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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, November 9, 2009

Cowboys clip Eagles


By ROB MAADDI
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Dallas' Miles Austin catches a 49-yard TD pass midway through the fourth quarter.

MATT SLOCUM | Associated Press

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PHILADELPHIA — Miles Austin punctuated his touchdown catch by emphatically firing the ball into the stands.

Take that, Philadelphia.

Tony Romo threw a 49-yard TD pass to Austin midway through the fourth quarter and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Eagles, 20-16, last 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. Philadelphia earned a wild-card berth with that victory.

The Cowboys (6-2) spent the whole offseason 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.

"Our last loss against them really motivated us to come out and play good," Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware said.

Romo finished 21 of 34 for 307 yards and one TD.

The Cowboys began their go-ahead drive after stopping Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb on fourth-and-inches at their 45. The Eagles (5-3) challenged, but a replay upheld the original spot.

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.

David Akers kicked a 52-yard field goal to cut it to 20-16, but the Eagles never got the ball back. The Cowboys maintained possession the final 4:27.

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