A bizarre first half of tonight's Cowboys-Giants game ended on a sour note - Cowboys QB Tony Romo went down injured with :38 remaining, and his return appeared uncertain.
Fortunately for the Cowboys, Romo's injury wasn't enough to keep him out of the game for more than one offensive play. According to Cowboys staff members, Romo "just had the wind knocked out of him", and he returned for Dallas' opening series. Romo looked enthusiastic and energetic on his return, but he badly underthrew a deep pass intended for Dez Bryant on third down and the Cowboys were forced to punt.
It wouldn't matter, though ,because the Cowboys defense were ready to come up big once again. David Wilson, who hadn't fumbled in 130 carries before tonight's game, let another ball slip out, and Barry Church was there to scoop the ball up and run it in 27 yards for a Cowboys touchdown. With 12:42 remaining in the third quarter, Dallas extended their lead to 20-10.
The Giants needed to stop the bleeding, and Tom Coughlin elected to pull David Wilson in favor of the largely untested Da'Rel Scott. The Cowboys defense held tight, forcing yet another three-and-out, and Coughlin would need to keep looking for answers elsewhere.
The next Cowboys drive stuttered, but yet another Giants miscue ended up handing them the ball deep in New York territory. The Cowboys were forced to punt with 5:50 remaining in the third, but the ball bounced off Giants coverage team member Trumaine McBride's bicep, and DeVonte Hollman was there to recover.
With 5:20 to go in the third, the Cowboys were set up with a first-and-goal at the four yard line. Tony Romo, showing no ill effects of his earlier hit, went through his progression before finding his favorite target, Jason Witten, open over the middle in the end zone once again. After the extra point, the Cowboys went up 27-10.
The next drive saw the Giants play with competence for the first time all night. Eli Manning completed four consecutive passes on his way into Cowboys territory, and with 1:44 left in the quarter he connected with Victor Cruz on an 18-yard touchdown pass that reduced the Cowboys' lead to 10.
The quarter wound down with the Cowboys driving back to midfield, and with the Cowboys leading 27-17.
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