geaux Cowboys!

by dlthibo on Jul 19, 2008 8:33 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Hopefully this years top ten moments ends with a superbowl win

Outstanding job Brandon on the top ten moments of the year, I enjoyed reading your series

by Deke on Jul 19, 2008 8:49 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Folk could get fined for that this year

Just check the picture in Brandon’s well written and entertaining piece and it becomes very apparent that Folk “Hero” is flashing gang signs! Perhaps JJ needs to have Calvin Hill organize an intervention before the promising Folk throughs his life away.

by WB3forMB3 on Jul 19, 2008 10:04 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

sorry

hang loose (aka Shaka) is the thumb and pinky….

could be the “Hook ‘em horns” displayed by Univ. of Texas, but Folk went to Arizona… Maybe it’s actually the “sign of the horns” which became a heavy metal symbol popularized by Ronnie James Dio, who says his Italian grandmother used it to ward off the evil eye… so maybe Folk is just saying Rock On!!! or maybe warding off the Bill’s evil eyes for stealing that game! lol

by scottmaui on Jul 19, 2008 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oh yeah.

Rock on!

That #38 sure can hit!

by Aaron Novinger on Jul 19, 2008 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

LOL

Gang Signs, that is the funniest thing I have heard in a while. GANG SIGNS, lol…

"You can't win until you're not afraid to lose"

by Wmillion on Jul 19, 2008 4:52 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

The worst part

The worst part about the game, even worse than how badly Romo was playing, was the way the ESPN announcers were fellating Trent Edwards. Never mind the fact that the Cowboys turned the ball over 6 times and the Bills’ offense only managed 3 total points, they were acting like this chump was the next Jim Kelly.

The best part, other than winning, was that this game basically ended those BS timeouts during field goal kicks. I think the refs never got the criticism they deserved for this tactic, because they weren’t moving quickly enough when the timeout got called. If you’re standing next to a coach and he tells you he’s going to do that, get your whistle in your mouth and be ready to blow it and kill the play before the snap, not after the play has ended and then say it has to be done again. If the timeout comes before the snap, they should be blowing their whistle for all it’s worth the instant it is called.

If Romo can just eliminate red zone picks this year, it would be a massive improvement.

by Baked Potato Soup on Jul 19, 2008 11:14 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I was wondering what would be #1.

I watched this game with my girlfriend. It was one of those times when even a I-have-no-interest-in-football woman appreciated the obsession I have for the game, for the team.

It also reminded me to always stick to the TV until 0:00, especially with Romo at the helm. Made up for all those times during the 5-11 seasons when they couldn’t pull off the comebacks.

That #38 sure can hit!

by Aaron Novinger on Jul 19, 2008 11:56 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

What a game that was.

And here’s hoping it never happens again.

You can't have Thunder without Lightning.

by Nelson... on Jul 19, 2008 12:04 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

That was the craziest Cowboys game ever

The Columbus Day Miracle

I was about a second away from turning the channel in disgust after Owens couldn’t pull in the 2 pt attempt. Then Touchdown Tony Curtis recovered the onside kick. Minutes later the game is near the top of greatest Cowboy comeback victories ever. Nick Folk becomes Folk hero.

Nice job with the series of articles Brandon.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Jul 19, 2008 3:11 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

This was epic.

Great feeling. I like the picture. I actually got Folk to sign it at a game this year. =)

My popcorn's ready!

by CowboyBawler4 on Jul 19, 2008 3:20 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

During this game...

Two female friends/neighbors of mine were over to visit myself and my roommates; or on this night, to bug the Hell out of me.

They were absolutely clueless as to how I could be so morose during the game, and when Folk was lining up for his second attempt, I was literally on my knees, hands clasped, shaking with anxiety.

Then, of course, I was leaping up and down, all of Romo’s TO’s forgotten, because we won the game. I was cheering so loudly I’m shocked the RAs didn’t come by (I was in my dorm).

And one of the visitors said “Jeez, it’s just a game.”

....

I didn’t talk to either of them for a week.

by no1cowboysfan on Jul 19, 2008 4:47 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Hard not to denounce people like that.

For just a week?

That #38 sure can hit!

by Aaron Novinger on Jul 19, 2008 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Just now read your description of watching Folk's game winner

I had to laugh because I was watching the game with my brother who likes the Cowboys, but isn’t insanely obsessed like I am. While the kick was being attempted he was lying calmly on the couch, while I was on the floor, on my knees, palms down, heart pounding, sweating, praying and cursing Dick Jauron for calling the timeout after the first attempt. After the second kick sailed down the middle of the uprights I jumped up and started yelling “FU Buffalo!” Meanwhile, my brother had never moved from his original position and was laughing at me while shaking his head in disbelief at what had just transpired.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Jul 23, 2008 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Folkin A

What a game…. great recap Brandon!!

Cowboys fan since 1978.. I was 3 years old

by Mullin on Jul 20, 2008 6:38 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was the sickest game i’ve ever had the pleasure to witness. Most of the time, you feel blessed to see a great play…but to see a game like that really burns a memory into your head.

by pdw1731 on Jul 24, 2008 5:30 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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