T.O. is ready to roll. Anyone else excited?

IRVING — Terrell Owens stood at the podium for his customary postgame interview and offered an uncustomary remark.

“I know my role.”

Those are not the first words anyone expects to hear from one of the most vocal players in the NFL, who did little to hide his displeasure last season when he thought he was not being used enough. He was so embarrassed by the 48-27 loss to New England last week that he refused to talk about an individual comparison to Randy Moss, the league’s leading receiver.

But Sunday, after leading the team with 103 receiving yards and opening the scoring with a 5-yard catch in the Cowboys’ 24-14 victory against Minnesota, he had plenty of numbers to boast about.

Instead, he talked about his role on a team.

“When my number is called, I’m trying to make plays for the team,” said Owens, who had six of his seven receptions in the first half. “That’s what the coaches are asking of me, and I know my role.

“Sometimes I’m going to get it, sometimes I’m not. I’m still running my routes full speed knowing I’m not going to get the ball. That’s going to allow other guys to get plays.”

Owens, however, is getting the ball plenty. Sunday’s game was his second 100-yard receiving game of the season, and he became the team leader in receiving yards and touchdown catches. He is tied with Alvin Harper and Jason Witten for 12th on the team’s career touchdown receptions list with 18.

But none of that came up in the postgame news conference.

Instead, the veteran talked about the importance of special teams, taking care of quarterback Tony Romo, getting everyone some extra rest during the bye week and the possible return of Terry Glenn.

Team stuff.

“It’s good that our special teams are making some plays for us,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. From the beginning of the year, we talked about being a team. Obviously, the special teams sometimes get overlooked, but they’re a part of us, and that’s a part of us winning ballgames.”

FAST STARTER

Terrell Owens likes getting involved early, and for the past two games, he has, with a first-half touchdown in each game. Here’s a look at his touchdown catches this season by quarter, with opponent, distance and score after the catch:

Here is what we said would happen:

You heard it here first. The Dallas Cowboys will ROLL the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Bank it. Cowboys 38-14. Terrell Owens- 7 catches, 76 yards, touchdown. Check back Sunday!

1. The Cowboys DID roll the Vikings!

2. 38-14? We meant 24-14. Not bad.

3. 7 catches? BINGO! But the 76 yards was 27 too few, and the touchdown was right on the money.

I’d say our man TOCMan did a pretty good job. Check back in 8 days for week 9 expectations. Get some rest during the bye week T.O.!

The Dallas Cowboys had a mini scare, but came away with a win, and improved their record to 6-1 on the year. The Cowboys trailed 14-7 at half, but outscored the Vikings 14-0 in the third quarter, and added a 4th quarter fieldgoal to win the game 24-14. The Cowboys defense held the Vikings scoreless in the 4th quarter.

Quarterback Tony Romo had a nice night completing 31 of 39 passes for 277 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions.

Our man, Terrell Owens had a nice night catching 7 balls, for 103 yards and a touchdown.

The Cowboys now have a week off, before taking on the Eagles Nov. 4th.

You heard it here first. The Dallas Cowboys will ROLL the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Bank it.

Cowboys 38-14.

Terrell Owens- 7 catches, 76 yards, touchdown.

Check back Sunday!

In Week 7, the Dallas Cowboys will stay home and take on the Minnesota Vikings, upbeat after their week 6 win over the Bears. Let’s take a look at how Terrell has done in his career against the Viks.

Last Game v. Vikings:

• 5 catches
• 55 yards
• 11.0 yards per catch
• 19 yards- longest catch

Career v. Vikings:

• 3 games
• 15 catches
• 208 yards
• 69.3 yards per game
• 13.9 yards per catch
• 45 yards- longest catch
• 11 first downs
• 2 touchdowns

Good luck to Terrell and the Cowboys!!!

IRVING, Texas (AP) — No longer undefeated, the Dallas Cowboys are still confident.

Sure, they’re disappointed about missing a chance to prove themselves against one of the NFL’s best and losing a rare meeting of 5-0 teams.

