Based on my pre-game commentary, I guess I have to acknowledge that the elephant in the room is becoming a monkey on their backs. Putting up only 17 against the Redskins is worrisome.
 
Having said that, it is also true that the outcome was never really in doubt, and that accomplished something the Cowboys needed to prove they could do: beat the teams they are supposed to beat.
 
The defense smothered the Redskins. During some stretches they seemed to be playing a "bend but don't choke" defense, letting Washington move the ball, just not too far. When it was all over, though, they'd pitched a shutout, and held Washington to the lowest yardage total Dallas has allowed all year.
 
I thought Brookings had one of his best games of the year. Coming into the season, I was concerned he might wear down late in the year with his age, but it sure didn't look like it. He was especially sharp in pass coverage, notching three pass break-ups.  Ratliff played like a man possessed. The Washington run game was nonexistent. It may be hard to get excited about that (quick: name the Redskins RB in the game,) but how many times have we seen this defense make some back-up look like Jim Brown?
 
A lot of folks have been wondering where all the 30, 40, 50 yard runs from Felix Jones are, but let me tell you something - 5.9 yards a carry for the year is pretty explosive. The big plays will come. I'm happy to see him breaking some tackles out there and picking up hard yards. Over the last three games, his touches have gone 11, 15, 14. He is starting to get more of a load, and he is not getting hurt. Sometime in this stretch run, he is going to get the ball a lot, and bust loose for a big play.
 
Barber, to me, looks like he is running hard, but for some reason can't see the holes at times. Those short yardage plays had a lot to do with bad blocking, and with bad play calls, but some of it was on Barber, too. Choice seems to be getting even fewer touches. I noted in the Saints game that he missed some pretty big blocks in pass protection, and maybe that has something to do with it.
 
How bad was the playcalling on short yardage? Bad, but no worse than the execution. This is a power running team with a big, strong offensive line. They need to be able to impose their will, but we have seen in recent games that they can't. I hope that doesn't come back to bite them, because sometimes you need to be able to get that yard.
 
A bigger mistake in coaching was failing to call a time-out with 30 seconds to go before the two minute warning in the first half. Dallas had all three time-outs, but calling one then would have still left them with three stoppages, including the warning. Instead, they let the time run down, and the Redskins punted inside of two minutes. As it turns out, that 30 seconds probably cost actual points, as time expired before Dallas could spike it, or run the FG team out.
 
Romo was sharp again. Although his one interception was thrown a little high, I have to give partial blame to Roy Williams on that one, as well. Romo was 8 of 9 on third down, converting seven of them. Austin and Witten were the big playmakers, obviously. There is no question that teams plan for Miles Austin now, but he still produces.
 
As for Roy WIlliams, his four targets were: fell down on route, dropped when wide open, tipped a high ball higher for a pick, and caught a TD. Maybe he should just run out there at the goal-line. Believe it or not, he is one TD shy of his career high right now. In every other category, he is really much worse than I thought possible. My expectations for him are so low that I no longer even hope that he will help the team, I just hope he won't hurt them.
 
The Cowboys are in the play-offs, for the third time in four years, but they have something bigger than the division title to play for next week: atonement.
 
After that, the real season starts.