Goodbye, Minnesota.

Hello, Bye week!

I’m out of town on business in the City of the Winless Rams. My flight boarded just before Romo found T.O. in the end zone for the game’s first score. By the time I landed, the game was part of NFL history and the Vikings were smarting from the 24-14 loss.

In watching the highlights and listening to post-game interviews, I was so relieved to see how this game was decided.

Yeah, I know Minnesota was 2-3 (now 2-4) and are basically a one-dimensional team with Adrian Peterson, but I was so glad to see that a certain part of their game woke up.

Defense and special teams.

After getting blistered by the Patriots the week before, the Cowboys D was limping. This was an excellent way to bounce back from that by stopping A.P. and getting their confidence back entering the bye week as they prepare to face Philadelphia and New York when they return.

Our special teams also had been having some real messy games allowing two returns for scores in two weeks and watching our return average slowly drop over the last few weeks. The unit came up big by blocking a field goal and returning it for a TD for the first time since September 25th, 1983 vs. New Orleans when Too Tall blocked it and Ron Fellows returned it 62 yards for the score! Wade Phillips was the Saints defensive coordinator in that game.

Getting both of these squads out of their cob webs were essential in bringing this team some much needed wholeness and balance heading into these two crucial divisional wars. Five of Dallas’ last nine games are against NFC East rivals not to mention some opponents like Green Bay,  Detroit, and Carolina sprinkled in for flavor.

Now, the real fun begins!