Dallas Cowboys Defeat Philadelphia Eagles

A short time ago, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in a close game. That victory takes the Dallas Cowboys to the top of the standings in the NFC East in 2009. Just a few short weeks ago, it appeared that the Dallas Cowboys were going to repeat their poor performance of 2008 - but over the past three weeks the team has started to play well together and they have a new hero by the name of Miles Austin. Ever since the Dallas Cowboys traded away Terrell Owens, many fans have been concerned that there was not a marquee player on the team that could take his place. Then after the Dallas Cowboys coaches gave Miles Austin a chance to play, the rest is history.

While it is true that Terrell Owens was more of a distraction to the team than a player that motivated his fellow team mates, the exact opposite is true of Miles Austin who has not only created a great deal of excitement among Cowboys fans - but it is clear to see that from Tony Romo on down the player roaster, they are all playing better because Miles Austin gives the team a chance to win each week. In tonight's hard fought game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, the winning touchdown was scored late in the game by Miles Austin. When Austin scored that winning touchdown, I saw coach Wade Phillips and Tony Romo dancing around on the field like they had just won the lotto. That is a picture I will not soon get out of my mind.

For a long time, I have felt that coach Phillips and Tony Romo lacked the raw enthusiasm that is needed to win week in and week out in the NFL. In the back office, NFL football is a business like any other that requires a cool head to make a profit. However, out on the football field - a certain amount of raw emotion is needed by the coaching staff and players on the team to win hard fought games like tonight's against the Philadelphia Eagles. Miles Austin has created the spark that the 2009 Dallas Cowboys team needed to win even when the chips were down. Another player on the Cowboys team that is overlooked right now as a positive influence is a rookie player by the name of Kevin Ogletree. Ogletree caught several good passes tonight and he should be a great contributor to the Dallas Cowboys in future years.

It's always a good Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys win, but it is a great Sunday when they beat another good NFL East team like the Philadelphia Eagles. Tonight's Cowboys victory over the Eagles will go a long way toward giving the entire team a good positive mental outlook as this season moves forward. As far as I am concerned, if the Dallas Cowboys hang on and win the NFL East and play winning games in the playoffs this year - the person all players, coaches and fans should thank is Miles Austin. Every NFL team needs a spark to help them move from a good to a great team. In 2009, the one player that has created that spark for the Dallas Cowboys is Miles Austin. It never ceases to amaze me when a player that was never expected to be great - changes the minds of everyone when their determination and will to win converts a downtrodden team into one that is exciting to watch.