ESPN NFL Nation Blog

Posted by ESPN.com’s James Walker

CINCINNATI -- There was a celebratory mood inside the Bengals’ locker room Sunday evening with the exception of one player: Chris Henry.

	AP Photo/Ed Reinke
	Chris Henry suffered a broken forearm in Sunday’s win over the Ravens.

Cincinnati's receiver tried to put a good face on the situation. The Bengals (6-2) picked up a huge win to sweep the division rival Baltimore Ravens (4-4). But inside, Henry was dealing with the harsh reality of a broken forearm that will end his 2009 season. He was placed on injured reserve on Monday.

"I’ve been trying to ask people what happened," Henry said solemnly. "I just know when I tried to get up my arm was broken."

Henry cut across the middle to make a reception when Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington tackled him. Henry then landed awkwardly on his arm and needed to be carted off the field.

Cincinnati has good depth at the receiver position.

Henry usually was the fourth option behind Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles and Andre Caldwell. But Henry also was the team’s best deep threat. Other players such as Quan Cosby or former second-round draft pick Jerome Simpson will have to step up.

"It’s going to hurt," quarterback Carson Palmer said of Henry's absence. "He’s a big-play guy, a guy we depend on third down and expect to come through in a number of situations."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Is it possible that during the bye week the Buffalo Bills reinvented their defense and discovered ways not to get trampled Sunday?

They rank dead last in rushing defense, allowing 173.6 yards a game and 5.1 yards per carry.

Johnson

Next, they get the Tennessee Titans at LP Field. Titans running back Chris Johnson leads the NFL with 959 yards and is maintaining an extraordinary average.

Johnson is gaining a league-best 6.7 yards per attempt.

If he can keep that pace for the rest of the season -- and he might very well improve on it against the Bills -- he will finish with the second-highest average in NFL history. Beattie Feathers averaged an obnoxious 8.4 yards a carry for the Chicago Bears in 1934.

Only four other running backs have led the league in rushing yards and averaged 6 yards a carry:

• Jim Brown, 1963 Browns: 1,863 yards, 6.4 average.
• Barry Sanders, 1997 Lions: 2,053, 6.1 average
• Joe Perry, 1954 49ers: 1,049 yards, 6.1 yards.
• O.J. Simpson, 1973 Bills: 2,003 yards, 6.0 average.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The specter of Michael Vick heading to the Buffalo Bills won't be going away any time soon.

	Scott Rovak/US Presswire
	There are mixed feelings on Michael Vick possibly joining the Buffalo Bills next season.

Vick's adviser, former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, revealed Sunday night on NBC that the Bills showed interest in acquiring Vick's services after the controversial quarterback served 18 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.

Asked if Vick would be a good fit for the Bills, receiver Lee Evans replied, "Probably not. I love him as a player and everything that he's done for the league, but I don't think it'll be anything we'll aggressively go after."

Bills safety Donte Whitner didn't conceal his excitement over the possibility.

"I believe that Michael Vick would be a good fit, and I would encourage whoever to bring Michael Vick in," Whitner said.

The Bills already have two quarterbacks. Trent Edwards is in his second season as the starter. The Bills also signed former Cincinnati Bengals starter Ryan Fitzpatrick to be the backup, but he has started the past two games while Edwards recovered from a concussion.

"It's really out of my control," Edwards said Monday. "I feel like we've got guys upstairs working those personnel moves, and if they feel like that's going to be the best fit for this team, and they feel like that's going to help us win football games, I'm sure they're going to do that without my opinion on it."

The Bills' front office might release a statement regarding Vick later Monday, but don't expect much insight. It's difficult for one team to comment on the property of another. Bills coach Dick Jauron didn't speak to reporters.

But nobody's job is safe when you play as poorly as the Bills. They are lucky to be 3-5 and rank 29th in total offense, 30th in passing offense.

"When things aren't going well, then you could easily be replaced," Whitner said. "That goes for myself and for anybody in the National Football League. If you're not getting the job done, then they're going to bring in other players. That's how the National Football League goes.

"It's more a competition thing. I don't think you're down on anybody who's been at that position. But you bring in other guys that can get the job done and can help you win. I would welcome bringing Michael here."

The possibility Vick could land in Buffalo is speculation, even from Dungy.

