At the time, they were huge plays in the game, the two touchdowns to Laurent Robinson which brought the Cowboys momentarily back to within one score Sunday night, after falling behind 21-0 in the first half.
The comeback effort was in vain, as it turned out, but Robinson's two scores were far from meaningless. Touchdowns No. 10 and 11 on the season, they just further boosted the future market value of the free agent-to-be wide receiver.
At the time, though, that wasn't what he and the rest of the team were thinking about.
"We were excited," Robinson said of the second-half charge, which crescendoed with his six-yard slant route touchdown with 10:15 to play. "We were moving the ball well, just trying to make plays. Unfortunately it came up a little short."
Now that the season is over, the business of trying to improve for next year starts immediately. For the wide receiving corps, at least, that would be tougher if Robinson leaves via free agency.
"I want to be a Cowboy," Robinson said. "I love it here, they love me here, it seems like I've got a great connection with Tony (Romo). I love the guys, Dez (Bryant), Miles (Austin), (Kevin) Ogletree, (Jesse) Holley. We'll just wait and see what happens . . . I'll sit back and talk to my agent and see what happens, but I love it here. That's all I can say."
Robinson finished the year with 54 catches for 858 yards and the 11 scores, nine more than his previous career high. A fifth-year pro, Robinson was originally a third-round pick of Atlanta, but was traded to St. Louis in 2009. He went to training camp with San Diego this summer, but was released before the season began.
Signing with the Cowboys in Week 1 and injuring a hamstring in his first practice with the team, he made his debut in Week 3 against Washington.
He recorded his first of three 100-yard games the next week against Detroit, and beginning in Week 8 against Philadelphia, caught a touchdown in five straight games, nine in a span of eight weeks.
All along the way, his value on the market and his value to the Cowboys continued to rise.
"It was a good feeling," Robinson said. "I knew I had talent, I knew I could make plays, but I finally got an opportunity to show what I can do, and I thank them for taking a chance on me."
