1DeMarco Murray is on fire » The rookie running back replaced injured Felix Jones, and it could be a while before the ex-starter gets his job back. Jones is now healthy, but the speedy Murray is on a roll, and the Cowboys would be wise to keep giving him the ball. In the last four games (three wins), he has rushed for 601 yards, including a 253-yard day vs. St. Louis. He’s averaging 8.01 yards a carry in this stretch. Fullback Tony Fiammetta is a big factor in Murray’s success.
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The line is playing better » The offensive line was an issue earlier this season; Dallas had made three changes in the starting lineup. For a while it prevented Dallas from throwing many passes downfield. But the line has played better of late. The improvement began when guard Montrae Holland replaced rookie Bill Nagy at left guard, giving the Cowboys more size at the position. It also helps that the same unit has started four consecutive games. That has enabled young players such as rookie right tackle Tyron Smith and first-year starting center Phil Costa to mature. The group hasn’t allowed a sack in two games.
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Quarterback Tony Romo has been up and down » But in three of the last four games he mostly has been up. In that stretch he has finished three times with a passer rating of 107.3 or better. In the four games he has thrown eight touchdowns and only one interception. In two games he focused on throwing short, helping a struggling line. But in the past two weeks Romo has been going downfield more, averaging a combined 9.6 yards a pass attempt in this span. The key with Romo, as always, is applying pressure and forcing mistakes.
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The defense makes big plays » They have allowed a 100-yard rusher in three straight weeks; they hadn’t allowed anyone to surpass 70 yards in the first six games. But they’re ranked ninth overall in yards allowed and 10th in scoring defense. Big plays have helped: Linebacker DeMarcus Ware already has 13 sacks, while cornerback Terence Newman has four of the Cowboys’ 13 interceptions.
