Mike Jenkins News

Now that the regular season has hit its midway point, the Cowboys can take a few moments to catch their breath and reflect.

CLEARLY, THE Cowboys knew which Bird was most deadly. DeSean Jackson disappeared beneath smothering preventive coverage in last night's 20-16 loss to Dallas.

The Dallas Cowboys rank second in total offense, 22nd in total defense. But, on Sunday night against the Eagles, it was the defense that played like it's at the top of the rankings.

Now the Dallas Cowboys can forget about last season's awful finish. Tony Romo threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin midway through the fourth quarter and the Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles 20-16 Sunday night in the 100th meeting between the division rivals.

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS and JEFF CAPLAN IRVING - Terence Newman has 42 tackles, three more than he had all last season, and on pace for a career-high 96.

As most Eagles opponents are learning on a weekly basis, DeSean Jackson is very fast and very hard to contain.

If there are any lingering questions about how good of a player Donovan McNabb has really been all these years, consider with what the Eagles' quarterback has had to work.

Cornerback Mike Jenkins wants the Dallas Cowboys to get in the face of Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson.

Now that Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson has emerged as one of the most dangerous players in the league, I believe the Cowboys will do everything they can do take him out of Sunday's game.

Amidst all the big plays, from the long passes to the punt return touchdowns, in last Sunday's win over the Falcons, two consecutive plays might have told the story better than any others.

RB Julius Jones The former Cowboys running back has never really fulfilled expectations after Bill Parcells traded down to select him and, in the process, passed on drafting Steven Jackson of the St.

CAMERON, TX: I hope the Cowboys don't eat the cheese and get trapped against the Seahawks.

Mike Jenkins wins some and loses some. "Even when I make a mistake I smile," the Dallas Cowboys' second-year cornerback said.

The obvious thing is the emergence of receiver Miles Austin as a playmaker. But there's also a defensive component to the Dallas Cowboys' surge to the brink of the NFC East lead: the re-emergence of the team's fierce pass rush.

DAVID THOMAS What Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips had to say after the Cowboys' 37-21 win against the Atlanta Falcons, plus what he could have said: Opening comments on the win: What Wade said: "Obviously, that was a big game for us."What Wade could have said: "When the owner says you're playing for credibility, it's a big game.' On Miles ...

GAME SET WHAT: Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta WHEN: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. WHERE: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas TELEVISION: FOX BIG ISSUE : Both Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips and owner and general manager Jerry Jones have called this game the biggest of the season thus far, so it's a good thing Dallas has had two weeks to prepare for it.

The Cowboys will need to pressure Atlanta's Matt Ryan on Sunday. Are the Cowboys interested in joining the division race? They gained ground on the Giants and Eagles by sitting out last weekend.

I'll just go with Zorn since he's become the face of the Redskins' struggles. With left tackle Chris Samuels now injured, the Skins don't really have anything up front.

The Dallas Cowboys' most recent trip to Missouri could be classified as catastrophic.

For the third time this season, the Cowboys' defense failed with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter.