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Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — Don’t look now, but the Cowboys are in the driver’s seat in the race for the NFC East crown. They returned to the scene of last season’s embarrassing 44-6 loss and came up with a clutch performance.



And maybe Roy Williams should spend a little more time complaining about quarterback Tony Romo‘s throws because the pair were on the same page Sunday night. Williams had five catches for 75 yards and, for at least one evening, he became Romo’s favorite target.



Of course, Romo turned to Miles Austin for the game-winning touchdown. Austin froze cornerback Sheldon Brown with a double move and then raced into the end zone to give the Cowboys a 20-13 lead. The Cowboys (6-2) have now won four consecutive games as they prepare to travel to Green Bay.



The Eagles (5-3) will fall a game behind the Cowboys and they will try to regroup with a road game against the resurgent Chargers, who beat the Giants, 21-20, on Sunday. The Cowboys’ defense did a nice job of staying in Donovan McNabb‘s face throughout the game and cornerback Terence Newman helped take DeSean Jackson out of the game.



Eagles running back LeSean McCoy got loose on a 45-yard play, but the Cowboys limited the big plays. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff and DeMarcus Ware were relentless with their pressure. Ratliff destroyed the middle of the Eagles’ offensive line and ended up with two sacks.



Romo had his first interception in the past four games, but he made up for it by throwing for 307 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys are now one of the hottest teams in the NFC. They prevented the Eagles from completing a three-game sweep of their division foes.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — We were just talking about how Miles Austin didn’t have a catch in this game. Then on third down, he used a double move to completely freeze cornerback Sheldon Brown. Safety Sean Jones was out of position to make the touchdown-saving tackle, in part, because Austin gave him such a violent inside move.



The legend of Austin lives on and now the Cowboys can try to tee off on McNabb. OK, I’m breaking away to prepare a Rapid Reaction. I’ll see you guys back here in 30 minutes or so.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — Asante Samuel took a pretty good knock to the head on that Felix Jones run during the Cowboys’ last possession. He left the game and was replaced by Ellis Hobbs. Samuel has a neck injury and his return is questionable, according to the Eagles.



The Eagles got the ball back and Donovan McNabb tried to dial up Jeremy Maclin on a stop and go route. Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins did a great job of staying with Maclin step for step and then he undercut him at the last minute to make the interception.



Roy Williams is making his presence felt. He’s come up big on this drive.



There is absolutely no flow to this game.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh had solid coverage on tight end Brent Celek near the goal line, but Celek bolted to the corner of the end zone when he saw Donovan McNabb rolling right. Sensabaugh got caught staring at McNabb’s eyes instead of being aware of Celek. Pretty savvy move by Celek on the touchdown.



I’m not sure what Tony Romo was doing on that last interception. It looked like Jason Witten was looking inside and Romo threw the ball outside. Sheldon Brown had an easy interception.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy shared some interesting thoughts on Eagles quarterback Michael Vick during tonight’s pregame show on NBC. Dungy, who advised Vick as he returned to the league, said the Bills were interested in the quarterback before he signed with the Eagles.

“But I think a dark horse is Buffalo,” Dungy said. “They talked originally. There was some communication there. I think that could be a good spot.”

Dungy also mentioned the Redskins, Browns and Rams as possible destinations.

	Derick E. Hingle/US Presswire
	Defensive end Anthony Hargrove had a difficult time enjoying the Saints’ victory.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas



NEW ORLEANS — There’s something you need to know about Anthony Hargrove’s performance Sunday.



The Saints’ defensive tackle scored the first touchdown of his NFL career on a fumble recovery to seal a 30-20 victory against the Carolina Panthers. But you already know that.



What you didn’t know is that Hargrove was playing in pain. The kind that made his voice crack as he fought back tears in the postgame locker room. The Saints had won, but Hargrove was dealing with loss and struggling.



Hargrove was visibly upset about the death of a close friend Friday. Hargrove said his friend, whom he met while playing for the Buffalo Bills and worked on some musical endeavors with, was shot and killed in Buffalo. Hargrove didn’t want to go into intimate details, but he was extremely somber on what should have been one of the happiest days of his life.



“It’s really just starting to sink in and it’s hitting me hard,’’ Hargrove said. “It’s a rough world out there. It makes you realize life is short and you have to make the most of each day.’’



That’s a lesson Hargrove has learned repeatedly in recent years and all indications are he’s taking it quite seriously. Even before the death of his friend, Hargrove had been dealing with adversity, but he’s the first to tell you all that has made him stronger.



