End of three: 24-13 Buffalo - Time to step up.

10:28: The Cowboys have come out of the half moving the ball well, and have converted two third downs on the way to moving into Bills territory. They’re going to have to convert a third third-down play to keep the drive alive, as they face a 3rd and 8 at the Bills’ 43.

10:00: Patrick Crayton just made a big play on the third down to get the Cowboys into the red zone. Crayton caught a short pass and turned it into a 31-yard gain to move Dallas to the 12-yard line. Crayton had another first-down grab on a third-down play earlier in the drive.

9:15: Time for third-down conversion #4? Dallas faces a 3rd and 9 from the 11. But, they can’t make it four for four, as Romo underthrows Witten at the 5, and the Cowboys are forced to settle for a short field goal to make it 17-13.

You would have liked to get the game-tying touchdown right there, but coming out of the locker room and getting points on the first drive is a plus. Now it’s time for the defense to take care of business, and limit the effectiveness of those short passes that Edwards has thrown about 99.5 percent of the time tonight.

8:48: The defense didn’t have to exert themselves when Buffalo got the ball back. But, that’s because Terrence McGee took the kickoff three yards deep and took it all the way back for a 103-yard touchdown. The coverage team has given up a few long returns this season, but this one is, by far, the longest. When you’re trying to make your way back into the game, you can’t afford to let these kinds of things happen.

However, the momentum the offense has built from scoring on the last two possessions might quickly negate the impact of that return touchdown.

I will say this though: If you’re Trent Edwards, you should be beaming right now. The kid hasn’t had to overwork his arm, and even though he’s put only three points on the board, his defense and special teams have put him in a good position to win his second straight start. You know what they say - the best offense is a good defense.

7:31: The Cowboys just missed a big play, as Owens caught Romo’s long pass out of bounds inside the 25. That miss proves costly, as Romo underthrows Owens on another deep ball on 3rd and 8, and the Cowboys have to punt.

McBriar hasn’t had to work his leg much, as he’s punted only twice, with both kicks going well over 50 yards. The first one went 58, and this boot goes 55 yards, right through the end zone, giving the Bills the ball at the 20.

4:28: Edwards is using those short passes with amazing success, as he converted a third and long with yet another one, and has the Bills with a 3rd and short at the Dallas 42 with another short pass that turned into a decent gain. These guys shouldn’t be allowed to have the space to get yards after the catch.

3:33: Big play on the 3rd and 2, as the Cowboys aren’t fooled by the reverse and stop Roscoe Parrish in the backfield to force Buffalo to punt. Unfortunately, the drive took several minutes off of the clock, and following the punt, the Cowboys are going to have to start inside the 10 with time quickly running out of their comeback hopes.

End of the third: Romo has given the Bills a taste of their own medicine on this drive, as he’s completed a couple of short passes that were turned into first downs to help get Dallas into the red zone. The Cowboys will be facing a 3rd and 9 at the Buffalo 18 when the fourth quarter starts.