Nevertheless we still come back to Glenn, who it might be argued saved the Cowboys night and perhaps the season along about midway through the third quarter.
The Cowboys had not only given up a 14-0 lead but had fallen behind by seven points. For the second straight week Dallas had allowed three touchdowns in the second period. For the second straight week the opposition's fullback was threatening to earn a Hall of Fame berth.
If things didn't change in a quick hurry, the 2006 season was going to take on a very gloomy hue. It also didn't help that the Cowboys were facing a third-and-13 situation with the Falcons, having scored on the four previous possessions, licking their chops to get the ball back.
What happened next changed the course of the contest.
Tony Romo stepped up in the pocket and lofted a perfect pass down the sideline to Glenn, who had narrowly escaped from cornerback Allen Rossum and managed to get both feet down inbounds as the ball arrived.
Instead of punting, Dallas had gained 24 yards en route to a field goal that halted the bleeding.
Soon thereafter, thanks to the first stop the defense had made since early in the second period, the Cowboys had the ball back. But after a botched swing pass that turned out to be a fumble and an 11-yard loss, the Cowboys found themselves needing 12 yards on third down.
They were still behind and the fourth quarter was looming. How many more chances were they going to have? Again it was Glenn to the rescue.
Romo looked right, saw nothing and then rolled left. There was Glenn, having found a chunk of wide open space. The pass was on target for 18 yards and a first down. Four plays later Barber was in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.
But there was still a lot of time left. The Falcons certainly could not be counted out, even when they punted the ball away once more with over eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
It will be remembered that Barber culminated the ensuing 80-yard drive by carrying six times for the final 35 yards.
The drive, however, was started by a second-and-eight pass form Romo to Glenn with the Dallas receiver getting the best of Rossum again.
There is no question that a lot of building blocks went into the crucial victory over the Falcons.
Demarcus Ware's acrobatic interception and touchdown return brought back memories of a similar pickoff made by defensive end George Andrie in the NFC championship victory over San Franciso that catapulted the Cowboys to thier first Super Bowl triumph.
Romo, himself, had the kind of game he need to rebuild his stature and his confidence.
Anthony Henry and Terence Newman forced drive-stopping incompletions during the second half to finally halt Atlanta's offensive momementum.
Jason Witten had his share of catches, Bobby Carpenter had his moments with a sack and a half and Martin Grammatica came through from long range when needed.
Just about everybody in a Dallas uniform, in fact, did something that contributed to the end result. But when things were teetering and big plays were needed to give the Cowboys some hope that all was not lost, Glenn kept materializing.
The evidence merely mounted that Terry Glenn is an asset the Cowboys must have to prolong their season deep into January.
___Mike Rabun.
