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It's been said all year that the approach and mindset for the Dallas Cowboys was different. The players' reaction after Sunday nights win over the Philadelphia Eagles was all the proof that we needed
On Sunday night, after the biggest game of the Dallas Cowboys' season, I sat back on the couch (something I hadn't done throughout the entire game) and took a deep breath. It was hard to believe what had just happened. The Cowboys were up 21-0, and completely blew it. Then, they rallied right back, and Tony Romo left all of America stunned, with the critics literally silenced. The man took the Cowboys' offense on his shoulders, and lifted them past the Philadelphia Eagles, making big play after big play when it mattered most.
Now, it wasn't all Romo, not by a long stretch. Dez Bryant was absolutely massive, and created separation that probably left his quarterback with his jaw on the floor at times. On top of that, the defense came up with the big plays when it mattered most. The team did what fans were hoping and praying that they could do. Coming into this one, fans had hoped that this year was different, but couldn't be sure -- not quite yet at least. The Eagles win helped everyone to believe that this year is indeed different, but they still need to win out and win the NFC East, right?
Well, yes, that would make the season complete and prove that things have turned in a complete 180 for all of the doubters, but no matter what happens over these final two games, this is a different team. A different team who had a different mindset, and one who is focused in a completely different way.
The reason that I say this is simple. The Cowboys were happy about beating the Eagles, but they weren't doing back flips on the sidelines and celebrating like they just won the Super Bowl. This Cowboys' team knows what's ahead, and it was actually their response after the game that was almost as impressive as their performance on the field Sunday night.
The players knew that the win was big, but they also were focused on the work that was needed to be done over the coming weeks. Romo seemed to be referencing the Colts' game fairly often after the game, while Dez Bryant had this to say:
"We have two games to go, and we've got to stay focused. That's what it's all about," said Dez Bryant. "We've got to just pay attention to each other - we can't get caught up in what's going on around the league. Focus on what we're doing, and that's exactly what we're going to do."
How about rookie Zack Martin?
"The standard for this team is higher than that," said Zack Martin. "We have two left, and we're looking to win them all. No one is satisfied with 10 wins."
And last, but not least, Orlando Scandrick.
"We get to enjoy this a little bit. We've got a three-hour flight and a day off," Scandrick said. "We get back in on Tuesday, clean up the mistakes in this game and look forward to Indy. That's a good football team - that's a first-place football team and the AFC South champs."
It's simply the mindset that's at a completely different level in 2014. These Cowboys are happy to beat the Eagles and control their own destiny, but now they want to prove that they can finish the deal, and get the job done. The question is, can they do it? Well, there are two games left to find out.
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