IRVING, Texas - Bill Parcells never let Tony Romo off easy. Asked in 2006 if he was surprised Romo made his first Pro Bowl in eight scintillating starts, the then-Cowboys head coach said dryly, "I don't think that would be a strong enough word."

That season, Romo established organizational precedence for a mid-season starter making the Pro Bowl.

Miles Austin might be next in line when the 2010 NFC roster is announced on Dec. 29.

In only 10 starts, Austin ranks seventh in the NFL in receiving yardage (1,138) on 65 catches. He's only the sixth Cowboys receiver to score at least 10 touchdowns (11) in a season.

Factor Austin's production into a full 16 starts, and the projections are eye-popping: 104 catches, 1,820 yards, 18 touchdowns.

Miami, anyone?

"I would like to," Austin said. "I think anyone would say they would like to make the Pro Bowl. If you do, you do; if you don't, you don't. But either way, we've still got to win games and we've got a long way ahead of us. We've really got to focus on that."

Austin's emergence in mid-October has helped the Cowboys (9-5) maintain control of their own destiny entering the final two games, starting Sunday at Washington. Beat the Redskins and Eagles, and the Cowboys will win their second NFC East championship in the last three years.

The similarities between Austin's (2009) and Romo's (2006) overnight success are unavoidable. Both were undrafted. Both waited three-and-a-half seasons to start. Both had a noticeable effect on the offense once they did.

In '06, Romo's promotion helped the offense score 425 points, the most since the Cowboys' last Super Bowl season (1995). In '09, Austin's entry into the lineup has helped push the offense to 5,523 total yards - the most in team history through 14 games - though former starter Patrick Crayton has remained effective with 32 catches for 507 yards and four TDs.

In last Saturday's win over previously unbeaten New Orleans, Austin (1,138 receiving yards) and Romo (3,886 passing yards) became the second set of undrafted teammates to produce a 1,000-yard, 3,000-yard season. The first was Mike Furrey and Jon Kitna (Detroit) in '06.

The duo's four seasons together has built a strong rapport.

"Tony, he's put in his time and he got a chance to learn the system some more, get more reps, get more game-time experience and he was able to thrive when he got in there," Austin said. "And he's still doing well to this day. I don't really compare my way of going to his, although when I look at them, you do see a similarity.

"I trust him 100 percent, and I know he's going to give me a chance to make a play on it if he throws it my way and I'm going to do my best to make the catch. I think that's where the trust comes in."

Austin credits offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and receivers coach Ray Sherman for staying on him "every day" - with extra emphasis on "every."

The Cowboys will need Austin's big plays - he has 20 of the offense' 55 total 20-plus-yard receiving gains - to maintain their December momentum. Based on his performance, has he punched a ticket to a more tropical climate on the last weekend of January (Miami, the site of the Pro Bowl)?

"I don't think there's any doubt about it," head coach Wade Phillips said. "I don't know that any guys have the numbers he has in the games he's played, the number of games he's played, and the average and the touchdowns and everything. He's playing outstanding."