FORT WORTH, Texas --For the first time this season, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will start at left cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles. But it's a position Rodgers-Cromartie knows well; he started 43 games as an outside cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals, earning Pro Bowl honors at the position in 2009. After spending his first season with the Eagles learning the ins and outs of the nickel spot, Rodgers-Cromartie is prepared to return "home" against the Dallas Cowboys.

"I'm comfortable wherever," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "But I'm just going to go out there and play."

Rodgers-Cromartie is thrust into the starting position, of course, because fellow Pro Bowl corner Asante Samuel was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

"I don't know how to look at it because that's somebody we need," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "We know what he allows, he's a game-changer. So just filling in for him, it's going to be hard, but I just have to go out there and do what I do.

"I'm not in a competition with anybody."

Samuel, known for his play-making ability, has forced a turnover in each of the last two weeks, forcing a fumble against the Dolphins and intercepting Mark Sanchez. But after Samuel left last week's win over the New York Jets, Rodgers-Cromartie entered the game and forced a turnover of his own, jumping a slant and tipping a Sanchez pass up into the air before middle linebacker Jamar Chaney intercepted it.

With his team's back against the wall once again, Rodgers-Cromartie expects his team to continue fighting for its playoff life.

"We know how big of an opportunity this is," he said, "we just have to go out and play."