By Angie Ledbetter

A former South Panola standout football player, Deshea Townsend, made a big play in the National Football league’s game between the Pittsburg Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday that won the game for his Steelers’s team.

The cornerback for the Steelers intercepted Dallas quarterback Tony Romo’s pass and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:40 left in the game. The game was tied at 13.

The Steelers scored two touchdowns within a few seconds to hand the Cowboys a big loss as far as the playoff picture ending. Dallas’ three-game winning streak. The loss gave Eli Manning and his New York Giants a NFC East championship after they lost to Philadelphia 20-14 on Sunday.

The Steelers (10-3) did not wrap up an AFC playoff spot, but they won their fourth straight game. The Steelers, who lead the AFC North by one game, can win the conference next week when they play Baltimore who beat Washington 24-10 Sunday.

The Steelers defense forced five turnovers for the Cowboys.

Townsend is in his eleventh year in the National Football League. This was his third career interception returned for a touchdown, his first since 2004.