The Eagles hold a club option on him for next year and still could exercise it, but that's unlikely. Vick would make $5.2 million, and that's an exorbitant price for a backup quarterback who hasn't made an impact.

Vick has completed 2 of 6 pass attempts for 6 yards and has rushed 12 times for 27 yards.

"I told Michael to just worry about this year," Dungy said. "It's technically up to Philadelphia. If they want him back, he has to stay there. If they don't, there are some teams looking for quarterbacks: Cleveland, St. Louis and Washington.

"But I think a dark horse is Buffalo. They talked originally. There was some communication there. I think that could be a good spot."

Before Sunday night's game between the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, Vick told NBC Sports studio host Bob Costas that "It would be hard" to return to Philadelphia next season. "It would be an everyday struggle. But I would have to take that time to hone my skills and get better. I'm excited about the opportunity I have moving forward whether it's with Philadelphia or another team."

Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson

The Kansas City Chiefs just cut a player who was one decent game away from becoming the team’s all-time leading rusher, and it seems like it’s the right move for everybody.

It is time for Larry Johnson to leave Kansas City.

	G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images
	Larry Johnson was just 75 yards away from breaking Priest Holmes' team rushing record.

Both sides tried to make it work, but the new Kansas City regime did Monday what it probably should have done in the spring. At least everyone knows the Chiefs gave Johnson a chance to finish his career with them.

Now both the Chiefs and Johnson will move on. And they probably won’t miss each other.

Off the field, Johnson remained a distraction, and on it, Johnson, who turns 30 this month, wasn’t giving the young team much. The 1-7 Chiefs clearly weren’t giving Johnson any motivation.

The Chiefs probably have been planning Monday’s move since Oct. 28, when they suspended Johnson for Sunday’s game at Jacksonville after he made gay slurs and questioned the credentials of Kansas City coach Todd Haley. Last year, Johnson was suspended four games by the Chiefs and the NFL after two separate incidents involving women in Kansas City nightclubs.

General manager Scott Pioli and Haley were impressed by Johnson’s work ethic in the spring when he was committed to the team’s offseason program. In July, Johnson, who in the past asked to be traded from Kansas City, said he was re-energized because of Pioli and Haley.

But the losses started piling up for Kansas City in the first half of the season and Johnson was ineffective because of a combination of him wearing down and a porous Kansas City offensive line. He has 358 yards on this season and was averaging 2.71 yards per carry. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Johnson’s per-carry average this season is the fourth worst in NFL history for players with 100 or more carries.

Johnson is clearly no longer the same back he was in 2006, when he set an NFL record with 416 carries. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Johnson’s per-carry average in that special season was 4.7; since it has been 3.7.

Still, despite his decline, Johnson, a No. 1 pick in 2003, was close to becoming the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. He was 75 yards from breaking Priest Holmes’ team record.

Holmes is still revered in Kansas City, while Johnson has been vilified because of his long history of off-field issues. Many Kansas City fans voiced their displeasure about Johnson last week and wanted him to be released. Some fans began a petition to urge the Chiefs not to allow Johnson to break Holmes’ record.

The team listened and it will move on with youngsters Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith. The two didn’t do much Sunday at Jacksonville when they were just temporary Johnson replacements. Now Johnson is in Kansas City’s rearview mirror and Charles and Smith need to step up their game.

If they don’t, Kansas City will be able to live with it. Johnson is no longer a Chief and that appears to be the best scenario for everyone involved.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Rank Team 1 NO 1 2 1 1 2 IND 2 1 2 2 3 MIN 3 3 3 4 4 DEN 4 4 5 3 5 NE 6 5 4 5 6 CIN 7 6 6 6 7 PIT 5 7 8 7 8 DAL 9 8 7 9 9 PHI 11 9 9 8 10 BAL 8 13 10 11 11 ATL 10 10 12 12 12 GB 12 14 14 14 13 ARI 15 11 15 15 14 HOU 17 18 11 10 15 NYG 16 12 13 16 16 SD 13 17 19 13 17 CHI 14 15 20 17 18 NYJ 21 16 18 18 19 SF 18 20 16 19 20 MIA 20 19 17 20 21 JAC 25 21 21 21 22 BUF 22 22 22 23 23 CAR 19 23 23 24 24 SEA 24 24 25 22 25 WAS 26 25 24 25 26 TEN 23 26 26 26 27 OAK 27 27 29 27 28 KC 28 28 28 29 29 DET 31 31 27 28 30 STL 30 29 31 30 31 CLE 29 30 30 31 32 TB 32 32 32 32

First the Rams and now the Bucs have claimed victory in successive weeks as the lowest-rated team in NFL Power Rankings on ESPN.com.

