In the end, Miles Austin found himself buried in the end zone beneath a pile of jubilant teammates screaming like grade-school kids at recess.
It doesn't get any better than that.
Austin's fabulous record-setting performance – he caught 10 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns – didn't just etch his name into the Cowboys' annals and propel Dallas to a 26-20 overtime win over the hapless Kansas City Chiefs.
If you're honest, admittedly difficult for those of you wearing rose-colored Ray-Bans, then you know Austin's 60-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown saved the season.
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All you had to do was watch the players sprinting from the sideline to join the end zone celebration to understand the significance of beating the winless, hapless, raggedy Chiefs.
That's why the locker room vibe felt a lot closer to relief than satisfaction. You don't have to take my word, just listen to Jerry Jones.
"A loss, no matter how you couch it, would've been pretty significant for us," Jerry said. "I think we're looking up, even though we really stunk today. We had to win in spite of all that. I saw the same game you saw."
If Dallas had lost, the next two weeks would've been consumed with chatter about Wade Phillips' inevitable firing and whether Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Jon Gruden or Jerry himself would replace him.
No more.
Now, we'll be talking about whether Austin is ready to start and how Jason Garrett, who handles the play-calling, can get him the ball. It's pretty easy to make a case for Austin, since he broke Bob Hayes' 43-year-old Cowboys record for receiving yards in a game.
The Cowboys released Terrell Owens, in part, because they wanted to make sure they gave Austin, a 25-year-old, four-year veteran, an opportunity to maximize his potential.
Since his 42-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown ignited Dallas to a win over Tampa Bay in the opener, Austin had caught just four passes for 39 yards. Still, the 6-3, 214-pounder with excellent speed remained the only receiver on this roster capable of consistently providing this plodding offense with big plays.
Austin has seven career touchdowns. Average length: 40.8 yards. Three have covered more than 50 yards.
Let that marinate.