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NOTES FROM THE NOSEBLEEDS: The dream is over - and it's official this time
Eagles pound Cowboys, still eliminated from playoffs | Flyers beat Dallas, lose next two | Sixers return from lockout, lose to Portland Trailblazers, 107-103
NOTES FROM THE NOSEBLEEDS: The dream is over — and it's official this time
Sports nut Massimo Pulcini rounds up a week of everything Philly sports. Ice skates!
EAGLES POUND COWBOYS, STILL ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFFS
After months of hype, disappointment and faint hope, the Eagles season essentially ended before they even got a chance to play their own game on Sunday — the Giants statement-win over the Jets eliminated the Eagles from the NFC East division race. Despite the 
circumstances, the Eagles still played with the intensity of the team that seemed reborn and refueled at the end of the season, nearly shutting out the 'Boys 20-7.
Our guys looked sharp on offense and defense for the third straight game. Starting fast with an attacking and aggressive game plan, Philly scored with their first opportunity with the ball. QB Mike Vick found tight-end Brent Celek on the first offensive possession when they hooked up for a 13-yard touchdown pass less then four minutes into the match.
On the following Cowboys possession, Dallas QB Tony Romo injured his hand when he was hit by defensive-end Jason Babin and was forced to leave the game. This was around the same time word of the Giants victory had spread — so the Cowboys, who had nothing to play for against the Eagles, sat out several players like Romo and running back Felix Jones. In their places entered former third-string QB Stephen McGee and the recently un-retired running back Sammy Morris. While efficient and showing flashes of playmaking ability with his arm and legs, McGee and the backup-heavy Dallas lineup served no match for the newly gelled Eagles defense, as the Cowboys only posted 238 total yards, including a mere 81 on the ground. The Eagles defense played lights-out during the Birds' three-game winning streak, holding opponents to 36 points and 683 yards with 16 sacks, led by book-ends Babin (18 sacks in 2011) and Trent Cole (10 sacks).
The Philly offense was untouchable for the second time in two tries against the vulnerable Dallas defense, as well. Mike Vick went 18 of 32 for 293 yards, with touchdowns to Celek and Jeremy Maclin (pictured). Jason Avant nearly had a touchdown of his own but fumbled inches before touching the pylon, giving the Cowboys a touchback and the ball. While LeSean McCoy had a quiet game (13 carries for only 35 yards), he wasn't needed to win the game as Vick led the Birds down the field with precision passes. Alex Henry also added two field goals, one in the third and another in the fourth, making it 20-0 well into the final quarter.
The Cowboys, trying to avoid their first shutout against the Eagles since 2003, blocked a punt near the game's end, giving McGee one last drive to snub it. Starting on the 16 with 19 seconds left, McGee ran for 12 yards before connecting with Miles Austin for a four-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds left in regulation.
The win was bittersweet. Though the Eagles swept the season series against the hated Cowboys for the first time since 2006, the victory could only be seen as a confidence boost headed into next season. If anything, the Eagles may have played spoiler to the hated Cowboys — Dallas was in a win-and-in situation headed into Sunday's match, but now face a win-or-go-home scenario against the Giants next week for the NFC East crown. The Eagles, on the other hand, will try to even their record against the Redskins next week in the regular season's finale.
FLYERS BEAT DALLAS, LOSE NEXT TWO
The Flyers beat the Dallas Stars, thanks to the return of a star of their own last Wednesday. In his first game back since a concussion, Claude Giroux (pictured) netted four total points in the Flyers 4-1 victory.
After a Dallas goal to start off the match, the Giroux-led Broad Street Bullies scored four unanswered points. Giroux tied it at 8:30 in the first period when he swept the puck into an open net for his team-leading 17th goal.
Wayne Simmonds gave the Flyers the lead three minutes later with a deflection on the team's first power play. After that, Jaromir Jagr got his 11th goal 29 seconds into another man-up situation, extending the lead to 3-1, thanks to a Giroux pass. Andrej Metzaros also scored for the Flyers, closing the game at 4-1, Flyers.
On Friday, the Flyers headed to Madison Square Garden to play the New York Rangers in a preview of next Tuesday's Winter Classic matchup.
With first place in the Atlantic Division on the line, it was the Broadway Blueshirts that out-played the Broad Street Bullies. New York ganged up on Philly and goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, scoring three goals in the second and third periods before Philly struck back with a goal of their own. Sitting in a 3-1 hole, Rangers' captain Ryan Callahan netted another point for New York, making it 4-1 with about ten minutes left to play. James van Riemsdyk scored for the Flyers with just over two left, making it a 4-2 final.
"I think it builds up for the Winter Classic," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said after the game. "We've got a few games we need to take care of before that. The Rangers are a good team; we've had a good year. It probably does add a little fuel."
However, the Flyers didn't look any better in their next game against Tampa.
The two teams swapped goals in the first period. Tampa hit the scoreboard first with a Steven Stamkos goal at 9:34 in the first and Scott Hartnell responded for the Flyers, scoring a goal of his own at 18:14. The goal came off a Giroux assist and the Flyers out shot the Lightning 17-4 in the first period.
After the Hartnell score, it was all Tampa. Tampa scored four unanswered points to finish the game, with Bryzgalov giving up Tampa Bay's first three goals on just eight shots.
Brzygalov, like he has in the past after poor performances, took the blame for the loss, saying after the game, "Their goalie played an outstanding game, but simply, our goaltending, me, by myself, has got to do better. That's the bottom line."
The Flyers take on cross-state rival Pittsburg on Thursday before taking on the Rangers in the season's most anticipated game thus far, The Winter Classic, on Tue., Jan. 2 at Citizen's Bank Park.
IN OTHER PHILLY SPORTS NEWS
The NBA returned from its lockout on Christmas Day and the Sixers had their first bit of ballin' action the next day when they took on the Portland Trailblazers. The Sixers kept the game close, thanks to 22 points by Andre Iguodala and 25 points off the bench from Lou Williams (pictured). Williams also had an interesting Christmas Eve leading up the game (see here). However, as Portland's lead shrank late in the second, so did their lineup — literally. The 'Blazers went small and fast at the end of the game and outpaced the Sixers to the finish line, winning 107-103.
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