Still, the Cowboys expect to see the New England Patriots again this season, when the outcome will mean more than remaining perfect in mid-October.”If they make it to Arizona, we will see them again. Seriously, I’m not backing down from that statement,” receiver Patrick Crayton said Monday, a day after a 48-27 loss to the Patriots.

Terrell Owens wasn’t in the locker room Monday, but said after the game, “We’ll see them down the road.”

Well, there’s only one way that can happen. The Patriots and Cowboys, the only teams to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span, both have to make it to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona on Feb. 3.

While nobody else from the Cowboys proclaimed a super rematch as strongly as Crayton and Owens — “I hope we play them again,” coach Wade Phillips said — it was clear the loss didn’t shake their confidence.

“The goal is to get to the playoffs, and win enough to get where want to be, and we’re still on course to do that,” Greg Ellis said.

“We’re still 5-1. No, it wasn’t beautiful and we got spanked a little bit,” Bradie James said. “One game is not going to define you. … Our confidence hasn’t wavered. We still have opportunities to be successful, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

While denied being 6-0 for the first time since 1983, when Tom Landry was coaching, the Cowboys’ 5-1 record is matched in the NFC only by Green Bay.

New England is the lone NFL team with more than five victories. Indianapolis (5-0), the only other undefeated team, is coming off a bye week and will host the Patriots in three weeks.

For now, the Cowboys don’t have to compare themselves with the AFC powerhouses, their only remaining regular season game with an AFC team is Thanksgiving Day with the New York Jets (1-5). They just need to take care of themselves in the NFC.

“You still have to look at it as a season. Right now, we’re 5-1, there aren’t many teams in the NFC that are 5-1,” Phillips said. “It’s disappointing, this one game we’ve lost, but we’ve got to go forward.”

The Cowboys are home again Sunday against Minnesota (2-3) before their bye week. After the break, they play their three NFC East foes in consecutive weeks, going to Philadelphia and the New York Giants before hosting Washington. The Redskins are the first of three home games in 11 days, including the holiday game and a game the following Thursday night against the Packers.

Dallas, whose last Super Bowl came a dozen seasons ago, hasn’t won an NFC East title since 1998.

The Cowboys overcame a 14-0 deficit against the Patriots and went ahead 24-21 on Crayton’s 8-yard TD catch on Dallas’ opening drive of the third quarter. It’s the only time this season the Patriots have trailed after halftime, and the first time they allowed more than 17 points.

New England scored on its last five drives (three touchdowns, two field goals), and has won every game by at least 17.

Phillips refused to call the Patriots a measuring-stick game.

“It was an important game for us. I don’t measure them,” Phillips said. “We had our opportunities and we fought back. I know the score doesn’t look like it, but certainly I think everybody can feel like we were right in there, except for those penalties.”

Dallas trailed 31-24 on the opening play of the fourth quarter when Marion Barber easily converted a fourth-and-1 near midfield. However, a holding call, one of 12 penalties against the Cowboys, wiped out the play and forced a punt.

The Pats’ go-ahead touchdown came after a pass interference call in the end zone in the third quarter.

Phillips wasn’t interested in questioning those two calls publicly.

“I got beat,” he said, “but I don’t want to get fined.”

Last week, we said this would happen:Okay, The New England Patriots are GOOD. Real good. Possibly the best team in the NFL, definitely top 3(Colts and Cowboys). The Patriots have a great defense. Terrell Owens will be JACKED for this one. And you KNOW Tony Romo will be MUCH better. Randy Moss plays for the Patriots, and him and T.O. are the top two receivers in the league. Week 6: 6 catches, 102 yards, touchdown is our guess..

We were right. The Patriots were good. They probably ARE the best team in the NFL. Tony Romo WAS much better. Moss and Owens ARE THE top two receivers in the league, PERIOD.

6 catches? Bingo! Winner! 102 yards was 36 too many, and one touchdown, yes sir.

I’d say we are pretty good at this .

Stay tuned for next week!