Dallas Cowboys - Washington Redskins: Live Blog (1st Half)

As always, I apologize to the Sports Guy for stealing any of his jokes.

3:15 Kickoff! Miles Austin with a nice return to the 40. My wife ('The Deuce') notes that usually the Cowboys are lucky to get it out to the 15.

3:17 The Cowboys start it off with back-to-back first downs, on a Romo pass to a WIDE open Witten, and a Julius Jones run up the right side. It's looking mighty easy right now. The Deuce confidently predicts a comfortable win.

3:19 After Jones is stopped for a short gain Romo grabs a snap up around his head. Short pass, setting up 3rd and 3.

3:20 Here's something you don't see every game. Romo is in the shotgun, adjusting the play, when the center snaps the ball which hits a surprised Romo right in the head. I'm angry, but the replays are priceless. It hit him square in the facemask, and bounces to Julius Jones who rushes back to the line of scrimmage before being tackled. Sigh.

3:21 Nick Folk for the 51-yarder...wide right. Not gonna kill him for missing a 51 yarder. It was plenty long though. What a leg.

3:25 Aikman and Buck wax poetic over the skill and beauty of Clinton Portis. I'm sure he's a great

3:27 Touchdown Redskins. Jason Campbell looked solid and found Chris Cooley again right down the middle. Once again, the world stands in awe of Roy Williams coverage abilities. 7-0 Redskins.

3: 29 Dallas returns the kickoff out to the 20. Back to usual.

3:31 Oliver Hoyt with the catch for a first down. Joe Buck had to tell me who that was, and where he played. Apparently he's a fullback.

3:32 The center snaps another ball right over Romo's head. Romo runs back to grab the ball, which is a good 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage, and with defenders breathing on his neck, he turns and uncorks a 40 yard pass to TO, which is tipped and picked off at the Washington 10-yard line.

3:33 The Deuce: "I'm going to find out what that center's name is." After she can' t find the name online, she promptly goes to the media guide. "Andre Gurode". He better watch his tires. I think she might drive to Arlington to slash them.

3:36 Three and out for the Skins, as Dallas finally gets a bit of pressure on Campbell. Campbell seems like a serviceable QB, but he's not exactly striking fear into my heart. He'll probably need a confident offensive coordinator who will take off the training wheels and let him throw. Right now, it doesn't seem like Joe Gibbs has confidence in him.

3:39 Joe Buck lets us know that Wade Phillips made the Cowboys sign a pledge to not make any more stupid penalties. Does that apply to bad snaps? Can Gurode sign an alternative contract next week?

3:41 TO gets robbed by a bad spot after a Romo screen pass which should have been a first down. Romo then takes a QB snap for a first down. Dallas has moved the ball easily on both drives in the first quarter, but had improbable bad snaps stop both drives (not that Romo was blameless for the interception).

3:46 The drive stalls after a Romo pass sails over the receiver. Maybe its the concussion he likely suffered after being drilled in the head by Gurode's errant snap, but he doesn't look quite as sharp today. I hope Britney Spears didn't impregnate him.

3:47 Matt McBriar!!! nails a punt which the Cowboys down inside the Redskin 5. The Skins will start with horrible field position which will likely result in Joe Gibbs making some ridiculously conservative play calls with a 7-0 lead. It is the first quarter vs. the best offense in the NFC. Don't want to take too many chances.

3:50 Clinton Portis up the middle for no gain. Shocking. End of the 1st quarter.

3:51 Earlier today, The Deuce wondered whether or not I would rather go to a party hosted by TO or Romo. It's a tough call, but I went with Romo. I think I would probably be a bit more comfortable there. Plus, if I went to TO's party, I would probably need to bring my bulletproof vest, and I just look clunky with it poking out through my shirt.

3:54 Keenan McCardell (age 85) just made a beautiful catch for a Redskin first down. Campbell follows it up by rushing on the left side for another first down. They've moved the ball down to the 40.

