Will Cowboys Lie Down?

For decades, the Vikings fans have hated the Cowboys. More than three decades later, a fan was spotted at the Metrodome last year with a banner that said "Pearson Pushed Off!" While that fan needs to get over it, the Vikings find themselves pulling for the Cowboys, and Wade Phillips has given them reason for hope.

The Vikings' playoff hopes may not be dead after all.

In what was viewed as a foregone conclusion that the Cowboys will lay down for the Redskins, who are a 10-point favorite Sunday at home, coach Wade Phillips said “not so fast” when speaking to the local media.

Phillips pointed out one important factor. In the history of the Cowboys franchise, they have never had a 14-2 season. Phillips, aware of the history involved, said the Cowboys want to win the 14th game, which could knock the Redskins out of the playoffs completely.

The Cowboys will sit Terrell Owens and his high ankle sprain, but, after being inactive the first 15 games of the season, the Cowboys expect Terry Glenn back, which should help the passing game even if Tony Romo makes just a cameo appearance.

The Cowboys have some offensive records that are near completion that Phillips may want his players to attain. For example, Romo has 328 completions, just six short of the franchise record held by Danny White. Marion Barber needs just 19 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season and tight end Jason Witten is just six receptions away from 100 for the year.

While the Cowboys have nothing tangible to play for, their rivalry with the Redskins, along with some personal-incentive goals may be enough to get the team to put its best foot forward for at least a half.

THURSDAY NOTES
* The irony of the Vikings cheering for Brad Johnson wasn’t lost on Pro Bowler Darren Sharper, who said the Vikings will all be cheering for their former teammate to have a big day against the Redskins.
* In what can only be called a strange move, both CBS and NBC will simulcast the NFL Network coverage of the Patriots-Giants game Saturday night.
* Both Sidney Rice and Antoine Winfield are hopeful that they can return to action Sunday after missing last week’s games due to injury.
* The decade-old scoring record of 556 points in a season by the Vikings in 1998 is going to fall Saturday. The Patriots need just six points to beat that record and it isn’t any coincidence that Randy Moss has been part of both records. Moss needs just one touchdown to tie the all-time single-season record for touchdown receptions (22) in a season, set by Jerry Rice during the strike year of 1987 when he played in just 12 games.