Cowboys-Giants: Like Sands Through the Hourglass! In Real Time

8:25 PM: Dallas receives the kick-off. They start on the 34-yard line. A run by Marion Barber, followed by an incomplete pass to Witten.  3rd-and-10. A long pass to T.O. and he drops it. Dallas punts.

8:28 PM: Giants take over on their own 24 yard line.

8:29 PM: DeMarcus Ware stuffs Manning for his 14th sack of the season. 3nd and 17. Manning throws incomplete. Giants punt it back to Dallas, who takes over on their own 45 yard line.

8:33 PM: Cowboys called for false start. 1st-and-15. Romo passes to Williams for a short gain. Giants cover it well. 3rd and 13. Witten drops one and its fourth down.

8:36 PM: Dallas punts to New York. New York runs into the kicker. Five-yard penalty. Re-punt by Dallas. 4th and 8. Fair catch by the Giants who start at their own 10 yard line.

So far it is a field-position battle with three and outs by both teams seeming to be the norm.

8:40 PM: Giants penalizes for illegal formation. 1st and 15. A pass to Smith for an 11 yard gain. Second down. Pass deflected. Third down and four to go. Manning has five wide and throws incomplete, but an interference call on Dallas gives them the 1st down.

8:44 PM: Ward runs for 3 yards. 2nd and seven. Ward runs to the outside for a 1st down to the 41 yard line of Dallas. That's the 1st first down of the game. Play action pass by Manning, incomplete. 2nd and 10 to go.

8:46 PM Ward over the left guard for 5 yards. 2rd down and five to go. Manning , from the shotgun throws incomplete to Smith. Cowboys came on a blitz and had good coverage. Giants have to punt. False start Giants, 4th and 10.  Dallas takes over on their own six yard line.

Both teams seem to be feeling each other out, seeing what the defense is giving them.

8:51 PM: 1st and 10 from their own six yard line for Dallas. Romo  fumbles the snap and them completes a 3 yard pass to Witten. 2nd-and-7. Romo passes to Marion Barber out of the backfield, check through and a cross for a first down. Ward runs for four yards. 2nd and six.

8:53 PM: Romo throws to Choice, incomplete. 3rd and six. Movement by Dallas. Five-yard penalty. 3rd and 11. Romo throws for a first down.

8:55 PM:  1st down to T.O. to the Giants 42. 1st down.  Another pass to Marion Barber for a 13 yard gain and another first down. Romo's 3rd big play of the drive. Dallas passes to Choice for a short gain. 2nd and 8. Romo gets sacked and is slow to get up. wincing a bit in obvious pain.

8:59 PM: 3rd and 13. Another sack. Romo, a bit shaken, comes to the sideline. Dallas has to punt. That drive turned into a mess of sacks and penalties. Another false start on Dallas. Now the punt. Touch back, The Giants take over on the 20-yard line.

9:05 PM: A short run as the 1st quarter ends 0-0.

Romo has a back contusion and is now questionable for the rest of the game.

9:07 PM: Manning gets sacked 3rd-and-17. Ward runs the ball for a short gain and the Giants have to punt. Brad Johnson is coming in for Dallas.

9:08 PM: No, Romo comes back out. Oh, the drama! Romo was really in pain on the sideline. He was helped up and then comes back in. Here we go. Quarter No. 2 is underway.

9:10 PM: Romo is sacked for the third time. Dallas is on their own 39 yard line. 2nd and 14. Screen pass to Choice on a 22 yard gain. First down in Giant territory. Good blocking by Dallas. A pass to Owens for a short gain. 2nd and 4.

Romo goes deep...Touchdown! Patrick Crayton. Oh wait, Romo may have been past the line of scrimmage. A challenge by the Giants.

9:15 PM: Touchdown stands. Dallas 7  Giants 0. Dallas kicks the ball off after the extra point is good.

9:18pm  Giants take over on the 18-yard line. 1st down 11:06 to go in the half. Manning throws to Toomer for 12 yards and a 1st down. they are on the 30. Another pass to Kevin Boss for 24 yards. 1st down on the Dallas 46 yard line.

9:22pm  The Giants are finding some rhythm in the passing game. Other guys have to step up with Burress gone for the season and their star running back out this week.

9:24 pm  Manning completes his 3rd in a row to Smith for a short gain. 2nd and 5 to go for a 1st down. Ward runs for 4 yards. 3rd down and one. Offsides. Dallas. 1st down. Ward stopped after a short loss. 2nd and11. Manning throws incomplete. 3rd and11.1st down to the Dallas 19. Good pass protection for Manning as he hits Smith.

9:28  Ware sacks Manning for his 2nd sack of the game and his 15th this season.

2nd and 13 to go. Another pass complete to Hixson to the 16. 3rd and 7. A pass off Boss's hands ,incomplete, Field goal attempt by the Giants ... good. Dallas 7 Giants 3.

9:33pm Giants kick off to Dallas with 4:52 to go in the first half. Dallas takes over on their own 29 yard line. Romo runs for three yard on a scramble. 2nd and seven to go. Completion to Witten.  3rd and inches. Ten-yard penalty on a Barber run negates the 1st down. 3rd and 11.

9:36 pm  Three minutes to go in the half.Incomplete to Witten and Dallas has to punt,

9:39 pm Manning goes deep to Smith, incomplete. 2nd down and 10. A long pass complete to Smith first down. The play comes back, offensive interference on Smith. 2rd and 20. Draw play to Ward for a nine yard gain. 3rd ans 11. Two-minute warning.

9:44pm  Manning on a passing down, gets sacked. Fourth down. Giants must punt!

9:45 pm  1:55 to play. Dallas goes into their two-minute drill, taking over on their 13-yard line. a 59 yard punt by Jeff Feagles.

9:47 pm 1:44 to play Romo overthrows T.O but illegal contact, 5 yard penalty and a first down.  A nice gain on a screen play. 15 yard gain. incomplete on a 1st down pass attempt.

Second down with a minute to go.  Romo barely avoids a sack and gets no gain on a short pass. 3rd down and a short run by Romo. The clock runs out and its halftime. Dallas 7  Giants 3 .

10:04  Third quarter begins!  The Giants need more continuity on offense! They need to get it going says Coach Tom Coughlin.  Horse collar tackle on Dallas. Penalty. 1st and 10 for the Giants. The Giants only gained 78 yards for the first half. 2nd and 8 to go. Manning completes to Hixson for 7 yards. 3rd and one to go. Ward for 2 and a 1st down.

10:08 pm  Interception on a perfect read by Terence Newman. His third of the season as   Dallas takes over in Giants territory. This just doesn t seem like the Giants team were used to seeing.

10:11pm 1st down on the Giants' 46 for Dallas. A pitch to Barber for no gain. 2nd and 10. Romo throws incomplete to Williams. 3rd and 10. Overthrows William again and they have to punt. Romo's back remains tight as he jogs off the field.

Giants get the punt on a fair catch at the 11-yard line. 89 yards to go.

10:15pm 1st down for the Giants deep in their own territory.  Ward gain 2 on 1st down. 2nd and 8. False start , Giants ,2nd and 13. Manning throws for a 1st down to Hixson. Manning takes a time-out.

10:18 pm  Ward runs for a couple of yards. Dallas seems to be winning the battle of the line up front. 2nd and 7. Perfect pass to Steve Smith for 19 yards. 1st down.on the 42 of the Giants. Ward runs for 3 more. 2nd and 8 to go.

Manning sacked for the fifth time. 3rd and 13. Manning sacked by Ellis again. Wow. The Dallas defense has really stepped up against this good Giant offensive line.

10:26 pm  Dallas takes over on their own 32 yard line. Good field position. If Dallas can score on this drive it's going to be touch for the Giants to come back. Romo complete to Witten for a 1st down.

First down on the 44 yard line of Dallas. A run by choice for 2 yards. 2nd and 8. Complete to Owens for 7 yards. 3rd and one.

10:28 pm  Marion Barber stopped for no gain. Dallas has to punt. The Giants are hanging in there. Dallas punts to the Giants, and it bounces out of bounds at the nine yard line. The Giants have started deep in their own territory quite a bit in this game.

10:33 pm Giants start on thier own nine yard line. 1st down. Bradshaw who has been quiet , gains 12 yards for a 1st down. Manning sails the ball out of bounds, 2nd and 10 at the 24 yard line. Manning throws to Hixson, incomplete. 3rd and 10. Manning sacked for the seventh time tonight! Wow!

10:35 pm Dallas gets the ball back at their own 27 yard line. 53-yard punt by Feagles. Romo takes over with 2:41 to go in the third quarter. Romo has a ton of time to throw and hit Austin to the 48 of  the Giants. 

A short pass to Bennett who streches it out for nine yards. 2nd and one.  Choice runs for one yard and a first down.

10:39 pm  Romo chased out of the pocket for a yard. Romo is slow to get up again. His back is really sore, I bet. The third quarter ends Dallas 7 Giants 3.

It's been a defensive battle just like the earlier Steeler/Ravens game that the Steelers won 13-9. Dallas is getting it done . so far. One more quarter will tell the story.

10:42 2nd and 9 for Dallas. Choice runs it down to the 15-yard line for a 22-yard draw  play. Romo  hands it to Choice again for no gain. 2nd and 10. A short pass to Witten who turns it into a 1st down at the Giants one yard line. 1st and goal. Choice does not get in. 2nd and goal at the two.

Wide open pass to the fullback, Deion Anderson for a touchdown, the first of his career.

Dallas opens up a 14-3 lead.

10:48 pm The Giants backs are against the wall now. They will be tied with Carolina at 11-3 each when they play next week in New Jersey at the Meadowlands. That will be a battle for the No. 1 seed in the NFC if the Giants lose tonight, which looks likely, at this point.

10:49 pm  Bradshaw gets to the 27 yard line. 1st down. Well, it looks like we will avoid a Terrell Owens meltdown this week. Witten has caught many passes from his roomie Tony tonight. Maybe they should take T.O out for a beer or something!

10:50 pm  Ward runs for eight yards as they start this drive. 2nd and 2. The Giants really miss Brandon Jacobs, I would think. Manning throws incomplete. 3rd and two. Manning hit Amani Toomer for a 1st down to the 40 yard line. Bradshaw gets an inside handoff. and gains 7 yards.

10:53 pm 2nd and 2. Manning hits a short pass for a two yard loss. 3rd and 4. Giants have movement. 5 yard penalty. 3rd and 9. A costly error. Manning throws incomplete. 4th down and the Giants have to punt again.

10:56 pm Feagles punts to Dallas. Dallas takes over with 8:28 to play and they are holding on to the last playoff spot. They will be a 9-5 and have the tie breaker over Atlanta.

10:58  1st down as Marion Barber pick up 4 yards. 2nd and 6 at the 11-yard line. False start moves them back to the 6. 2nd and 11 to go. Romo goes deep, incomplete. 3rd and 11 and they will be conservative this deep in their own territory. 

Romo gets sacked for a safety. Two points for the Giants and Romo is not getting up. Dallas 14 Giants 5. Dallas to execute a free kick back to the Giants who will get good field position.

11:04 pm The Giants must score to have a chance at pulling out this game. The Giants start on their own 40.  First down. Manning completes a pass to Hixson for 19 yards. 1st down. Ward runs it to the 28 yard line. No huddle offense now byt the Giants. Incomplete pass by Manning, 2nd down ans 10 to go.

11:06 pm Hixson just misses a touchdown pass. 3rd down and 10. Incomplete on a blitz. Carney to try a field goal from 47 yards, and its  good!  Dallas 14  Giants 8  and it is a one possession game.

11:10 pm  5:48 to go  in the game. Dallas needs a sustained drive to get this win.

Dallas takes over on their own 34 yard line. Choice picks his way for 9 yards but a holding penalty brings it back. 1st and 20  on the 24. Incomplete pass.

Second down as Romo takes another shot. 2nd and 20. Choice makes a big time run for 17 yards on a shotgun draw play, 3rd and 3. Barber runs for 5 yards and a first down

11:14  That was a big first down. Barber stopped in the backfield. Time out , Giants. 2nd and 13 for Dallas. Choice for three more yards, but a holding penalty brings that one back. 2nd and 23 for Dallas. Choice catches a pass and it 3rd and nine to go. The Giants take their last time out.3:10 to go.

11:17  This is a big defensive play for the Giants. 3rd and nine.Witten made the catch from Romo and gets the 1st down. The Giants are going to run out of clock. But it doesn't matter. Choice runs it in for a touchdown. Dallas 20, Giants 8.

That's the game, folks. The Dallas Cowboys have to continue to win out to make the playoffs. They play Baltimore next week at home.

Hope you enjoyed this real time, play-by-play article!  The soap opera called the Dallas Cowboys live to play another day. Romo and T.O are making nice in the postgame interview. Game ball to Witten, I would think!

Thomas [NFL Mikee]Moreland