Tampa Bay's upset victory over 12th-rated Green Bay could leave idle Cleveland as the 32nd-rated team when the Week 10 power rankings appear Tuesday. The Browns will, of course, be heavy underdogs at home against Baltimore.

None of the eight highest-ranked teams lost Sunday, although one of them will when No. 7 Pittsburgh visits No. 4 Denver on "Monday Night Football."

The chart shows how ESPN.com panelists voted last week. My votes appear in the first column, followed by votes from colleagues John Clayton, Paul Kuharsky and Jeff Chadiha. Red lettering identifies teams that lost in Week 9.

And now, the power rankings revisited ...

The reckoning: Three games featured lower-ranked teams defeating higher-ranked teams:

• (32) Tampa Bay 38, (12) Green Bay (28). What a horrible defeat for the team I laughably thought would contend for the Super Bowl this season. The Packers' line is far worse than imagined.
• (26) Tennessee 34, (19) San Francisco 27. No playoff talk from Mike Singletary after this latest defeat.
• (16) San Diego 21, (15) New York Giants 20. The bye week rescues the Giants from themselves.

Still to play: (7) Pittsburgh at (4) Denver on "Monday Night Football."

Reality checks: Count the 49ers and Seahawks among teams that now must admit the obvious. They are not very good. No snickering, Packers and Giants. You're a couple of defeats from joining the list.

Rising in defeat: The Panthers played the Saints tough on the road. At first glance, I could justify moving them up even in defeat. Same goes for the Texans after they gave Indianapolis a scare.

Northbound in a hurry: Dallas, Tennessee. The Cowboys are much better when unburdened by expectations. An even keel has served them well to this point. Can they keep success in perspective?

My early favorite for the No. 1 spot: New Orleans. The Colts are also worthy. I'm sticking with New Orleans for at least another week.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson

Nothing like a blockbuster move in the division to start a the day. The Chiefs have released running back Larry Johnson on the day his one-game suspension ended.

I will have more on this shortly. Here is the statement:

CHIEFS RELEASE RB LARRY JOHNSON

The Kansas City Chiefs released RB Larry Johnson on Monday. In 75 games (55 starts) with Kansas City, Johnson rushed 1,375 times for 5,996 yards (4.4 avg.) with 55 touchdowns. He also registered 151 receptions for 1,369 yards (9.1 avg.) with six TDs. He concluded his Chiefs career with 30 100-yard rushing games and also added two 100-yard receiving games.

Johnson established an NFL single-season record with 416 rushing attempts in 2006 when he set a franchise single-season mark with 1,789 rushing yards. He originally entered the league as the Chiefs first-round selection (27th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft out of Penn State.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson

DENVER -- Here are five keys to Monday night’s game for Denver (6-1) against visiting Pittsburgh (5-2):

Start fast: If Denver has had a problem this season, it is starting slowly. It has had to rely on great second-half play. The second-half luck ran out in Baltimore in Week 8, but the Broncos must take pressure off of themselves and jump to a lead. It will be interesting to see how this team would react to not have to scramble back into games. Plus, there’s bound to be a lot of Pittsburgh fans at the game (the streets of Denver were teeming with folks in Steelers’ gear Sunday), so the Broncos must take the Steelers fans out of the game early. In the 2005 AFC Championship Game, the Steelers took early control of the game and their fans took over the stadium in a 34-17 Pittsburgh win. Denver can’t allow that to happen again.

Control the no-huddle offense: There has been talk that the Steelers will try to use more no-huddle to keep the Broncos off balance. The Ravens had great success using the no-huddle in Week 8. Denver has responded well to everything thrown at them this season, so if the Steelers come with the no-huddle, the Broncos have to be ready.

Take advantage of the Steelers' injury issues on defense: The Steelers may be without three key defensive starters because of health issues. Defensive end Travis Kirschke, inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons and safety Ryan Clark are all unlikely to play. The Broncos must take advantage and get their offense going against the limping Steelers. This is a great opportunity for the Broncos.

