LANDOVER, Md. — By day, came the invitation. By night, came the acceptance.
The playoffs are coming, and the Cowboys are going. That’s enough information for now. The Cowboys are going to the playoffs, once a birth-right for this franchise, but now a celebratory moment.

Unexpected good football fortune had arrived here in the afternoon hours, with the Cowboys holed up in a downtown Washington hotel, watching on TV while their gift was being delivered.
But as that team from up New Jersey way was mailing in the season, and basically UPSing a valuable playoff spot down Texas way, such prosperity came with one testy condition attached.
Man up, and win here Sunday night. Either that, or shut the bleep up. Either that, or continue to carry the label of December’s NFL mutt.
If Tony Dungy had provided, as the Cowboys claimed, kick-butt motivation with a mere “no chance” comment the week before, you could double the incentive here after the Giants went belly-up Sunday afternoon in a blowout home loss to Carolina.
OK, it was only the totally-screwed-up Redskins providing the opposition on a weather-perfect evening somewhere in the Beltway outback, but that doesn’t discount the significance of this 17-0 achievement.
The Cowboys’ December hoodoo voodoo was lurking, and it doesn’t take a history lesson to chart franchise failures in these kind of win-and-get-in situations over the past decade-plus. Say, last December, for instance.
But a couple of vital positives converged on Sunday. The quarterback and the defense. I’m not rushing it, but the best playoff combo of all is strong QB play and strong defense. Just thought I’d mention it.
Start with Mr. Fix It’s group, which pitched a shutout without Washington really even threatening (deepest penetration was the Dallas 34 until a last futile drive reached the 25) to remove the goose-egg from the scoreboard. It was a total snuff-job for Wade.
Don’t worry, coach Phillips knows all the “baseball stats” when it comes to his positive achievements, and will be passing out media releases on Monday. But briefly, the Cowboys hadn’t shut out an opponent since doing it here against the Redskins in 2003, and the Redskins hadn’t been shutout since 2005 against the Giants.
In sweeping the season series against the Skins, the Mr. Fix It troops went eight quarters without allowing a touchdown, giving up six points in the two wins. Jerry still loves you, Wade.
But seriously, outside of a road collapse to open December against the Giants, the defense has gone above and beyond in three games since then, including potent offensive arsenals from San Diego and New Orleans.
Then there was Romo, as the Don’t-Blame-Tony-This-Time campaign continued throughout his once evil month of December.
The quarterback was exceptionally sharp (25-of-38 for 286 yards and a touchdown) against the same Redskins’ defense that a month ago had held his offense scoreless until deep in the fourth quarter.
This time, Romo struck early, converting a first-quarter turnover into seven points by first nailing wide receiver Patrick Crayton for 16 yards on a third-and-9 from the Skins’ 35. Then on a second-and-goal from the 4, Romo moved alertly out of sack danger, and Roy Williams kept the play alive by moving alertly to the corner of the end zone. Tony’s throw was perfect.
In the second quarter, tight end Jason Witten, a potent force all night, ran a crossing pattern, made the reception and rambled 69 yards to the Washington 3. Marion Barber banged in from there, which was about the one and only shortage success story for the evening.
At 14-0, the Cowboys’ lead was comfortable. But putting away the Redskins was a struggle. Potential scoring possessions continued to disappear, once at the end of the half on a Roy Uno Uno drop (he has one a game, at least, right?) and another time in the first half when Jason Garrett got too cute on a wildcat dipsy-doodle call.
Then in the second half, just when the Redskins’ defense appeared ready to surrender, there were three possessions halted by short-yardage stands.
Barber kept getting the call. Barber kept getting hammered at the line of scrimmage. It wasn’t costly, as against the Chargers earlier this month, but it was a rather troubling flashback to that particular game. Just a thought, coach Garrett, but how about short-yard throws to the sure-hands of Miles Austin, huh?
But for now . . .
The Cowboys came in here in Week 16, Game 15, of the regular season, and cleared a psychological hurdle. With an unexpected opportunity surfacing earlier in the day (the loss by the Giants), there was a pounce, a win, and a playoff berth.
Next week, we will know much more about this team. It’s the regular-season wrap-up, with the Eagles visiting the big yard in Arlington. All kinds of postseason implications will be on the line, including the right to play at home in the first round.
Also, the NFC continued to loosen up on Sunday, with the Saints losing at home again — if the Cowboys’ win down there was a surprise, the Tampa Bay upset is a stunner that suggests the Saints are in a more rapid decline than anyone expected.
But for now, all that matters is the Cowboys are 10-5, are in the playoffs, and with a chance for much more when the Eagles come to town.
For once, December wasn’t so bad. And the expectations for January seem legitimately high.
Let the games, the big games, continue.