Ah, the game was so exciting. But, sadly, "my team" didn't win last night. Maybe, next time.....

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Eagles fall in shootout 41-37; Cowboys halt Birds' rally in final minutes of wild game
By DAVID WEINBERG Staff Writer, 609-272-7186
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/185/story/258890.html
Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Chris Gocong (57) celebrates his touchdown after recovering a fumble by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the second quarter Monday night in Irving, Texas. There were six touchdowns and four field goals in the first half of the game.

IRVING, Texas - The final "Monday Night Football" game at Texas Stadium was also one of the most memorable.
Deep passes, electrifying returns and crunching hits were in abundance in Dallas' hard-fought 41-37 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

"What a game,'' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "It had it all.''

Despite the defeat, the Eagles demonstrated that there is more than one elite team in the NFC.

The Cowboys (2-0) are still considered the early favorite to represent the conference in the Super Bowl, but the Eagles (1-1) played well enough that they deserve mention as serious contenders.

"Tonight, they were the better football team,'' Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown said. "We're not a team that is content just to play someone close, so that's not a positive for us. But we learned a lot about ourselves as far as coming into a hostile area and fighting hard for 60 minutes. I'm proud of our team for doing that.''
The game was a brawl, with the Eagles and Cowboys throwing and eating punches as if they were fighting in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall instead of Texas Stadium.

The teams combined for six touchdowns and four field goals in the first hald as the Eagles led 30-24.

Both teams were at their best in a back-and-forth tussle that was not decided until the Eagles' comeback attempt stalled at their 49-yard line with 1 minute, 3 seconds left in regulation.

The Cowboys finally took the lead for good with 4:35 left in regulation, when the Eagles' first offensive turnover this season led to Marion Barber III's 1-yard touchdown run that put the Cowboys ahead 41-37. The Eagles, thanks to a 47-yard kickoff return from rookie Quintin Demps, appeared on their way to the end zone when Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook bobbled an exchange and the Cowboys recovered the fumble.

Dallas' 41 points were the most scored against the Eagles since Indianapolis had 45 in 2006. It was the most scored by the Cowboys against the Eagles since a 41-point effort in a 1987 strike game.

"It was two great teams going at it,'' McNabb said. "We scored a lot of points, and we know we have a good team, but we didn't win, so that other stuff doesn't matter.''

The Eagles did not fall easily, however. They made their final regular-season visit to Texas Stadium - the Cowboys are moving to a new facility next season - a special one. McNabb and Westbrook kept answering challenges from Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Terrell Owens to the end.

There is something about playing in a stadium with a hole in the roof that brings out the best in McNabb. The 31-year-old added to his lengthy list of outstanding performances at Texas Stadium with another tremendous effort against the Cowboys.

McNabb completed 25 of 37 passes for 280 yards and one touchdown but also delivered a number of thrilling scrambles that even drew cheers of admiration from Cowboys fans. His biggest came early in the fourth quarter, when he twisted away from linebacker DeMarcus Ware and flipped an underhanded pass to Westbrook for a 17-yard gain. Westbrook, whose relentless running style was one of the highlights of the Eagles' offense, capped the drive by powering into the end zone from a yard away. It was Westbrook's third TD and put the Eagles ahead 37-31.

"That one surprised me,'' Westbrook said. "Donovan's never thrown one to me underhanded before.''

The first half was nonstop action and ended with the Eagles holding a 30-24 lead.

The Cowboys landed the first haymakers, following a pair of David Akers' field goals with big plays that produced deafening roars from the crowd.

Ex-Eagles wide receiver-turned-nemesis Owens struck first. It took him just one play to gain revenge on Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard, who shut him down in the Eagles' visit to Texas Stadium last season. This time, Owens sped past Sheppard and safety Sean Considine and galloped into the end zone with Romo's on-the-mark pass for a 72-yard touchdown. It was Owens' 131st career TD reception, moving him past Cris Carter and into second place on the NFL's alltime list behind Jerry Rice (197).

A year earlier, Sheppard was credited to holding Owens just three catches for 37 yards. Allowing Owens to burst past him en route to the end zone Monday certainly did not help Sheppard's chances of regaining his starting job or getting the contract extension that agent Drew Rosenhaus has been trying to land.

Cowboys rookie running back Felix Jones followed Akers' second field goal by embarrassing the Eagles' kickoff coverage unit during a 98-yard return for a touchdown. Jones, whom the Cowboys drafted after the Eagles passed on him, easily avoided Akers' weak tackling attempt en route to the first kickoff return for a TD against the Eagles since 2005.

Trailing 14-6, the Eagles countered with a pair of touchdowns.

The defense set up the first and provided the second one. New Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel notched the team's first turnover of the season with an interception against Romo. McNabb capped the ensuing drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Westbrook. It was McNabb's 175th career TD pass, tying him with Ron Jaworski for first place in franchise history.

A few seconds later, the defense put the Eagles ahead 20-14 with its first touchdown since 2006. With the Cowboys pinned at their own 3-yard line, Eagles free safety Brian Dawkins stormed into the end zone on a blitz and pried the ball out of Romo's grasp. Linebacker Chris Gocong fell on it for his first career TD as an eery silence enveloped the arena.

Dallas regained its composure long enough to regain the lead on Romo's 4-yard TD pass to Owens, who burned Dawkins and taunted him after the play without a penalty being called.

The Eagles needed one more play than they expected to take a 27-21 edge. Rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson got behind Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones and safety Roy Williams, grabbed McNabb's deep pass and was on his way to a 61-yard touchdown. Just before he reached the goal line, however, Jackson's cockiness wound up costing him. He flipped the ball behind him before crossing the plane, giving the Eagles' the ball on the 1-yard line. Westbrook bailed him out by somersaulting over the pile for a TD behind a solid lead block from fullback/defensive tackle Dan Klecko.

"I thought I was in the end zone,'' Jackson said. "I wanted to make a big play and celebrate and I got overexcited.''

Jackson nevertheless finished the game with 106 receiving yards. Jackson, who also had 106 yards against St. Louis, became just the second player in NFL history to begin his career with two 100-yard receiving games. Don Looney accomplished the feat for the Eagles in 1940.

E-mail David Weinberg: DWeinberg@pressofac.com