Domenik Hixon Changes Course of Giants' Season

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Nearly six hours before kickoff on Sunday morning, Domenik Hixon exited his team's hotel and walked toward his car for his drive to Giants Stadium.

"Domenik!''

Hixon heard it. He looked. He reversed field.

"It was a kid with his family, who on Saturday night, gave me a picture of me that he had drawn,'' Hixon explained. "I had to go back and sign his footballs. I really try to connect with the fans. Especially with the ones who try so hard to connect with me.''

It was the fourth quarter, nearly six minutes left, the Giants were beating Dallas, 24-17, but still felt the Cowboys' heat. Hixon caught a punt and ran it left.

"Contain!'' the Cowboys yelled.

Hixon heard it. He looked. He reversed field.

"That's something we practice, that if you are cutoff, cutback,'' Hixon said. "It was a great job of blocking by us. There was a wall there of our guys that never gave up.''

Often when the Cowboys and Giants tangle, the affairs are won by big, explosive plays. This time, it was Hixon's 79-yard punt return for a touchdown with 5:33 remaining. He ran left. He reversed. He ran right. He kept running past Cowboys. It proved too much for Dallas to overcome as the Giants won, 31-24.

And now the NFC East has reversed field.

The Giants started the season 5-0 and leaders in the East, slumped, rose and now stand at 7-5. The Cowboys entered Sunday's game in first place with an 8-3 record, but now are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for first, both at 8-4.

This game offered plenty -- big Tony Romo numbers (55 pass attempts, 392 passing yards, three touchdown tosses) and huge Jason Witten (14 catches, 156 yards) and Miles Austin (10 catches, 104 yards) production. There was a sparkling Jay Ratliff second-quarter forced fumble that helped Dallas build a 10-0 lead, and a fourth-quarter 74-yard touchdown for the Giants on a short catch and long run by big running back Brandon Jacobs. There was a Giants' fumble recovery just before halftime that led to New York earning a 14-10 halftime lead. And three Giants -- safety Aaron Rouse, cornerback Terrell Thomas and linebacker Michael Boley -- had 10-plus tackle games

But Hixon put the Cowboys in a hole that proved inescapable. He reminded them of Decembers past, as this one began the way too many have ended in recent Dallas seasons -- with a loss, one that drops Romo's record in December games to 5-9.

"It's a play here, it's a play there,'' Romo said. "But that kick return was a killer.''

Cowboys linebacker Bradie James offered: "It's tough to bounce back from that. Special teams is a spark. That's the way we view them, too, for our team. That was the big play of the game.''

Both teams had their share of big plays Sunday -- part of a game that was just the latest chapter in what is becoming one of the zaniest battles for NFC East top dog that we have seen in many seasons.

No team in the NFC East is great. None is as dominant physically and defensively as the teams we have grown accustomed to seeing. Yet, the top three in Dallas, Philadelphia and the Giants appear younger, faster, quicker and as compelling.

Take the Giants, losers of four straight at one stretch this season, whom have now swept the Cowboys for the first time in five years. Consider that the Giants beat the Cowboys on Sept. 20 in the opening of that billion-dollar stadium for Dallas. Then New York handled them here Sunday in the final regular-season matchup of these teams in the old Giants Stadium -- the Giants move across the parking lot to their new palace in 2010.

"It's a big rivalry, a big rivalry game, a lot of familiarity and contempt on each side,'' Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said. "I know a lot is said about their December struggles and all, but that is not an easy team to beat in December. Those are the same guys running around from October and November. They are good players. They are still in first place.''

But for how long?

Dallas will wait for the San Diego Chargers to visit next Sunday. The following weekend, the Cowboys play at the undefeated Saints. That is consecutive division leaders on the Cowboys plate.

The Giants, meanwhile, host the Eagles next Sunday.

The Cowboys then welcome the Eagles to Dallas in the regular-season finale for both teams on Jan. 3.

There will be a key reverse run or pass or two, and likely a reversal of fortune in the NFC East before the winner surfaces.

That appears to be a mantra for the trio of NFC East leaders this time around. They need adversity, their backs slammed against the wall, to be able to push forward and present their best football.

Not only did Dallas leap to a 10-0 lead, it finished with gaudy advantages in several categories by game's end. Dallas led in offensive plays (80 to 49), first downs (27 to 15) and possession time (38:50 to 21:10). But the Giants won the rushing battle, 100 yards to 45, and averaged 6.9 yards per play to 5.3 for the Cowboys. That meant that when the Giants made plays, they were usually big ones. Explosive ones.

There was a 36-yard catch by Steve Smith and a 21-yard scoring one by Hakeem Nicks. There was an Ahmad Bradshaw run of 29 yards and a run of 16 by tight end Kevin Boss on a lateral from Eli Manning.

Distinguished from it all was the Hixon punt return.

He reversed field.

And reversed things for the Giants and the Cowboys. For the NFC East.

"We had not had a big play on special teams all year and that one hit right in the nick of time,'' Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said. "That was just another way of us coming together as a football team.''

Hixon was more succinct.

"A play like that,'' he said, "is a real statement.''