IRVING, Texas (AP) — Backup quarterback Jeff Garcia led the Philadelphia Eagles past the Dallas Cowboys 23-7 and into first place in the NFC East with a week to go in the season.
Garcia took the Eagles to scores on four of their first five drives and the Philadelphia defense humbled Romo in a 23-7 victory Monday that secured at least a wild-card berth.
The Eagles (9-6) can win the division for the fifith time in six years by beating Atlanta at home Sunday. Philadelphia also could clinch if Dallas loses its finale to Detriot.
The only way the Cowboys (9-6) can win the NFC East is by beating the Lions and the Falcons knocking off the Eagles.
One thing settled by this game is that New Orleans clinches the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye.
Philadelphia is enjoying a stunning turnaround for a club that was 5-6 going into Decemner after Garcia lost his first start in place of an injured Donovan McNabb. Now Garcia and the Eagles have won four straight.
The Cowboys never led and hardly threatened, setting a season-low for points by 10 and yards by 119, which was set in a 38-24 loss at Philadelphia.
The Eagles went 89 yards in 13 plays on their first drive, converting four third-down tries before Garcia lobbed a 25-yard touchdown pass to a barely covered Matt Schobel.
And the defense made three straight goal-line stands against NFC rushing TD leader Marion Barber, capped by a 3-yard loss on fourth down.
Then Garcia took Philadelphia from its 4-yard line to the Dallas 2, setting for a 25-yard field goal by David Akers. Akers also nailed a 45-yarder as the first half ended and made a 21-yarder on the opening series of the thrid quarter.
Romo short-circuited the next four drives with two sacks, then two interceptions. Dallas also was hurt by Terrell Owens dropping a perfectly thrown deep pass on the series right after Philadelphia”s final field goal.
“We had a couple chances there and just didn”t get the job done,” Romo said.
