Dallas Cowboys Show Why This December Is Different From Previous Seasons

The Dallas Cowboys spent the first few weeks of December hearing about their struggles during the month of December, after two losses to the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers.

After handing the New Orleans Saints their first loss of the season">New Orleans Saints their first loss of the season—at the Louisiana Superdome—it's safe to say this is a different team, ready to put their previous December struggles behind them.

The Cowboys did what no other team has been able to do this season by defeating the Saints 24-17 in a statement to keep Dallas alive in not only the playoffs, but the NFC East.

They knew coming in how important a win would be, considering how the NFC could play out the last three weeks of the regular season.

With a loss, the Cowboys would have fallen to 8-6, leaving the Philadelphia Eagles a chance to take a two-game lead in the NFC East and the Giants a chance to claim the No. 6 seed in the NFC if both teams won Sunday.

Instead, the Cowboys remain in control of the No. 6 seed and have a chance to reclaim first place in the NFC East if the Eagles lose to the San Francisco 49ers.

Despite their previous struggles in December, the Cowboys deserve some credit for their two losses to the Giants and Chargers—especially quarterback Tony Romo.

Prior to this season, Romo has been criticized for his inability to perform well in the month of December with a 5-9 record. While the record now sits at 6-11, his performance this month has been nothing short of outstanding.

In three games this December, Romo has completed 82-of-119 attempts for 953 yards and three touchdowns. He's also posted a quarterback rating of 107.9.

He may have struggled in the past, but Saturday's win over the Saints shows Romo has the Cowboys exactly where they should be to make a strong run at the playoffs.

His decision making against the Saints on when to throw and run the ball while under pressure shows how different he is as a player and a leader this time compared to previous Decembers.

The Cowboys' win against the Saints may have been just one game, but they made a statement by winning against a team no one else was capable of beating. After defeating the Saints on their home turf, Dallas has every reason to believe the December talks are finally over, and they can win against any team in the NFC.

Dan Parzych is the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com