Perfect conditions inside Cowboys stadium once again helped create incredible pictures

It was a tense game that came down to very last play, and the late afternoon light at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas only added to the drama.

The light, which came in through the stadium's massive windows, also helped some of the best sports photographers around produce some truly dazzling pictures. We saw similar light from the Cowboys' stadium early last season, too, when the Patriots came to town in October. In both instances, the photographs cast some players in spotlights, light up others, and manage to create an atmosphere that looks more like theater than sports.

Check out the best shots below, courtesy of Getty Images and the Associated Press: