By Sam Bush
Well, so much for the idea that the Dallas Cowboys are the best team in the NFC and maybe the NFL.
That meme has been floating around lately, thanks in large part to their fast start, QB Tony Romo’s near-flawless performance and RB DeMarco Murray’s string of 100-yard games.
None other than Colt McCoy, a third string QB for the down-and-out Washington Redskins burst the Dallas bubble and restored some sanity to the NFC East, where the 5-2 Eagles are lurking,
McCoy, a small-town West Texas kid, directed Washington to Kai Forbath’s 40-yard field goal in overtime and Dallas was unable to answer after Romo came back from an injury to his surgically repaired back, sending the Redskins to a 20-17 victory on Monday night that snapped the Cowboys’ six-game winning streak.
“Last-second wins, right?” McCoy said, laughing. “But I grew up as the game went on. I felt more and more comfortable and I started seeing the defense right. We made some plays down the stretch that good teams have to make to win games.”
It might be McCoy’s only start if Robert Griffin III is ready to return from a dislocated ankle that has sidelined him since Week 2. The Redskins go to Minnesota on Sunday, and then have their bye week.
“Robert’s our starter,” coach Jay Gruden said. “I haven’t wavered off of that in my mind. When he’s ready, he’ll be ready to go.”
The Cowboys (6-2) had one last chance after Forbath’s kick, but didn’t get a first down. Romo’s final pass on fourth down was knocked away by Bashaud Breeland.
Dallas running back Murray extended the record he took from Jim Brown a week ago with his eighth straight 100-yard rushing game to start the season. He had 141 yards rushing and another 80 receiving, but also had his fifth fumble of the season at the end of a 36-yard screen pass inside the Washington 10 in the first half.
“Well, it’s terribly disappointing,” owner Jerry Jones said. “Jay Gruden and his staff, their organization, they came in here and took it to us and they won the game. We couldn’t get it done.”
Romo left after getting sacked by Keenan Robinson in the third quarter (photo above). He lay motionless for several minutes but returned for the final Dallas drive of regulation.
The 34-year-old Romo, who had surgery for a herniated disk last December, reached for his back after the hit and stayed flat on the ground before trainers rolled him to his side. He walked to the locker room mostly under his own power.
