NFL Dallas Cowboys: Prime To Play The Role Of Spoiler For The Rest Of 2010?

Under the direction of a new coach, the spark of young talent, and a well-playing veteran back-up, the Dallas Cowboys might act as a spoiler to contending teams for the rest of 2010.

A heavy Super Bowl contender before the season began, the Cowboys shockingly started 1-7 before firing head coach Wade Phillips and naming Jason Garrett as the interim head coach.

In the two weeks since the mid-season move, Garrett's coaching and the play of young talent such as Bryan McCann and Dez Bryant have seen two convincing wins by Dallas, one of them over a hot New York Giants team.

McCann has been electric, making huge plays in back-to-back weeks. 

He followed his 101-yard interception return against New York with a 97-yard punt return against the Detroit Lions. 

Both plays showed a great deal of study and knowledge of the rules and recognition of the situation on the field.

Top draft pick Dez Bryant has suddenly emerged as a top wide receiver. Bryant scored his eighth touchdown on his rookie season yesterday on the Cowboys first drive.

Veteran quarterback Jon Kitna has been playing beyond most expectations as well as he fills in for the injured Tony Romo. In the past two games, Kitna's quarterback rating has been 124.1 and 129.7 respectively, with six passing touchdowns and one rushing score and only one interception.

Anyone watching Dallas over the past two games has remarked how different of a team it has been from the Wade Phillips coached team that started the season in such shocking fashion.

However, at 3-7, Dallas would have to run the table to have even an outside shot at a wild card berth.  However, given their upcoming schedule, the Cowboys find themselves in a potential spot to act as a spoiler to teams attempting to win divisions and playoff spots.

Dallas has already beaten the Giants, who find themselves out of first place in the NFC East following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. 

This Thursday, Dallas brings in a New Orleans Saints team that is already a game behind the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South, brushing shoulders with a surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad that could make that division a tight race.

On Dec. 5, Dallas heads to face an Indianapolis Colts team that is currently in the tightest division in the NFL. 

After yesterday's loss, the Colts find themselves in second place behind Jacksonville and only two games ahead of the last-place Houston Texans, a team that has beaten them.

Philadelphia comes to town after that for their first of two face-offs with Dallas in the final four weeks. If the Giants are still close to the Eagles at this time, the battles with the Cowboys might be must-wins for Philly.

They might not make the 2010 NFL Playoffs, but if the Cowboys can play over across these upcoming games as they have the past couple of weeks, they can have a lot of say over who does.