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The Cowboys win on Monday night over the Redskins was not exactly a master class of football. The final score of 19-16 fell the Cowboys way, but it's hard to find the proper words to describe what transpired on the field.
I could talk about how what used to be the classic Monday battle that the nation stayed up to watch during the seventies had faded so far that it could serve as a microcosm of the futility that is the NFC East this season. This game was painful to watch. It threatened to be the first MNF game since 2007 without a touchdown. For over 58 minutes the two kickers were the only source of points. That was laid to rest when Darren McFadden found paydirt inside the two minute warning. Nine times out of ten that should have been enough, but when a game becomes a kickers duel there is no way that the football gods are going to be content to allow a touchdown to end the showdown. Somehow you knew this one was going to come down to the kickers and special teams.
I could talk about how the Dallas Cowboys found a way to finally do something that they had not been able to do since the team lost its catalyst, Tony Romo. The chips were down. After putting themselves in a position to pull off the first Dallas win behind a quarterback not wearing #9 since Stephen McGee won a game in Jason Garret's first season as head coach, the Boys promptly allowed the Redskins to tie the contest and put it on course for another overtime showdown. Visions of the Saints filled my head. That was the moment that Lucky Whitehead made a play on special teams. It was the wake up call that made Dez Bryant a factor at last. It was also the time when Dan Bailey made another kick. For at least once this season the Cowboys had found that special "it" that is the difference between a W and a L.
I could say quite a few things. It was crappy football, the Dallas Cowboys got lucky, somebody had to win that ugly contest. All would be true, but I am not going to say any of that. I won't even say that Dallas wanted it more, What I am going to say is that the game may not have been artistic, but it was in many ways a classic Dallas-Washington match up. Those of you who have followed the team from the beginning know exactly what I mean. For this battle of rivals tonight, quite honestly, seemed fitting.