ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — How about this for some credibility — the Dallas Cowboys finally beat a team with a winning record and emerging star Miles Austin proved that a record-setting performance in his first career start was no fluke.
Owner Jerry Jones knew his team needed to beat somebody like the Atlanta Falcons, some sense of validation for the Cowboys after getting their first three wins over teams with a combined 3-17 record and going down to the wire in losses against two division leaders.
“I really think this is something that our team will take as a stepping stone to being the team we all want to be a part of,” Jones said Sunday after a 37-21 victory over the Falcons (4-2).
“The reality of it is, we believe in ourselves,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “We think this team has a chance to get better and grow as the season goes along.”
Still, it had been two weeks since the Cowboys (4-2) needed overtime to win at then-winless Kansas City in their last game. That was a lot of time for people to wonder if they were a good team for rallying to win or a bad one for even getting in that situation.
Plus, Dallas had alternated wins and losses — the wins over bad teams sandwiching losses to the NFC East-leading Giants and still-undefeated Denver Broncos, who both rallied late to beat the Cowboys.
“It’s a huge win for us, just to put to rest a lot of the questions about our team,” said linebacker Keith Brooking, a former Falcon. “This was a total team effort, really a dominating performance. Atlanta, they pride themselves on being physical. ... We took it to them. We bloodied their noses and then we stepped on them and kicked them on the ground.”
Austin, an undrafted player from tiny Monmouth College in his fourth season, filled in for injured receiver Roy Williams against the Chiefs with 10 catches for a franchise-record 250 yards and two long TDs, a 59-yarder with 2:16 left in regulation and then the 60-yard game-winner in OT.
Even with Williams back, Austin was the only wideout on the field when the Cowboys opened against Atlanta with two tight ends. Austin went on to catch six passes for 171 yards and two more long TDs.
“Once you do it, then it’s OK and you believe him to do whatever,” said Romo, once the young backup who came out of nowhere to start making big plays.
“I feel confident,” Austin said. “I’ve always felt pretty confident.”
Atlanta drove 80 yards in 16 plays on its opening drive, but Matt Ryan’s day wouldn’t be that easy.
“After that, the Cowboys dominated the rest of the game,” coach Mike Smith said.
Ryan had been sacked only twice so far, both in the season opener. But the Dallas defense got to him on consecutive downs later in the first quarter and pestered him into four sacks, two interceptions and two fumbles. He only lost one, and on the next snap Romo hit Austin with a 59-yard TD pass that put the Cowboys ahead to stay.
Sports
Cowboys get credible win over Falcons
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McKinley nets 800th win
Bob McKinley hit a major coaching milestone Saturday afternoon.
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WHS wrestlers see success at district meet
The Weatherford wrestling team traveled to Springtown Saturday to compete in the District 8 Wrestling Championships.
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New designation, same foes for WHS
Despite rumblings of a major shake up in the Class 5A infrastructure for the next two years, the University Interscholastic League (UIL), for good or bad, chose indifference regarding plans to create a Class 6A. As alignments for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 UIL seasons were announced Thursday, most area schools were affected in varying degrees, but none less than Weatherford High School.
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Paschal edges WHS teams on Senior Night
With nothing to lose and an opportunity to play spoiler, Paschal's Lady Panthers took the floor loose and energetic on Friday, and did indeed put a crimp in Weatherford's plans for a postseason spot at Kangaroo gymnasium.
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WC recovers, wins late over Navarro
Not to be outdone by the Lady Coyotes late-inning heroics in their opener last week, the Weatherford College baseball team had plenty of drama in its opener, as well, as it launched a final-inning 3-run barrage to beat defending national champion Navarro College, 8-7.
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Area sports schedules — Week of February 6
It is official. With the start of area prep baseball and softball scrimmages in the coming week, as well as Weatherford College playing its baseball season-opener on Saturday last, the busiest time of year, sports-wise for Parker County, has emerged.
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Weatherford College Baseball Preview
When Jeff Lightfoot started the Weatherford College baseball program almost a decade ago, he wasted no time in building a winner — and fans have gotten used to the Coyotes being a part of the postseason.
So with the start of each season comes high expectations, all with the hopes of getting that elusive first Junior College World Series berth. Lightfoot has a JUCO World Series title as a coach at Eastfield College in Mesquite in 2001.
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WC snags WHS diamond standout
It is not the first time, and certainly will not be the last that a metaphorical baton, in this case, a baseball student-athlete has been passed from Weatherford High School to Weatherford College. Groomed on the diamond for the past four years by WHS head coach Terry Massey and assistant Jason Lee, senior Trooper Reynolds confirmed his scholastic and athletic intentions at the next step on Friday, signing a national letter-of-intent to Weatherford College.
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Softball era begins at WC
The crowd on hand Saturday at the Weatherford College Softball Complex was already standing-room only for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a full 30 minutes before the first pitch was thrown to open the inaugural regular season of the WC Lady Coyotes softball team. Fans and well-wishers were strewn from the concessions mezzanine behind the first-base line, through the packed stands and even into the Lady Coyotes dugout.
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Basketball briefs - Jan. 29
Arlington Lamar hill too steep for Roos
Staff Report
Weatherford found some offensive punch in the fourth quarter of their District 4-5A match at Arlington Lamar on Friday, but the hole was too deep by then, as Weatherford dropped the contest to the Vikes, 57-39.
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