Cowboys Need Bye Week After Shaky Run

By RANDY GALLOWAY
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

IRVING -- The record is 6 and 1. The team health factor is reasonably OK. Under those circumstances, the Cowboys might not have been all that giddy Sunday about next weekend's shutdown.

When you are going good, at least record-wise, why stop?

"Actually, I'm ecstatic about it," said linebacker Bradie James, hailing the arrival of the bye week in the aftermath of a rather strange 24-14 win over a rather strange Minnesota Vikings outfit.

James' opinion appeared to be unanimous in the home team locker room at Texas Stadium.

"It's a good time for me," head coach Wade Phillips said of the bye. "And it a good time for us."

Wade also mentioned some "nagging things" that needed attention, apparently referring to health issues.

But speaking of "nagging things," there are also a couple of other issues that pointed to the bye week being a case of perfect timing.

After a butt-kicking first four games this season, the last three outings for the Cowboys have been the blessing in Buffalo, the ego slap from the Patriots, and then this, this...

What the hell was this on Sunday?

A win, for starters. That's the only thing that counts in the NFL as we know it today.

But while playing against a quarterback who does not appear to meet even minimum NFL talent standards (nothing personal, Tarvaris Jackson), the Cowboys were all-out to survive.

The Vikings were under the NFL version of the Mendoza Line for offense (200 yards is the cutoff, and Minny had 196), but if it hadn't been for Chris Canty, and then for Patrick Watkins, all bets were off on the outcome.

Canty came crashing up the middle on the field-goal defense team, cleanly blocked the kick, which reminded Chris of the last time he did it -- against hated Maryland when he was a proud Cavalier of Virginia -- and then Watkins took over from there.

Once Patrick got his mitts on the free ball, he had all the nifty moves in dodging tacklers while he scooted the other way. Breaking clear at about midfield, Watkins was gone.

His 68-yard touchdown return late in the third quarter was The Play in a win where the Cowboys didn't figure to need such a thing to survive.

Then again, figure this:

The Cowboys at halftime had piled up 250 yards in offense, compared to 76 for the Vikings. The Cowboys ran 43 plays to Minnesota's 18. First downs were 16 to 5.

Tarvaris was 2-of-5 passing for 15 yards at intermission. The Cowboys' staff was still researching it late into Sunday night, but Tony Romo's 28 completions in the first half is thought to be unequaled in 48 years of franchise football.

Yet, the Vikings led 14-7 when the dancing girls took the field, and Phillips took the halftime podium in the dressing room, attempting to reassure his troops.

Something about two costly fumbles derailing the Cowboys, one by Tony Romo, who took a blindside hit while attempting to buy pocket time, and the other by receiver Patrick Crayton.

One of the unsung heroes of the season to date, Crayton were able to mentally survive his cough-up only because of the win. "Otherwise, it about killed me," he said. "I hate that. Fumbling is even worse than flat dropping one, and neither is any good."

Compounding the Crayton fumble was what happened to the loose football. On a weird play, the Vikings returned it for a touchdown, which not only gave Minnesota the lead, 14-7, but also had Romo leave the field with a severe limp.

Tony was attempting to make the tackle, or something like that, and suddenly went sliding across the field, as if he was breaking up a double play at second base.

Anyway, the injury cost him no snaps, so all is well.

What about the Cowboys. Is all well?

The record definitely says so, but the last three games have been rather shaky, plus, you have to wonder what would have happened Sunday if the Vikings had gotten anything -- just something -- from the quarterback position.

But one side note to this season is the Cowboys have had an incredible run of good luck in facing QBs who either can't play, or had no business playing because of injury issues.

The record, however, is 6-1. Any questions? Well, not from Vikings coach Brad Childress who gave postgame praise to the Cowboys, calling them "the best in the NFC."

Once the bye is over, however, there are three straight games against the NFC East, the first two on the road. The Cowboys in that stretch will have to prove they are the best in the division.

"I'm not going to be negative about 6 and 1, not at all," said tight end Jason Witten, who had 10 catches Sunday. "I do know this team has some serious savvy to it, the way we find a way to win after bad starts.

"But the negative plays are also killing us. The turnovers, the sacks, the penalties. We can certainly use this down time to evaluate a lot of things we need to clean up."

Good point. And good bye week coming right up.