ARLINGTON, Texas -- Linebacker Jamar Chaney wanted to know just how long itd been.
Whens the last time the Eagles had a shutout? Chaney asked after the Eagles beat the Cowboys, 20-7 (see story).
Dec. 1, 1996 at the Vet: Eagles 24, Giants 0.
How bad did they want the shutout?
We wanted it real bad, Chaney said.
We wanted it bad, man, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said.
Real bad, know what Im saying? cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie said.
NFL
Shutouts do not happen in this league, so it sucks, defensive end Darryl Tapp said.
If it was going to happen, this was the game.
Tony Romo played one series, hurt his hand, and was done. Felix Jones carried the ball four times and rested his sore hamstring.
With 2:22 left in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys eschewed a 34-yard field goal attempt and went for it on fourth-and-eight.
And didnt get it. So the Eagles thought they had the shutout.
We thought we had it when we came up with that fourth down stop at the end, Jenkins said. We kind of thought we had it a little bit, but they made a play there.
Ronnie Brown ran three straight times. He gained four yards, then fivebut then was stuffed on third-and-one. So with 30 seconds left, the Eagles had to punt. Dallas linebacker Bruce Carter got a piece of Chas Henrys punt, receiver Jesse Holly returned it to the Eagles 16, and the Cowboys took over with 19 seconds left.
After scrambling for 12 yards on first down, quarterback Stephen McGee hit Miles Austin, who beat corner Joselio Hanson for the touchdown.
Zero blitz. Tough route. He ran to the flat, Hanson said. I gotta protect to the insidenobody's inside, tougher throw is outside, and he made it. Disappointing. We really wanted it. Really wanted the shutout.
"I'm still kind of upset about it. We have goals and we really want to be a dominant D and we wanted the shutout but it didn't happen. I'll get over it in a couple days.
Fortunately Hanson didnt see Austin spike the ball.
"I wish I saw him spike it, Hanson said. I heard he spiked it. If I saw it, I would have got up and done something."
For the second time this season, the Eagles just missed shutting out Dallas. They led 34-0 in Week 8 when, with 12:53 left in the fourth, Laurent Robinson broke free for a 70-yard touchdown.
We came close a couple of times this year. Both of them pretty much have been against Dallas, Chaney said. We thought we had a good shot this time. After we stopped them on fourth down, we pretty much thought the shutout was there. We had the punt blocked, and then they went out and scored.
The last time the Eagles shut out the Cowboys was Sept. 15, 1991 at Texas Stadium, which is also the last time the Dallas was shut out at home. The Eagles sacked Troy Aikman 11 times in that game.
The Eagles did accomplish something shut-out related, however. This game marked the first time in the history of the series, which began in 1960, that the Eagles shut out the Cowboys in the first half of both games.
But they would rather have blanked them in each half of this game.
Youre happy about the win, Chaney said, but youre sad about the shutout.
E-mail Andy Schwartz at aschwartz@comcastsportsnet.com