Signed as a long shot back in the offseason, Hargrove has turned into a staple on the New Orleans’ defense. With Kendrick Clancy out for the season and Sedrick Ellis temporarily sidelined with an injury, Hargrove suddenly has become a starter and a force on the defensive line.



Sunday’s game was the best of a star-crossed career and it also makes you think there’s potential for more growth from Hargrove, if he can continue to handle adversity well. Hargrove made three solo tackles, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles.



Not bad for a guy who hadn’t recovered a fumble since 2005 and was out of the league all of last season.



“Never in a million years did I expect it to be like this,’’ Hargrove said.



Truth be told, the Saints probably didn’t expect anything like this from Hargrove when they took a low-risk shot and signed him to a contract. He was viewed as possible depth at defensive end and defensive tackle at a time when it appeared starting defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant each might have to serve a four-game suspension to start the season. As it turned out, Smith and Grant were not suspended, but the Saints had to prepare for a worst-case scenario.



Hargrove came to training camp with no guarantee of making the roster. But now, he’s solidly entrenched in the starting lineup.



“To his credit, he’s been able to take it one day at a time and work hard,’’ New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. “I think the support cast and his decision to seize that opportunity. … We’re real proud of him.’’



The Saints should be proud of Hargrove. He’s part of the reason the team is undefeated. That’s largely because Hargrove has fought off problems from the past. Once a promising prospect with the St. Louis Rams and Buffalo Bills, Hargrove’s career appeared to be very much in jeopardy — or maybe even over — in recent years.



It started on Aug. 11, 2007, when it was reported that Hargrove had violated the league’s substance-abuse policy and would be suspended for the first four games of the season. But Hargrove missed more than those four games. He didn’t return to the Bills that season and on Jan. 18, 2008, it was reported that Hargrove had failed another drug test and would be suspended for the entire 2008 season.



Somewhere in that year off is where Hargrove turned his life around.



“I think I’ve grown up a lot in the last year or so,’’ said Hargrove, 26. “I had to grow up. It was past time to grow up. I think the biggest thing I learned was how important each day is and making the most of every opportunity in life.’’



Hargrove’s making the most of this opportunity. He convinced the Saints to give him a chance and that’s a decision that no one regrets. In fact, Hargrove has turned out to be a major cog in a defense that’s thrived since going through some major offseason rebuilding.



“I’m truly having fun out there,’’ Hargrove said. “This is a fun defense to play in. We all play off one another and no one guy is bigger than the team. It’s fun to be a part of something like this.’’



But Hargrove said the death of his friend was putting a big damper on his ability to fully enjoy Sunday’s victory. Hargrove said there’s a lot to sort through with the emotional aspects of his loss.



That will take time. But if Hargrove can once again overcome adversity, he might come out of this even stronger.



“I just have to keep reminding myself every day about the wonderful chance the New Orleans Saints have given me,’’ Hargrove said. “They gave me a chance to play again when nobody else was really doing that. They gave me an opportunity and what’s happened the last couple days has really reinforced that you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get because you never know when opportunities will stop coming.’’

Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — I was about to brag on the way the Cowboys played defense in the first quarter, but they’ve opened the second quarter by giving up big plays to Jason Avant and Brent Celek. Avant made an outstanding catch with cornerback Orlando Scandrick draped all over him.



But Celek did a nice job of finding a soft spot behind linebacker Bradie James and in front of safety Gerald Sensabaugh. It looks like the Cowboys are going to have Sensabaugh stay with Celek one-on-one for most of night. So far, Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff is having a a huge game. The Eagles had to settle for a 45-yard field goal from David Akers. On third down, Donovan McNabb took a needless sack. He’s got to dump that ball off to LeSean McCoy.



Injury report: Eagles left tackle Jason Peters and safety Quintin Demps have both gone to the locker room for x-rays on their ankles. We’ll keep you posted throughout the evening.

	AP Photo/Charles Krupa
	New England wide receiver Randy Moss stiffed armed Dolphins’ cornerback Vontae Davis and the rest of the AFC East on Sunday.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Tim Graham



FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Randy Moss, running from right to left, broke a step ahead of Miami Dolphins rookie cornerback Vontae Davis on a crossing route and caught a spiral at the New England Patriots‘ 39-yard line.



One, two, three, four strides later, Moss jacked his right hand onto the side of Davis’ face and shoved him off. One, two, three, four strides more, Davis desperately dove for Moss’ ankles. The pesky defender clipped Moss, forcing him to stumble but didn’t take him down.



Moss pulled away for good on a 71-yard touchdown that would be the difference in a 27-17 triumph Sunday afternoon in Gillette Stadium.



“He just sprinted across,” Davis said. “I was chasing. I was behind. He made the catch, turned upfield and held me off.”