Run the ball: The Broncos must keep Pittsburgh’s defense honest by running the ball. Correll Buckhalter and rookie Knowshon Moreno have been a good tandem for most of the season. But the pair struggled at Baltimore. These two must establish the run to create an offensive rhythm. That will allow Denver quarterback Kyle Orton to play his game and be more effective than he was against the Ravens.

Tighten the special-teams coverage unit: Denver allowed a punt return for a touchdown against San Diego and a kick return for a score last week against Baltimore. It can’t surrender a special-teams touchdown for the third straight game. This game probably will be closely contested. Denver can’t give an excellent team such as Pittsburgh a freebie as it did the past two games.

Posted by ESPN.com’s James Walker

Here are five keys to Monday night's game for the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) against the Denver Broncos (6-1):

Be physical: The Baltimore Ravens proved last week that Denver could be worn down by bigger, more physical teams. Pittsburgh’s personnel is very similar to Baltimore's, so the Broncos could struggle in many of the same areas. The Steelers need to set the tone early with their physicality. The Broncos are a "finesse" team, and as evident by their record, that works well for them. But oftentimes it takes a while for teams outside the AFC North to adjust to the smashmouth brand that is played within the division. Pittsburgh needs to take advantage of that, especially on the road.

Play smart defense: For a 6-1 team, Denver's offense can be relatively easy to stop. It takes a smart defense that won't be fooled by the various screens and quick-hitting misdirections. Stopping the run will be the first focal point. After that, Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton likely will struggle trying to beat teams singlehandedly through the air. Denver is very gun shy when it comes to attacking opponents vertically with Orton under center. Therefore, look for Pittsburgh to bring many defenders closer to the line of scrimmage to challenge Denver's hesitancy to go deep.

Big game from Troy: Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu recently returned to the team following a left knee injury he suffered in the season opener. Although he’s made some plays, Polamalu still hasn’t looked 100 percent. The dynamic safety had two additional weeks off to rest the knee. With veteran safety Ryan Clark not expected to play, that puts an even greater emphasis on Polamalu controlling the middle of the field for Pittsburgh.

Ball security: Lately the Steelers haven’t been taking care of the football, and it’s hard to tell if this is just a small issue or a growing trend this season. Pittsburgh fumbled the ball five times (losing four) in its past two games. It didn’t hurt the Steelers in home wins over the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings. But careless turnovers Monday could hurt the Steelers a lot more on the road against Denver. Pittsburgh second-year tailback Rashard Mendenhall has lost two fumbles in two games.

Use new wrinkles: In the past, the Steelers would bring out a trick play or two later in the regular season. That hasn’t been the case as much under current offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. But coming off a bye week, this would be a great time to catch a good opponent off guard on both sides of the football. Pittsburgh ran a tailback pass by Mewelde Moore earlier in the season that worked for a touchdown. The Steelers shouldn’t get too giddy with trick plays, but perhaps a couple of new wrinkles would help. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau also is known to constantly draw up new packages. So, don’t be surprised if you see something new from the defense as well.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

CHICAGO -- Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui decked Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris twice before Harris threw the punch resulting in his ejection Sunday.

Lutui's actions were within the rules. Harris' were not.

Harris

Lutui

Harris' ejection following only the fourth play from scrimmage followed this play-by-play sequence:

1. The Cardinals threw the ball on first down. Nothing of note happened.
2. Lutui shoved Bears defensive lineman Marcus Harrison after the play. Harris and Lutui made no contact. Harris hit Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner legally after Warner threw the ball.
3. The Cardinals threw again, this time completing a 23-yard pass to Steve Breaston. Lutui decked Harris during the play, then hit Harris again as the defensive tackle tried to get up. The second hit might have been unnecessary. Any defensive lineman would have been ticked off even though Lutui did not appear to violate rules.
4. Lutui quickly pushed Harris at the start of the Cardinals' fourth play, a run. Harris was engaged with center Lyle Sendlein and could not see Lutui. Lutui blocked linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer on the play. Replays did not show what happened immediately next, only Harris' fateful punch to Lutui's facemask while Lutui was down on the ground.

The punch appeared more dramatic from the press box than on replays. Lutui had no noticeable marks on his face after the game. He did not miss any plays.

	Al Bello/Getty Images
	The Dallas defense did a good job keeping Donovan McNabb on the run.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

PHILADELPHIA -- It wouldn't be wise to make any sweeping judgments on the Dallas Cowboys until their cruelest month arrives in December, but it's fair to say they took an important step at the Linc on Sunday night. They returned to the site of one of the most regrettable performances in franchise history and seized control of first place in the NFC East with a 20-16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Week 9 Coverage • Kuharsky: Caldwell not challenged • Walker: Bengals are no joke • Yasinskas: Hargove plays through pain • Seifert: Bears at a loss • Sando: Cardinals hot and cold • Wojciechowski: Joke's on the Bears • Mosley: Defense carries Cowboys • Graham: Patriots pull away • Reiss: Patriots tame Wildcat • Clayton: Last Call • Pasquarelli: Rivers best for a night • MNF: On the same path | MN HQ • NFL Nation: Reactions | Wrap-ups | Live

Winners of four consecutive games, the 6-2 Cowboys will head to Green Bay next Sunday as one of the hottest teams in the league. And last season's 44-6 loss at the Linc could become a distant memory.

"We came out here and laid an egg," said inside linebacker Bradie James of last December's loss. "I won't ever forget that, but we were able to put that behind us and move forward today. Ever since that Kansas City game [a 26-20 Dallas OT victory Oct. 11], it's skyrocketed for us."

Sunday against the Eagles (5-3), the offense made a huge play in the fourth quarter to put the Cowboys on top, 20-13. But it was the defense that won this game. The Cowboys listened to everyone talk all week about how dangerous the Eagles' weapons were. But from the start, the Cowboys didn't let the speed of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin intimidate them. The Cowboys certainly double-teamed Jackson at times, but they didn't ask cornerback Terence Newman to follow him all over the field as he has done with star receivers in the past.

The Cowboys' game plan was to keep everything in front of them and not allow the big plays that the Eagles have thrived on this season. By the fourth quarter, Cowboys defenders said they could hear Eagles receivers voicing their frustration at not being able to break free. And it might have been some greediness on coach Andy Reid's part that led to a game-changing interception late in the third quarter.

Leading 13-10, the Eagles got the ball back at their 23-yard line. On first down, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin jogged off the line of scrimmage as if he was going to block before turning on the jets in an attempt to race past the Cowboys' secondary. Safety Ken Hamlin recognized from the start what Maclin was doing, and he shouted to second-year cornerback Mike Jenkins, "Stay back!" That proved to be good advice.

"I knew there was something fishy going on," Jenkins said. "Ken was telling me to get over the top of Maclin, so I started sprinting."

Jenkins matched Maclin step for step and then he undercut the route to pluck the interception. That led to a 33-yard field goal by Nick Folk, tying the score at 13. The Cowboys' defense only allowed one play of more than 25 yards -- and that was a 45-yard screen pass to LeSean McCoy.

Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware overwhelmed the Eagles' offensive line and stayed in quarterback Donovan McNabb's face throughout the game. McNabb was only 16-of-30 for 227 yards and he threw two interceptions. He appeared completely out of rhythm for much of the evening -- and the secondary played a large role in that. If you take away the deep ball from the Eagles, they're not much to look at. It's not like they can turn to a power running game.

Donovan McNabb vs. Cowboys pressure Category Standard Added Comp.-Att. 13-22 3-8 Yards 178 49 TD-Int. 1-0 0-2 Passer Rtg. 100.2 19.3

"We took it personally that no one was giving us any respect," Jenkins said. "We've been shutting receivers completely down, but people weren't talking about it. I think we made a statement tonight. To come into their house and walk away with a win ... I think it's a big statement."

Even when last year's Cowboys were winning games early in the season, you could see trouble on the horizon. They were a sensitive bunch who couldn't believe it when anyone questioned them. This year's team seems to stay in the present, and players know that nothing will be handed to them.

The Eagles had second-and-1 at the Cowboys' 45-yard line early in the fourth quarter. McCoy was stuffed for no gain on consecutive plays by Anthony Spencer and James. Then McNabb tried to dive for the first down and was stopped by Marcus Spears.

I have no clue why a man with McNabb's lower body strength would try to leave his feet. But it was a huge play for the Cowboys, and Tony Romo connected with Miles Austin for a 49-yard touchdown pass four plays later.

