Cowboys 14, Redskins 10: Dallas Gets Themselves Back Into Playoff Hunt

The Dallas Cowboys had to have this one. With seven games remaining, conventional wisdom is that Dallas needed to win five of those games just to have a shot at the playoffs. Beating the Redskins in Washington goes a long way to getting back into the hunt.

The Cowboys got back to basics in this one. A strong defensive showing and a dedication to the running game got them the 14-10 win. Marion Barber rushed for 114 yards and turned into the finisher he was last season. With Dallas nursing that lead late, Barber continued to chew up the Redskins defense and the clock.

He ran for 66 of his yards in the fourth quarter alone, when the Cowboys ate up over 10:00 of clock.

This was Tony Romo's first game in a month and he looked a little rusty. His stats aren't anything great (19-of-27, 198 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) but his calming presence in the pocket was key. In some huge situations, Romo made plays to keep drives alive. One was a huge "push pass" (to coin John Madden) to Miles Austin that resulted in a big first down. Dallas would go on to score the go-ahead touchdown on that drive.