Tom Mihalek / AP

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb celebrates after leading Philadelphia to a blowout win over Dallas. The Eagles clinched the final playoff spot in the NFC and will next visit the Vikings.

Jones was stripped by Quintin Demps on the kickoff and Omar Gaither recovered at the Cowboys 31 with 3 seconds left in the half. David Akers made a 50-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 27-3 lead going into halftime.

Dallas pulled out all the tricks on the first possession of the third quarter, including a 42-yard pass from tight end Jason Witten to Owens to the Eagles 14. But Dawkins sacked Romo on the next play, and Chris Clemons picked up the fumble and raced 73 yards for a score that gave Philly a 34-3 lead.

Joselio Hanson returned Marion Barber’s fumble 96 yards for a TD on the next series.

“I wake up tomorrow and I keep living,” Romo said when asked how he deals with tough defeats.

The Eagles seemed headed for their third last-place finish in four years after they tied lowly Cincinnati and were routed by Baltimore in consecutive weeks last month. McNabb was benched for the first time in his career in that loss to the Ravens and his future in Philadelphia was the hot topic.

But McNabb came back strong and led the Eagles to three straight wins only to fall short against the Redskins — Reggie Brown was tackled at the 1 on the final play.

Still, the Eagles found a way to make the playoffs after getting all the help they needed around the league.

“Everybody turned their backs on us,” Dawkins said. “But we believed in one another.”

Notes: The Eagles scored a franchise-record 416 points this season. ... McNabb broke his own single-season team record for yards passing, finishing with 3,916. ... Akers kicked his 31st field goal in the first half, setting a single-season team record. ... Jackson set a team record with 912 yards receiving. He became the first rookie to lead the Eagles in catches since 1942. ... The Cowboys have lost nine consecutive season finales.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 9 games STEELERS 28, BRONCOS 10: Roethlisberger throws 3 TDs COWBOYS 20, EAGLES 16: Austin’s TD puts Dallas atop NFC East COLTS 20, TEXANS 17: Indy's 17th-straight regular season win  |    Video SAINTS 30, PANTHERS 20: N.O. now 8-0 for first time in its history CHARGERS 21, GIANTS 20: N.Y. loses 4th straight  |    Video BUCS 38, PACKERS 28: Rookie QB leads Tampa to first win  |    Video PATRIOTS 27, DOLPHINS 17: Brady-Moss connection thrives  |    Video CARDINALS 41, BEARS 21: Warner tosses 5 TDs  |    Video BENGALS 17, RAVENS 7: Cincy cements AFC North status  |    Video FALCONS 31, REDSKINS 17: Atlanta gets into scuffle, still wins TITANS 34, 49ERS 27: Young improves to 2-0 as a starter this year SEAHAWKS 32, LIONS 20: Seattle overcomes 17-0 hole JAGUARS 24, CHIEFS 21: Chargers cast-off Chambers can't save K.C. Byes: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Rams, Vikings, Jets

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