3:56 Trick play/Broken play for a 3rd consecutive first down. I've never liked Antwann Randle-El. His name is too complex and he's sneaky. And he just salvaged a strange pseudo-reverse with a pass down the middle. Don't like him.

3:58 The Deuce reads me a quote by Aikman yesterday saying Jason Garrett won't be back with the Cowboys next year. What?!?!?! I've got to find out more about this. Garrett has deservedly gotten a lot of credit this year. What the hell?

3:59 Big play, 3rd and 3 for the Skins inside the Cowboy 40. Clinton Portis is...Stopped! 4th and 1! Ever the Maverick, Gibbs trots out Suisham for field goal, which is...Short! Big turn of events. Even Aikman was surprised Gibbs didn't go for it.

4:04 Halfway through the 2nd quarter, the Cowboys are still scoreless. The Cowboys have at least one first down on each drive.

4:06 3rd and 4 for the Cowboys. And somehow Gurode throws the ball over Romo again. What's going on? Did Romo nail Gurode's mom last night or something? Is he trying to shave points? Maybe we should not be in the shotgun for the rest of the first half? Just maybe? Even more remarkably, Romo grabbed the ball and drilled TO for the first down. This is what makes Romo great. He can just make plays out of nothing, and never seems to get flustered.

4:09 Even Buck and Aikman have noticed it. Before the snap last time, Romo actually jumped before the snap even though the snap was only head high (as opposed to 5 feet over his head).

4:10 Less than 3 minutes left in the half, 2nd and 15 after a Jason Witten 10-yard penalty+ a Jason Witten 5-yard catch. Not enough on the catch.

4:11 Romo almost threw his 2nd interception there. 3rd and 15. Heavy pressure...Romo fires...1st down Cowboys! Romo found TO on the sideline. First and goal! Great play. Romo had NO time to make that play, but still found TO, and TO made the nice grab before going out of bounds. Great play to come back from right after the near interception. Great job Romo. 2 minute warning.

4:15 Romo has to take a timeout coming off of the 2-minute warning to avoid a delay of game penalty. How? I don't know. Troy Aikman on the situation: "That's impossible." The Deuce: "Troy Aikman just said that was impossible". She likes Aikman.

4:18 2nd and goal at the 5 after a Julius Jones 3-yard rush.

4:19 TD FOR TO! 7-7 Cowboys! TO makes a great move turning Shawn Springs around so that he could catch the TD. Romo put the ball right where it was supposed to be. Hell, even Gurode managed to snap the ball correctly. Everyone wins. Now we get to see the Redskins run their 2-minute offense. Don't act like you aren't excited. Clinton Portis up the middle time!

4:20 Note: Spell-checker doesn't believe Romo is a word. Think again spell-checker.

4:21 Aikman comments on the quote he made. Apparently all he said is he expects Garrett to get a head coaching job next year, and thus won't be back with the Cowboys. If it happens, it will be disappointing, but it's awfully hard to get rid of Wade Phillips after the season he's put together. Jerry Jones brought Garrett in the understanding that he was being groomed for the head coaching position. If he gets offered another job first and takes it, so be it. But I'd stay the hell away from the San Francisco job if I was him.

4:24 3rd and 4 with 37 seconds left. Jacque Reeves with a monster hit.

4:25 Campbell finds Randel-El for the first down. The Redskins call another timeout with 30 seconds left.

4:27 Campbell checks down to Clinton Portis who puts a nice move on the Dallas defender for an 8-yard gain, but he can't get out of bounds. He even used the rare 'crawling towards the sideline' move, but still couldn't make it. The Redskins' take their final timeout.

4:28 Campbell floats the ball up there, but Rock Cartwright pulls it down in the middle of the field. The Redskins race to the line, and Campbell spikes the ball with 5 seconds left. Suisham will get another try with a 45-yarder. It's good. 10-7 Redskins at the half.