Cowboys take over 1st in NFC East
Last Updated: Monday, November 9, 2009 | 1:21 AM ET
The Associated Press
Roy Williams of the Dallas Cowboys, left, can't make the catch against Sheldon Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles. (Al Bello/Getty Images) 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 visiting Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles 20-16 Sunday night in the 100th meeting between the division rivals.
On the final day of the 2008 regular season, the Eagles dominated Dallas 44-6 in a do-or-die game for both teams.
"Our last loss against them really motivated us to come out and play good," Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware said.
Philadelphia earned a wild-card berth with that victory, won two playoff contests on the road and advanced to the NFC championship game, losing at Arizona.
The Cowboys (6-2) spent the whole off-season thinking about that horrendous ending. They got their revenge and took over sole possession of first place in the NFC East with their fourth straight victory Sunday.
"Our last loss against them really motivated us to come out and play good," Cowboys DeMarcus Ware said.
The Eagles fell to 5-3 and the New York Giants are 5-4 after a 5-0 start.
Romo finished 21-of-34 for 307 yards, one TD and one interception.
"We executed," Romo said. "I think the coaches put together a good plan. You just have to keep fighting and getting better."
Donovan McNabb was shaky after a strong performance in a 40-17 rout of the Giants last week. McNabb threw for 227 yards, one TD and was intercepted twice for the first time this season.
The Cowboys began their go-ahead drive after stopping McNabb on fourth-and-inches at their 45. On third-and-14, Romo fooled Sheldon Brown with a pump-fake and hit a wide-open Austin down the left sideline to give Dallas a 20-13 lead.
"You knew he would probably get it at some point," Romo said of Austin. "He's a good player."
Austin leads the Cowboys with seven TD catches, three fewer than Terrell Owens had last season.
David Akers kicked a 52-yard field goal to cut the lead to 20-16, but the Eagles never got the ball back.