Moss’ sprint into the distance was more than decisive, it was metaphorical to the AFC East standings. The Patriots stiff-armed the pesky Dolphins and, rather than let the also-rans catch up, established separation from them.



Halfway through the schedule, the Patriots are 6-2 and two games ahead of the New York Jets, the AFC’s only second-place team without a winning record. The Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are three games back at 3-5.



“The division games are something that we want,” Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden said. “This is one game. It does put us in the driver’s seat right now, but we have to build on that.”



It’s silly to see the Dolphins and Bills with identical records. The Dolphins have shown several times this year they deserve to be on the field with the NFL’s elite clubs, but have failed to finish them. To paraphrase Dolphins football operations boss Bill Parcells, a team’s record — regardless of ability — reflects reality. Truth is, the Dolphins are almost out of the running.



Had the Dolphins prevailed, they would have pulled into a tie with the Jets at 4-4 and closed the Patriots’ gap to one game. The Dolphins would have won four of their past five games, been 4-0 in the division and held tiebreakers galore.



“It was a big game for a lot of reasons,” Dolphins outside linebacker Jason Taylor said. “We were undefeated in the division up to this point. This game could’ve put us back to .500, would have put us in a good spot in the division and got us on a little bit of a roll.”



Sunday was one-16th of each team’s season, but it was more significant than that.



The Patriots held off a dangerous team that went into the game in third place but might have presented a more disconcerting threat than the second-place Jets. The Dolphins were on the make.



The Jets are the Patriots’ biggest menace again. The Jets have dropped four of their past five games, but they’re closest in the standings and beat the Patriots in Week 2.



The Dolphins, meanwhile, are backed into a corner. They have a soft second-half schedule, but they can afford to lose only one more game and maintain reasonable hope for the playoffs because 9-7 might not cut it this year.



“You win this game today, it’s a different story,” Dolphins guard Justin Smiley said. “Now, there’s no room for error. Plus, we’re going to have to have some help, too, even if we win out.



“I just know it puts us behind the 8-ball. We’ve got to start winning some football games and, obviously, some things have to happen [in other games].”



The Patriots have a nasty schedule ahead. Their next four games include the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints on the road and rematches with the Jets and Dolphins. But the Patriots have put themselves in an enviable position. If they go .500 the rest of the way, they will finish with double-digits wins.



“This is when good football teams are going to be playing at their best, this time of year,” Patriots guard Logan Mankins said. “If you look at our schedule, we got a lot of good teams coming up. A lot of tough games. We’ve got to play good football.”



Nothing we’ve seen from the Patriots over the past month would defy the notion they’re coming together. A bad second half at Mile High Stadium in Week 5 has kept them from engineering a six-game win streak.



On Sunday, they put away a desperate team that bellowed smoke and flashed mirrors.



The Patriots mostly contained the Dolphins’ cunning Wildcat offense, adjusted to rookie quarterback Pat White‘s option skills after being knocked on their heels and neutralized the Dolphins’ pass rush three days after Joey Porter denigrated the Patriots’ championships and accused the NFL of pampering Tom Brady.



The Dolphins scored both of their touchdowns in unorthodox ways. White flipped an option to Ricky Williams for a 15-yard score. Running back Ronnie Brown threw a 2-yard pass to tight end Joey Haynos for the other touchdown, but only after the Patriots, facing first-and-goal from their own 2, stuffed two Wildcat runs.



Although the Patriots kicked more field goals than they would have preferred, Brady was in control behind a banged up offensive line.



Once Moss’ quick strike and a two-point conversion put the Patriots ahead, Brady took command of time and space, running down the clock and maintaining field position.



Brady completed 25 of 37 passes for 332 yards, one touchdown and one interception, a great catch by Davis on a deep ball to snuff the Patriots’ opening possession.



“That’s why these guys got a lot of banners out there,” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said of the Patriots. “They figure out how to win these close games.”

Posted by ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley



PHILADELPHIA — The Cowboys are hoping safety Gerald Sensabaugh can handle Eagles tight end Brent Celek one-on-one. But Sensabaugh just intercepted a Donovan McNabb that was thrown too high for Jeremy Maclin. Perhaps Sensabaugh should review the rule that allows him to run with the ball if he’s not touched. He stayed on the ground for three seconds before making a lunge.



So far, Tony Romo and the Cowboys have been pretty impressive on third downs. Kevin Ogletree did a superb job of running after the catch, setting up Tashard Choice‘s touchdown run out of the Wildcat formation. Someone finally executed the Wildcat formation at the Linc.



Cowboys up, 7-0.