The Cowboys haven’t won “the game” since 2009. In fact, they haven’t even won “the game before the game” in five years.
Sunday in Philadelphia, they’ll take a crack at “the game leading up to the game before the game.” Unlike the three previous seasons, the Cowboys won’t play in a de facto NFC East Championship Game. But the battle against the Eagles is about as close as it gets.
“The playoffs are here now. They've started,” cornerback Orlando Scandrick told reporters at Valley Ranch earlier this week. “If we want to go somewhere and do something, it starts now.”
The Cowboys won’t necessarily win the division if they beat the Eagles and they’re not eliminated from the Wild Card race with a loss, so it’s not a do-or-die scenario similar to the games they lost to the Giants in ’11, Redskins in ’12 and Eagles last December. But it’s the most important game of the season, and one they need to win to ensure more important games down the road.
A playoff matchup is obviously “the game.” And the contest that clinches a playoff berth is “the game before the game.” Welcome to Sunday’s table-setter, “the game leading up to the game before the game.”
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
