Over the next few days, we’ll examine the top 10 moments of the ’08 season leading up to the moment that defined the 2008 NFL season.

8. Demolition Men: Dallas completes its collapse in a 44-6 Week 17 loss to the Eagles.

Examine the final four in the NFL playoffs this season and you’ll notice all of the teams have one thing in common. They all were led by head coaches who were either young upstarts (Ken Wisenhunt, Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh) ; or in the case of Andy Reid, who has been with the Eagles since 1999, but had zero head coaching experience prior to leading the Eagles.

Dallas entered into its biggest game of the year with Wade Phillips. You know Wade as the man who was at the helm of the Buffalo Bills for the Music City Miracle and for the pre-Shanahan/Terrell Davis days in Denver. While Phillips seems to be a rather nice guy, in the NFL’s new age of youthful but stern head coaching enthusiasm, he is a retread.   That’s not the man you want leading you into a playoffs or bust game on the road at a hated division rival.

Yet, there they were. The Cowboys, after weeks of uninspired play, walked into Philadelphia with a gang of individuals – not a team.

The quarterback that was far more recognized for whom he dated rather than what he accomplished in big spots; the amazingly talented yet troubled wide receiver who had a dark cloud hovering over him again; and a defense that by in large rarely stood tall in the season’ s biggest moments all had to perform well in a playoff-like atmosphere.

On the other hand, Philadelphia entered the contest fortified by losses from Chicago and Tampa Bay that gave them a chance to make the playoffs with a win.  The recipe for disaster stewed at Lincoln Financial Field.

By game’s end, the Eagles served Dallas one its biggest pieces of humble pie in team history. The Eagles led 27-3 at halftime and continued to brow beat the listless Cowboys in the second half.

In all, five turnovers and an amazingly horrifying performance led to a 44-6 loss to the Eagles and a decisively awful finish to the 2008 NFL campaign for Dallas.

Phillips, Tony Romo and Terrell Owens while successful statistically, are the poster children for why this group of Cowboys is not likely to carry the big prize. Each one in their own way symbolizes what is collectively wrong with the franchise.

Until further notice, the team remains a group of individuals that ultimately lacks the fortitude and constitution to show up in the game’s greatest moments.