Season Saved...At Least for Now

Wow! It sure was nice to be on the winning end of one of those last second finishes for a change. I know the Cowboys played terrible for most of the game with penalties and turnovers, but a loss would have been devastating. Imagine how bad the next two weeks would have been sitting on a loss to the Chiefs. Instead we get to replay the finish over and over and over. Sure, it was only the Chiefs but like I've been saying recently, winning is a habit. Winning close games is mandatory if you are going to be a good NFL team. Maybe this win can help the Cowboys regain their belief that they'll win the close games down the stretch.

What went right: Tony Romo played an excellent game no matter how you slice it. He was accurate all day long after playing horribly last week. Miles Austin was a freak. I was actually thinking that the Cowboys should consider benching Austin after his miscues last week, but he bounced back in a way that no one could have predicted. Jay Ratliff blocked a field goal late in the game that would have given the Chiefs a three point lead. Demarcus Ware finally got going in the sack department with two sacks of Matt Cassell. Keith Brooking has emerged as the vocal leader of the defense.

What went wrong: Were do I start? How about the penalties? Four offsides penalties on one drive. That is just ridiculous. And does Wade get fired up as things are crumbling around him? Of course not. He just stands there and mutters to himself instead of taking control of the situation. Wade is going to have to be gone after this season. Patrick Crayton should be moved to the #3 receiver after the play of Austin and his own terrible play. Crayton is a better slot receiver anyway. Crayton has been driving me crazy for years with the way he casually fields punts. It finally bit him today. The defense could have ended the game in regulation but allowed another late game drive. Newman could have ended it if he had been able to hold on to a near interception early in the drive.

The good news is that Roy Williams, Felix Jones, and probably Gerald Sensabaugh will be back after the bye week. But the Cowboys better clean up their act over the next few weeks or they aren't going anywhere this season. The win gives them a chance to regain some confidence and start to build a winning streak that could get them rolling. I know this was ugly but you have to take any win you can get. The only difference between this game and the Rams game last year was the fact that Tony Romo was there to save the day this time. Criticize him if you want, but the Cowboys will only go as far as he takes them.

One last thing. What if the Chiefs had gone for two at the end of the game? Do the Cowboys stop them? I don't even want to think about that scenario.

Week 5 Keys to Victory

This a must win game. You can try to justify that a loss doesn't end the season, and maybe it doesn't. But it will prove that the 2009 Dallas Cowboys just aren't good enough to compete with the best teams in the league. The Cowboys need to win and win big. Injuries are going to play a role in the game since the Cowboys are probably down at least two starters. Injuries are starting to mount but the Cowboys have still dodged any major season enders so far.

Injuries

Marion Barber (quad) - will play this week and is close to 100%. Andre Gurode (knee) - practiced the last two days and it looks like he'll be ready to go. Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) -had surgery this week and is most likely out for the game so Patrick Watkins probably starts in his spot. Felix Jones (knee) - tested his knee out this week but is doubtful for this game. Roy Williams - has not practiced all week but still could play if Wade Phillips decides to let him travel with the team, Austin will start if he is out.

Keys to winning

1. Don't let Larry Johnson get going. Larry Johnson has been a shell of his former self so far this season. The only way the Chiefs are going to win is if he gets back on track. I don't think the Cowboys will forget about him since Johnson is one of Kansas City's only offensive weapons.

2. Get the passing game rolling. It is becoming obvious that teams are respecting the passing offense of the Cowboys less and less every week. Tony Romo needs to be more accurate and make the Chiefs pay if they decide to crowd the line to stop the run. Romo missed a few opportunities for big plays last week when Denver began to overcommit to the run. Romo needs to start building some momentum and start playing like a top notch quarterback again. He'll need better protection from the offensive line to do that.

3. Don't let Kansas City hang around. How do you let a bad team beat you? You let them hang around for a while and they start to believe they can beat you. Score early and often and then continue scoring. Beat them into submission. Last week the Cowboys jumped out early and then the offense shut down. They need to play well for four quarters.

4. Make the Chiefs earn their points. This means many things. Limit turnovers. Tackle the Chief's ball carriers! Don't allow any big pass plays. And cut down on the penalties. Especially the ones that come at the worst possible times.

5. Score touchdowns in the red zone. The first two games this year were great for the offense in the red zone. The last two games they have been terrible. Jason Garrett needs to run the ball with Barber and Choice when the Cowboys get close. Let the offensive line use their size to dominate in the trenches. I'm sick of the cute, "creative" plays at crucial moments in the game. Line up and run over the Chiefs in short yardage situations. Run the ball!

We know and the Chiefs know that the Cowboys should win the game. But the Cowboys still have to go out and earn the victory. The Chiefs aren't going to mail it in at home in front of their fans. I want to see the Cowboys go into the bye week playing their first complete game of the season. They need to show they can be the team that we are still hoping they can be. This week won't convince me, but it can be the start of a winning streak.

The Cowboys Need a Winning Streak

When is the last time you really felt that the Dallas Cowboys were on a roll? For me it was probably when they jumped out to a 3-0 start at the beginning of last season. That was actually the last time that the Cowboys won three games in a row. I think the Cowboys need to build some momentum to recreate the winning atmosphere that was around the team in 2007 when they went 13-3.

Winning is a habit just like losing games in the 4th quarter can become a habit. With the games coming up on the schedule a winning streak is no guarantee, but it is certainly possible. The only way to start a winning streak is to win them one game at a time. Kansas City provides possibly the best opponent in the NFL right now if you are looking to start a winning streak. The Cowboys usually beat the bad teams and struggle against the good teams. That should mean a win going into the bye.

If you look ahead on the schedule the Cowboys then have Atlanta at home and then Seattle at home. Atlanta will be a tough game but they are certainly beatable. Seattle is another one of those games that the Cowboys win since they are the better team going in. After that the schedule gets much tougher. At Philadelphia and at Green Bay are not easy games. If the Cowboys can't fix whatever is ailing them right now in the close games then they will struggle to beat Philly or Green Bay. So the winning streak needs to get going now so they can go into those games with a renewed confidence.

The task at hand is simple. Win one game. The Cowboys aren't good enough to look past any team right now. But winning one game could spark a streak that finally gets this year's team over the hump and gets them going again in all phases of the game. They have got to win this week.