Cowboys get 'right' in Arizona desert
By BOB BAUM
The Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. _ Nothing like a trip to Arizona to right the wrongs of an NFL team.
Tony Romo threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yarder to Terrell Owens, and the Dallas Cowboys beat the crumbling Cardinals 27-10 on Sunday.
But it wasn't all to the good for Dallas. The Cowboys lost starting linebacker Greg Ellis to a left Achilles' injury early in the fourth quarter. Reports said he would be out for the season.
The Cowboys (5-4), showing no signs of a hangover from their heartbreaking loss to Washington the previous week, turned two interceptions by Matt Leinart into second-half touchdowns and sent the Cardinals (1-8) to their eighth straight loss.
Romo completed 20-of-29 with no interceptions in Dallas' third consecutive road game. The Cowboys are home against unbeaten Indianapolis next Sunday.
Dallas was without wide receiver Terry Glenn, who aggravated a knee injury in practice Friday. He wasn't needed, not against this opponent.
As bad as Arizona has been over the years, its losing streak is its longest since dropping the final eight under Joe Bugel in 1991. The Cardinals haven't started a season 1-8 since 1978, when they were in St. Louis and coached by Bud Wilkinson.
Owens, who vowed to make amends after dropping a sure TD against the Redskins, dropped the first pass thrown to him Sunday, too. But it was a nice day after that. Owens caught five for 96 yards, including the 51-yarder down the sidelines _ his longest catch since coming to Dallas _ to put the Cowboys up 20-7 with 5:15 left in the third quarter.
There was no elaborate celebration for T.O this time, just a few high-fives to his teammates.
Moments later, Leinart's pass bounced off the hands of intended receiver Anquan Boldin and was picked off by Patrick Watkins, who returned it 24 yards to the Arizona 39. That led to Marion Barber's 5-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a 27-3 lead 43 seconds into the final quarter.
Larry Fitzgerald, back after missing three games with a hamstring injury, had catches of 15 and 38 yards as Arizona drove 78 yards in seven plays to cut it to 27-10 on Leinart's 3-yard run with 11:53 remaining.
With Dallas leading 13-3, the Cardinals moved to the Cowboys 49, but Akin Ayodele intercepted Leinart's pass over the middle. A facemask penalty against Arizona's Reggie Wells moved the ball to the Cowboys 49. On the next play, Owens beat defender Eric Green and was wide open down the sidelines for a touchdown that put Dallas ahead 20-7.
The Cowboys never trailed, converting two third-and-8 situations in a late first-quarter drive that ended with Mike Vanderjagt's 28-yard field goal to make it 3-0.
Dallas added its only first-half touchdown on its next possession. Romo completed passes of 16 and 22 yards to Jason Witten on a seven-play, 78-yard drive. Romo found Patrick Crayton down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown to put the Cowboys ahead 10-0 with 8:33 to go in the half.
Leinart's 43-yard pass to Boldin set up Neil Rackers' 28-yard field goal that cut the lead to 10-3 with 3:31 to play in the half.
After the kickoff, the Cowboys were backed up to second-and-22 from their nine, but Barber ran 12 yards and Romo connected with Crayton for a 34-yard play and a first down. Vanderjagt's 38-yard field goal as the half ended put Dallas ahead 13-3.
The Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. _ Nothing like a trip to Arizona to right the wrongs of an NFL team.
Tony Romo threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yarder to Terrell Owens, and the Dallas Cowboys beat the crumbling Cardinals 27-10 on Sunday.
But it wasn't all to the good for Dallas. The Cowboys lost starting linebacker Greg Ellis to a left Achilles' injury early in the fourth quarter. Reports said he would be out for the season.
The Cowboys (5-4), showing no signs of a hangover from their heartbreaking loss to Washington the previous week, turned two interceptions by Matt Leinart into second-half touchdowns and sent the Cardinals (1-8) to their eighth straight loss.
Romo completed 20-of-29 with no interceptions in Dallas' third consecutive road game. The Cowboys are home against unbeaten Indianapolis next Sunday.
Dallas was without wide receiver Terry Glenn, who aggravated a knee injury in practice Friday. He wasn't needed, not against this opponent.
As bad as Arizona has been over the years, its losing streak is its longest since dropping the final eight under Joe Bugel in 1991. The Cardinals haven't started a season 1-8 since 1978, when they were in St. Louis and coached by Bud Wilkinson.
Owens, who vowed to make amends after dropping a sure TD against the Redskins, dropped the first pass thrown to him Sunday, too. But it was a nice day after that. Owens caught five for 96 yards, including the 51-yarder down the sidelines _ his longest catch since coming to Dallas _ to put the Cowboys up 20-7 with 5:15 left in the third quarter.
There was no elaborate celebration for T.O this time, just a few high-fives to his teammates.
Moments later, Leinart's pass bounced off the hands of intended receiver Anquan Boldin and was picked off by Patrick Watkins, who returned it 24 yards to the Arizona 39. That led to Marion Barber's 5-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a 27-3 lead 43 seconds into the final quarter.
Larry Fitzgerald, back after missing three games with a hamstring injury, had catches of 15 and 38 yards as Arizona drove 78 yards in seven plays to cut it to 27-10 on Leinart's 3-yard run with 11:53 remaining.
With Dallas leading 13-3, the Cardinals moved to the Cowboys 49, but Akin Ayodele intercepted Leinart's pass over the middle. A facemask penalty against Arizona's Reggie Wells moved the ball to the Cowboys 49. On the next play, Owens beat defender Eric Green and was wide open down the sidelines for a touchdown that put Dallas ahead 20-7.
The Cowboys never trailed, converting two third-and-8 situations in a late first-quarter drive that ended with Mike Vanderjagt's 28-yard field goal to make it 3-0.
Dallas added its only first-half touchdown on its next possession. Romo completed passes of 16 and 22 yards to Jason Witten on a seven-play, 78-yard drive. Romo found Patrick Crayton down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown to put the Cowboys ahead 10-0 with 8:33 to go in the half.
Leinart's 43-yard pass to Boldin set up Neil Rackers' 28-yard field goal that cut the lead to 10-3 with 3:31 to play in the half.
After the kickoff, the Cowboys were backed up to second-and-22 from their nine, but Barber ran 12 yards and Romo connected with Crayton for a 34-yard play and a first down. Vanderjagt's 38-yard field goal as the half ended put Dallas ahead 13-3.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:19 PM
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