Football
Cowboys squeak past banged-up Redskins, 7-6
ARLINGTON, Texas — Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys were awful on offense for a second straight week. This time, they were lucky to be playing the broken-down Washington Redskins.
Romo led only a single scoring drive, hitting Patrick Crayton for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 2:41 left, and it was enough to give Dallas a 7-6 victory over Washington on Sunday to preserve first place in the NFC East.
The Cowboys (7-3) avoided getting shut out the previous week by scoring with 38 seconds left at Green Bay, then almost saw it happen again at home. This would’ve been especially stunning since the Redskins (3-7) were down to third-stringers at running back and right guard and came in without their expensive defensive tackle and a star tight end. They’d also never shut out Dallas in the previous 98 meetings.
Shaun Suisham put Washington ahead 6-0 with field goals of 45 and 31 yards. But he missed a 39-yard attempt shortly before halftime and a 50-yarder that would’ve made it 9-0 with 7:06 left. Suisham had been 13 of 13 this season before those misses.
Suisham’s fourth-quarter miss was huge for Dallas. It came right after Romo threw an interception while going for it on fourth-and-2 from the Washington 39 with 12:08 left, which shows how desperate the Cowboys were to get something going.
Given another chance to come through, Romo did with the touchdown drive. Seven of his 15 completions for the game came on that series.
Washington quarterback Jason Campbell blew a chance to pull out the victory when a pass was tipped by Stephen Bowen and intercepted by Anthony Spencer with 1:52 left. He got the ball back for a final heave and it fell incomplete about 35 yards from the end zone.
Campbell was 24 of 37 for 256 yards, and kept his team in this game despite perhaps not always recognizing everyone in the huddle.
Ladell Betts started in place of Clinton Portis, then Betts injured his left knee on the second series and was lost for the game. Rock Cartwright took over and had 67 yards on 13 carries. He had 68 yards on 17 carries all season coming in.
Washington lost guard Chad Rinehart to an ankle injury in the third quarter and came in without Albert Haynesworth and Chris Cooley, both out with ankle problems.
All week, Cowboys fans were begging offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to run more and he gave them what they wanted with 33 carries compared to 27 passes. All those handoffs may have left Romo out of whack; of course, getting kicked in the back during the second drive of the game didn’t help either.
Romo was injured while tackling DeAngelo Hall following his recovery of a first-quarter fumble by Marion Barber. He didn’t complete a pass to a receiver until the final play of the third quarter.
Barber led Dallas with 20 carries for 99 yards.
- Football
-
-
Redskins sign QB Rex Grossman to 1-year deal
Free-agent quarterback Rex Grossman signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday.
-
Gibbs is a Shanahan fan
Joe Gibbs approves of the Washington Redskins’ choice of Mike Shanahan as coach.
Gibbs and Shanahan, the two living coaches who have won Super Bowls and worked for the Redskins, stood together Wednesday at Redskins Park for the first time. -
Meyer returns to Florida practice
With a whistle around his neck and a smile on his face, Florida coach Urban Meyer returned to practice Wednesday following a leave of absence that turned out to be shorter than everyone expected.
His stay could be longer than anticipated, too. -
Johnson signs with Redskins
Running back Larry Johnson has signed a three-year deal with the Washington Redskins.
-
D.C. high school football team gets female coach
The football players at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School, Mayor Adrian Fenty and a room full of cheering staff needed only one word to describe her: coach.
-
Merlin Olsen dies at 69
Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who helped form one of the NFL’s greatest defensive lines before embarking on a successful career in television, died Thursday after a battle with cancer.
-
Derrick Mason returning
Wide receiver Derrick Mason has agreed to re-sign with the Baltimore Ravens after accepting terms on a two-year deal.
-
Willie Colon not a witness to alleged assault
Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Willie Colon was with teammate Ben Roethlisberger on the night the quarterback was accused of sexual assault in a Georgia club, but did not witness anything, Colon’s agent said Wednesday.
-
Steelers reach deals with S Clark, WR Randle El
The Pittsburgh Steelers, normally one of the quietest teams in NFL free agency, suddenly are one of the busiest.
-
Trial opens in Vikes’ challenge of NFL drug policy
The attorney for two Minnesota Vikings challenging the NFL’s anti-doping policy opened their closely watched trial Monday by accusing the league of failing to follow state law when it tested them for drugs two years ago and then decided to suspend them.
- More Football Headlines
-
