IRVING, Texas — While Terrell Owens is griping again, his former team is enjoying life without him.

T.O. is complaining about his lack of involvement in the Dallas offense, even after his NFL-best 12th receiving touchdown for the Cowboys' only score in a 23-7 loss to Philadelphia on Christmas Day that gave the Eagles control of the NFC East race with one game left.

"It's not necessarily embarrassing that we lost to them," Owens said, insisting he has no personal grudge against the Eagles. "I was embarrassed by the way we played offensively."

With a chance to clinch its first division title since 1998, Dallas instead had its lowest-scoring game and worst offensive showing of the season with 201 yards, 119 fewer than the previous low. That even includes the six games Drew Bledsoe started before Tony Romo took over and quickly became a Pro Bowl quarterback.

"I told the team that they can either be judged by this game or they come back ready to go next week," coach Bill Parcells said.

Except now a win over Detroit in the regular season finale might not be enough to win the division. Philadelphia would also have to lose to Atlanta. And if both lose, the Eagles have the tiebreaker, having also beaten the Cowboys in T.O.'s much-hyped return to Philly in October.

Both 9-6, the Eagles and Cowboys are already guaranteed playoff spots. The NFC East winner will host the lower-seeded wild-card team, while the division runner-up will play at Seattle.

With Jeff Garcia instead of the injured Donovan McNabb at quarterback, Philly has won four straight December games, the last three being road games against division foes. From 5-6 after McNabb got hurt and Garcia lost his first start, the Eagles can win the NFC East for the fifth time in six years.