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Quarter-by-quarter look at Cowboys-Eagles game
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PHILADELPHIA — Got weapons?
The Dallas Cowboys entered Sunday night’s game as offensively diverse as they’ve been this season, and against the Philadelphia Eagles they gave another intriguing youngster, rookie receiver Kevin Ogletree, a larger role, while also utilizing third-down tailback Tashard Choice in the wildcat formation — or as the Cowboys call it, the Razorback.Dallas called the direct-snap play to Choice four times in the first half, with a holding penalty negating the first attempt, a 10-yard gain. The Cowboys had run the play just six times entering the game.Choice, the second-year back out of Georgia Tech, scored the Cowboys’ first touchdown, a 2-yard run from the Razorback, and then ran it on consecutive plays for 9 yards and 2 to start a second-quarter drive that ultimately fizzled.Ogletree, quick off the line and crafty when he gets the ball, is a favorite of team owner Jerry Jones, and the owner wants the rookie involved.Twice Ogletree snatched third-down screen passes from quarterback Tony Romo, for 20 and 17 yards, to put the Cowboys inside the Eagles’ 5-yard line both times, setting up the first touchdown and a field goal late in the first half.Ogletree also recorded the first run of his career, picking up 6 yards on an end-around, a play used mostly for Patrick Crayton and then last week for Miles Austin for the first time.Romo’s streak endsTony Romo’s career-best streak without an interception — three games and 143 attempts — ended with 9:03 to play in the third quarter.Romo’s pass was intended for tight end Jason Witten, but Witten never had a chance on the errant pass that fell into the arms of cornerback Sheldon Brown, his fourth interception of the year and the 22nd for the Eagles’ defense.Crayton’s streak endsPatrick Crayton was unsuccessful in his bid at history Sunday night. No player has ever returned a punt for a touchdown in three consecutive games.Crayton entered Sunday’s game with a 73-yard touchdown return against Atlanta and an 82-yarder last week against Seattle.Witten moves upJason Witten’s first two catches of the game moved him ahead of Keith Jackson (5,283) and Wesley Walls (5,291) for 15th in receiving yards among tight ends in league history.Wade loses challengeCowboys coach Wade Phillips’ second-half challenge failed. Dallas believed that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb had crossed the line of scrimmage before throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brent Celek.The call on the field — touchdown — stood. The replay showed that McNabb’s entire body had not crossed over the line. The play gave the Eagles a 13-10 lead, their first of the game, with 11:48 left in the third quarter.Johnson in; Octavien sitsLinebacker Curtis Johnson, sidelined with a hamstring injury for all but one game since the Cowboys acquired him on Sept. 1, was activated Sunday night.Dallas deactivated linebacker Steve Octavien, a special-teams regular active in the first seven games, to allow Johnson on the active roster.Johnson made his first tackle of the season on Dallas’ first kickoff of the game. Later he was flagged for being ineligible downfield.Other inactives were Allen Rossum, Mike Hamlin, Jason Williams, Montrae Holland, Duke Preston and Pat McQuistan. Stephen McGee was the third quarterback.Briefly Center Andre Gurode picked up his first holding penalty of the season, an untimely one in the fourth quarter that negated a Marion Barber run. Every Cowboys lineman now has at least one holding call. Sunday’s meeting was the 100th between the two NFC East rivals dating to Sept. 30, 1960.Jeff Caplan, 817-390-7760
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