Cowboys figure to keep clicking

After several seasons punctuated by disappointment, the Dallas Cowboys again are a force in the NFL. The beginning of their resurgence can be traced to Tony Romo's ascension as the starting quarterback last year.

Even without Bill Parcells, who quit as coach after a playoff loss at Seattle, the Cowboys are improved.

Dallas, 8-1 straight up and 7-2 against the spread, is taking control of the NFC East and can strengthen its position today with a victory over the Washington Redskins.

"The Cowboys are by far the best team in the NFC," said handicapper Joseph D'Amico, who likes Dallas as an 11-point home favorite over the Redskins. "They have put some distance between themselves and their NFC East rivals the last two weeks by beating the Eagles and Giants, and they know that with a big win here, the division is all theirs."

A loss to New England on Oct. 14 helped Dallas fix its flaws, according to D'Amico (allamericansports.info).

Romo has passed for 2,555 yards, third most in the league, and leads the NFC with 23 touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has helped Romo by effectively using the running tandem of Marion Barber and Julius Jones.

Dallas is scoring 32.9 points per game, second in the league to the Patriots, and its defense has gotten tougher under the guidance of first-year coach Wade Phillips, who excelled as San Diego's defensive coordinator.

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Clinton Portis have the ability to test the Dallas defense.

"The difference in this game will be the linebacking crew of the Cowboys blitzing and putting pressure on Campbell and the inferior Washington offensive line," D'Amico said.

Dallas is 14-4 against the spread in the past 18 series meetings.

D'Amico, the leader in the Review-Journal NFL Challenge, breaks down the rest of today's Week 11 schedule:

• San Diego at Jacksonville (-3) -- In a game that could have significant postseason implications, Jaguars quarterback David Garrard expects to return from an ankle injury. The rushing tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew will control the clock and open the offense for the passing game. Jacksonville's defensive front will wreak havoc on the San Diego offensive line and hurry Philip Rivers to make mistakes. I'll take the Jaguars.

• Kansas City at Indianapolis (-141/2) -- The Colts, who have lost two in a row, limited the Chargers to 177 yards of offense last week but lost Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney for the season to a foot injury. Injuries have decimated Indianapolis, but the Colts are 4-0 against the spread at home. The Chiefs will start second-year quarterback Brodie Croyle, and he has his work cut out for him against a stingy Colts defense. The Colts should cover the big number.

• Oakland at Minnesota (-5) -- Although star rookie running back Adrian Peterson is out, Vikings backup Chester Taylor is good enough to beat up on a Raiders defense that has yielded more than 180 rushing yards per game on the road. The Oakland running game has done well, but the instability at quarterback is a big problem. Minnesota still has enough firepower to win and cover.

• Cleveland (-21/2) at Baltimore -- The Browns have a strong offensive line that has kept them rolling. Cleveland won the first meeting at home, 27-13. Baltimore's quarterback play has been horrible, and the offensive line is hampered with injuries. The Ravens are 1-8 against the spread, and it won't get any better here, so go with Cleveland.

• Pittsburgh (-91/2) at New York Jets -- The 7-2 Steelers are proving to be one of the league's most balanced teams. Aside from strong running back Willie Parker, Ben Roethlisberger has 22 touchdown passes with seven interceptions. The defense continues to impress and leads the NFL in scoring and total yards. On the other hand, the Jets might be the league's most disappointing team. New York ranks 30th in total defense, allowing 380 yards per game. Pittsburgh looks like a winner.

• Tampa Bay (-3) at Atlanta -- These teams played twice last year with combined total scores of 17 and 23 points. The Buccaneers have had success with quarterback Jeff Garcia hooking up with his favorite target Joey Galloway. Atlanta is still alive at 3-6, believe it or not. This one is too tough to call with all the injuries. My play is under the total of 36.

• Arizona at Cincinnati (-3) -- On paper, Arizona looks like a good play. The Cardinals have a strong offense, and their coach, Ken Whisenhunt, was a former assistant with the Steelers in the AFC North. But inconsistency has hampered Arizona, and it seems whichever quarterback is playing does just enough damage to offset any good. The Bengals can score behind the arm of Carson Palmer, who has 16 touchdown passes. The difference in this game is the Arizona secondary is in disarray because of key injuries. Palmer and the high-flying offense will take advantage and light it up.

• Miami at Philadelphia (-91/2) -- The winless Dolphins statistically are the league's worst team. But the Eagles are not a lot better. Although five of Miami's nine losses are by three points, this game is too difficult to call. It all depends on which Philadelphia team shows up.

• New England (-16) at Buffalo -- The Patriots won the first meeting, 38-7. The Bills are 5-1 since that loss. Buffalo quarterback J.P. Losman is 2-0 since returning from an injury, but running back Marshawn Lynch is doubtful with an ankle injury. The Bills defense has been making plays and keeping games close. Buffalo is 5-0 against the spread at home this season and 10-1 against the spread in its past 11 games on turf. Playing at home, the Bills can keep this close, and I'll take the points.

• New Orleans at Houston (-1) -- The Texans come off a bye week and hope to have quarterback Matt Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson back. The Saints' recent surge has been led by Drew Brees, who has 13 touchdowns and three interceptions in the past five games. Houston has lost six defensive backs this season. Both teams play a lot of offense and little defense, so over the total of 48 is the best bet.

• Carolina at Green Bay (-10) -- Brett Favre and the Packers have been one of the season's biggest surprises. Green Bay's big improvements are at running back with Ryan Grant, who has 278 yards in the past three games, and at wide receiver with Koren Robinson, who had five receptions last week. The Green Bay defense will test veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde. Carolina has lost three straight. Green Bay should dominate the game.

• New York Giants (-21/2) at Detroit -- Both teams are 6-3 and looking ahead for playoff spots. The Giants' front seven on defense is as good as any in the league, but quarterback Eli Manning seems to fall short in big-game situations. The Lions are 4-0 at home and depend on veteran quarterback John Kitna, but the Giants will put a lot of pressure on him. Detroit will utilize wideouts Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson the same way Dallas did last week against New York. My upset pick this week is the underdog Lions.

• St. Louis (-3) at San Francisco -- Overwhelmed by injuries, the Rams finally found a win last week. The 49ers have lost seven straight after starting 2-0. Trent Dilfer is starting at quarterback for San Francisco. With two bad teams meeting and so many injuries involved, I will lay off this game.

• Chicago at Seattle (-5) -- Rex Grossman gets the start at quarterback for the Bears, but it wouldn't matter between Grossman and Brian Griese. They have combined for 16 interceptions and 11 touchdown passes. Chicago's defense has struggled to stop the run. Seattle is 4-1 at home, and Matt Hasselbeck looked sharp last week while throwing for 278 yards and two scores against San Francisco. The Seahawks will put the final nails in the Bears' coffin.

Compiled by Review-Journal sportswriter Matt Youmans.