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Some games define a season for a team. Monday night’s game
between Buffalo and Dallas may define the 2007 season for both teams. For the
Bills, it clearly marks them as a snake bitten team that will snatch defeat
from the jaws of victory. For the Cowboys, it defines them as a charmed team
that may be a bit luckier than they are good at this stage of the season.

Still, Monday night’s game between these two teams will be
one for the classic highlight reel. If you are a Cowboy fan like I am, you
suffered through Tony Romo’s five interceptions just in time to see the kid
quarterback muster up enough moxie to put together a final drive in which he
completed 9 out of 11 passes. Then, even after Terrell Owens was striped of the
ball during a two-point conversion attempt, and Dallas’ chances hinged on a
recovered on-side kick, you got to see the young signal caller calmly get the
Cowboys into field goal range to take a shot at the winning kick. From there,
the Cowboy’s rookie kicker Nick Folk iced the game with two 53 yard field
goals. Why two? Because the Bill’s managed to call a timeout right before the
Folk got his first kick off. No problem. Even with a capacity crowd cheering on
the home town team Bills, Folk duplicated his first effort and sent Dallas home
with a 5-0 record.

With New England next on their schedule, some people might
point to this game and say that the Cowboys are overrated and will not stand a
chance against the powerful Patriots. They might point out that their
undefeated record and gaudy offensive numbers have come against soft opponents.
Though there may be some truth to that, you also have to admit that this team
shows character, and that they found a way to win even on their worst possible
night. While it is true that any team can win a game on any given Sunday, the
good teams are those that find a way to win a game on their worst possible
Sunday, or Monday night as the case may be. So color the Cowboys a good team
for now.

Yet does this win make the Cowboys ready for the Patriots?
Can Dallas really compete against arguably the best team in the league right
now? The short answer is, "not if they play like this again." The Patriots will
not let a game like this slip from their grasp, and Dallas is going to need
good execution along with their moxie and luck. Hopefully Romo can continue to
add more wins onto the 11-4 record he has as a starter, and America’s team is
able to learn from this game and move on. With a bit more luck on their side,
the game against the Patriots will be a sneak preview to this year’s Super
Bowl. As a Cowboy fan, I can only hope. But for now, I am basking in the
sunlight of a nail biting victory. This team is charmed, let me enjoy it while
I can. I will worry about the Patriots tomorrow.