Week 16 Recap: Ravens Rain on Cowboys' Parade

With nearly 100 former Dallas Cowboys on hand for a post-game celebration of America's Team, Texas Stadium seemingly played host to a homecoming game.

Unfortunately for the Dallas faithful, the only celebrating on the field was done by the Baltimore Ravens, as they danced their way into the endzone twice in the final quarter to seal a 33-24 victory over the Cowboys.

Heading into the game with identical 9-5 records and postseason aspirations, the Ravens and Cowboys both needed a win to gain leverage in their respective conferences. With a crowded wildcard race in both the AFC and NFC, Baltimore inched closer to the finish line on the strength of its notorious defense, inventive playcalling, and a ground attack that continually chipped away at a stout Dallas defense.

The tone was set when Ravens safety Ed Reed intercepted two errant Tony Romo passes in the first half, and the Cowboys offense never found its rhythm until the fourth quarter, save for a short TD run by Tashard Choice after a fumble by Ravens rookie QB Joe Flacco.

Flacco, however, would not be phased. Although the Ravens' offensive line allowed five sacks in the first half, the unit would buckle down in the second half and provide their QB with enough time to find injured WR Derrick Mason in the endzone for a TD. Mason, playing with one arm after aggravating a dislocated shoulder earlier, would finish the night with 6 catches and 66 yards to accompany the score.

Though Dallas remained within a possession for three quarters, Baltimore's will to win overcame the hostile environment on the road. Ravens punter Sam Koch's fourth-down conversion on a fake field goal sparked the shift in momentum that drowned the emotions of Texas Stadium with Flacco's aforementioned TD throw.

Save for a later fumble by Le'Ron McClain that would amazingly bounce into the hands of Mason for the save, the Ravens played mistake-free football all night. The Cowboys, meanwhile, were left with no answers on offense until a fourth-quarter surge that would be countered by two back-to-back Baltimore TD runs by McClain and Willis McGahee.

McClain's 82-yard game-clinching run that followed McGahee's 77-yard scamper, was the longest run from scrimmage in Texas Stadium history. On a night with historical significance and playoff implications galore, the ghosts of Dallas past could not save the 2008 Cowboys from imploding along with its storied home.

The Ravens improved to 10-5 on the season with the win and return home to M&T Bank Stadium for the regular season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10). With a victory, Baltimore clinches the 6th and final seed in the AFC. Dallas, meanwhile, dropped to 9-6 and need a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles (8-6-1) in order to have a remote shot at the 6th seed in the NFC.