A forceful win over the Oakland Raiders has Cowboys Nation happy this post-Thanksgiving morning. But I’m not washing down my leftover turkey with Cowboys Kool-Aid just yet.
First off, it was Oakland, a sorry team, at home. No game is a gimme but Oakland at home is about as close as it gets.
An abundance of big plays made the individual stats look good, but I also saw a lot of No. 1 running back Marion Barber getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage and No. 1 wide receiver Roy Williams looking confused and hapless.
Still, an 8-3 record going into December is pretty sweet, and Tony Romo and Co. can change many a perception in the next month. Romo can prove he is more than a choker with good stats. The team can prove they aren’t afraid to win a playoff game. The franchise can reclaim its glory days after a dozen years of mediocrity. Jones the general manager can prove he did the right thing by dumping Terrell Owens and drafting Roy Williams. Jones the owner can prove to the taxpayers of Arlington they did right by hooking their wagon to him.
But I wasn’t thinking about any of this yesterday during the game. I was thinking about turkey.
Our founding fathers argued over which type of fowl should be declared our national bird. One of our smartest guys, Benjamin Franklin, insisted the turkey was our best choice. Which makes me wonder, if Franklin had gotten his way, would be eating turkey on Thanksgiving Day? After all, we don’t eat eagles.
How much you want to bet that if somebody did eat an eagle, they’d say, “Hmmm, tastes like chicken.”
Anyhoo, way to go Cowboys. Look forward to December. You can redefine yourselves as winners or reinforce the rap that you’re all a bunch of December chokers. Sounds like an exciting place to be for a team.
Game Ball Award on Offense: TE Jason Witten for gutting up an ankle injury and having his best game in a while.
Game Ball Award on Defense: Nose guard Jay Ratliff for disrupting the Oakland front four time and again.
Separated at Birth Award: Jerry Jones and this fellow.