"They ran the ball towards [Marcus] Spears' side and he said on Sundays his side was closed, and he made the big play again," said James. "There was a big pile but the ball fell our way. You never come to Lincoln Financial and not earn a victory here. I think there were a lot of guys out there that were making plays all over the place."

The Cowboys know that December looms, and that's why they need to keep stacking wins in November.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

The Redskins' offensive line was dreadful in the first half, allowing quarterback Jason Campbell to be sacked five times. The Skins trailed, 24-3, at halftime and it looked like the Falcons would be able to name the final margin of victory. But fortunately, Washington showed some heart in the second half.

With Clinton Portis out with a concussion, Ladell Betts came in and did a nice job. Campbell fought through injuries to have a nice performance in the second half. The Redskins dominated the third quarter. But Falcons running back Michael Turner took over the game.

The Redskins are now 2-6 as they prepare to host the Broncos. There's a chance the Redskins could go the rest of the season without a win, but the Raiders should serve one up. There are no motivational ploys to use at this point. Coach Jim Zorn has to make the best of an embarrassing situation.

Give offensive line coach Joe Bugel some credit for getting his unit's attention at halftime. The line did a much better job in the second half, helping keep Campbell in one piece. It was a gutty effort for the quarterback that Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato have been trying to unload since this past offseason.

If Campbell could get with the right coach, I think he could be a solid quarterback in this league. Right now, he's playing for a team without a true head coach and any form of talent along the offensive line. You'll be excited to know that I'm writing a story this week about how to fix the Redskins.

Clip and save.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

PHILADELPHIA -- Don't look now, but the Cowboys are in the driver's seat in the race for the NFC East crown. They returned to the scene of last season's embarrassing 44-6 loss and came up with a clutch performance.

And maybe Roy Williams should spend a little more time complaining about quarterback Tony Romo's throws because the pair were on the same page Sunday night. Williams had five catches for 75 yards and, for at least one evening, he became Romo's favorite target.

Of course, Romo turned to Miles Austin for the game-winning touchdown. Austin froze cornerback Sheldon Brown with a double move and then raced into the end zone to give the Cowboys a 20-13 lead. The Cowboys (6-2) have now won four consecutive games as they prepare to travel to Green Bay.

The Eagles (5-3) will fall a game behind the Cowboys and they will try to regroup with a road game against the resurgent Chargers, who beat the Giants, 21-20, on Sunday. The Cowboys' defense did a nice job of staying in Donovan McNabb's face throughout the game and cornerback Terence Newman helped take DeSean Jackson out of the game.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy got loose on a 45-yard play, but the Cowboys limited the big plays. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff and DeMarcus Ware were relentless with their pressure. Ratliff destroyed the middle of the Eagles' offensive line and ended up with two sacks.

Romo had his first interception in the past four games, but he made up for it by throwing for 307 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys are now one of the hottest teams in the NFC. They prevented the Eagles from completing a three-game sweep of their division foes.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

PHILADELPHIA -- We were just talking about how Miles Austin didn't have a catch in this game. Then on third down, he used a double move to completely freeze cornerback Sheldon Brown. Safety Sean Jones was out of position to make the touchdown-saving tackle, in part, because Austin gave him such a violent inside move.

The legend of Austin lives on and now the Cowboys can try to tee off on McNabb. OK, I'm breaking away to prepare a Rapid Reaction. I'll see you guys back here in 30 minutes or so.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

PHILADELPHIA -- Asante Samuel took a pretty good knock to the head on that Felix Jones run during the Cowboys' last possession. He left the game and was replaced by Ellis Hobbs. Samuel has a neck injury and his return is questionable, according to the Eagles.

The Eagles got the ball back and Donovan McNabb tried to dial up Jeremy Maclin on a stop and go route. Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins did a great job of staying with Maclin step for step and then he undercut him at the last minute to make the interception.

Roy Williams is making his presence felt. He's come up big on this drive.

There is absolutely no flow to this game.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

PHILADELPHIA -- Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh had solid coverage on tight end Brent Celek near the goal line, but Celek bolted to the corner of the end zone when he saw Donovan McNabb rolling right. Sensabaugh got caught staring at McNabb's eyes instead of being aware of Celek. Pretty savvy move by Celek on the touchdown.

I'm not sure what Tony Romo was doing on that last interception. It looked like Jason Witten was looking inside and Romo threw the ball outside. Sheldon Brown had an easy interception.