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It was not a thing of beauty, the Cowboys' 20-19 win over the Bengals on Sunday.
Their flaws were on full display: a wretched offensive line, a defense left in tatters by injuries.
Yet when it counted most, the Cowboys came through. And on this one day, that was the only thing that mattered.
The players were informed Saturday after they boarded their flight to Cincinnati that one teammate was dead and another was in jail. Nose tackle Josh Brent, who would have started Sunday, was charged with intoxication manslaughter after driving a car that wrecked and killed practice squad member Jerry Brown.
That's a heck of a shock to a team about to play an important contest. The Cowboys were 6-6 and clinging to playoff hopes. The stretch run is a time to focus, not get caught up in distractions. What could be more distracting than a death in the family?
It's hard to say the tragedy bonded the Cowboys. They didn't come out and mow down the Bengals. For most of the game they scuffled around and made the same mistakes they always do.
The best that can be said about their performance was that they hung around, and the Bengals had a big hand in that. Cincinnati had several big moments slip through their fingers and wound up settling for field goals once too often.
On the other hand, the Cowboys had ample opportunity to lay down and allow the Bengals to run them over. They never did.
If they needed inspiration, all they had to do was look over at the bench where Brown's No. 53 jersey rested. His nameplate was also on one of the locker room stalls.
Inspiration only goes so far in a brutal game. The Cowboys scrapped, but quarterback Tony Romo was constantly under fire, more defensive players went down with injuries and punter Brian Moorman was simply awful.
When the Bengals went up by two scores, 19-10, entering the fourth quarter, that seemed about it. The Cowboys' offense had shown much of a spark and the defense seemed on the verge of collapsing.
But the offense caught a spark. Romo, with the seams ripped on his No. 9, started making plays. DeMarco Murray kept drives alive. Dez Bryant flashed open over the middle and suddenly it was 19-17 with 6:35 left.
Then came the final drive. Clock management — shudder — came into play, but the Cowboys executed. Dan Bailey's 40-yarder as time expired sailed true.
As the players walked off the field, Jason Hatcher held up Brown's jersey. Coach Jason Garrett hugged him. In the locker room, several players were emotional as they spoke about Brown and Brent.
"It's so emotional," said fullback Lawrence Vickers. "You want to be happy and sad at the same time. Can you imagine what it's like to have to wipe away tears between every play?"
"Jerry Brown was going to be a good player," Jason Witten said. "It's special to get a win for Jerry and his family."
"It's going to make us strong," offensive lineman Nate Livings said of the tragedy. "It brought us together, now we have to heal."
"We did a great job leaning on each other," Bailey said.
In his postgame press conference, Garrett spoke with passion and candor. The robotic Jason Garrett and his oft-repeated catchphrases were nowhere to be found. This was an emotional Garrett, speaking from the heart.
After the game, pundits wondered whether this win turned things around for the Cowboys and would carry them to a playoff berth. Not likely.
Emotional waves usually aren't sustained in sports. Highs are often followed by lows.
It's not like the Cowboys played particularly well. Similar performances from the offensive line and defense will likely get them beat in their remaining games.
The point is that they played, which was probably the best thing for them.
There were concerns that the tragedy would be a distraction, but football players are most comfortable playing the game they've trained all their lives for. The tough times will be when the players are away from the familiar sights and sounds of a packed stadium.
The Cowboys didn't look like a transformed team. The same mistakes and weaknesses that plagued them all season are still there.
But for one game, one very emotional game, it was good enough.
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
