Green Bay Loss Gives Dallas Home-Field Advantage In NFC Playoffs

IRVING, Texas (AP) Terrell Owens can take his time recovering from a high ankle sprain. The Dallas Cowboys already have clinched home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. <br/><br/>Dallas locked up the

Sunday, December 23rd 2007, 3:20 pm

By: News On 6

IRVING, Texas (AP) Terrell Owens can take his time recovering from a high ankle sprain. The Dallas Cowboys already have clinched home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.

Dallas locked up the No. 1 seed in the conference Sunday with Green Bay losing to Chicago. While the Cowboys (13-2) and Packers (12-3) could still wind up with the same record, Dallas owns the tiebreaker because it won a head-to-head matchup.

The Cowboys were last the No. 1 seed in 1995, the season that ended with their most recent Super Bowl title. They also took the No. 1 seed to a Super Bowl title in 1993.

But it's rarely that simple. The last top seed in either conference to win it all was the 2003 New England Patriots; the 1999 St. Louis Rams were the last NFC team to do it.

Still, Dallas players and coach consider this good news. As much as they like the idea of having an NFC championship game in Texas Stadium, they're just as thrilled to know they won't have to play it in Lambeau Field. And they don't have to worry about the season finale at Washington on Sunday. While the Redskins might be battling for a playoff spot, the only thing at stake for the Cowboys is a franchise-record 14th victory.

Dallas won't have another meaningful game until January 12th or 13th, when a wild-card round winner will come to Texas Stadium. That gives the Cowboys plenty of time to get healthy and to work out the kinks that have developed the last few weeks.