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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, November 27, 2009

Cowboys gain 494 yards in rout of Raiders, 24-7


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones (28) scores a touchdown followed by Oakland Raiders cornerback Tyvon Branch (33) during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, in Arlington, Texas.

AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Jose Yau

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ARLINGTON, Texas — Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys had their way with the Oakland Raiders, piling up their most yards of the season and getting another solid performance from the defense.

Now comes the big challenge for the NFC East leaders: Keeping it going.

Dallas beat Oakland, 24-7, yesterday for its sixth win in seven games, guaranteeing it will remain atop the division going into the final month. Because Decembers have been such disasters for the Cowboys over the past decade-plus, they can only hope this performance indicates things will be different this season.

"I think we have a lot to prove — just for this season, though," Romo said. "I don't think any other season has any bearing whatsoever. For us, it's strictly about right now and this next game. We'll go from there."

Despite a back injury sustained four days before, Romo threw for 309 yards. He got more than 100 yards receiving from each of his two favorite targets, Miles Austin and Jason Witten, and threw a touchdown to his highest-paid receiver, Roy Williams.

Dallas (8-3) also had nice balance with more than 60 yards each from running backs Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Marion Barber.

The defense kept Oakland (3-8) from crossing midfield in the first half, crushing the good vibes the Raiders generated by a victory over the division-leading Bengals on Sunday. They got within 17-7 early in the second half on the first career touchdown catch by top draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, then hardly threatened again.

"Trying to win two games for us has been like trying to climb Mount Everest," Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. "We haven't been able to get any momentum going."

Coming off two lousy offensive performances, the Cowboys more than made up for it.

They gained 494 yards, sparked by lots of big plays — five of at least 40 yards, and eight of at least 25.

Witten had his two longest catches of the season and his first 100-yard outing since last Thanksgiving. Choice had a 66-yard run that was the club's longest since 2006, Jones added a 46-yarder for a touchdown, and Romo was 18 of 29 with two touchdown passes and no turnovers.

BRONCOS 26, GIANTS 6

DENVER — Kyle Orton directed six scoring drives, Matt Prater kicked four field goals and safety Brian Dawkins led a ferocious defense 48 hours after calling a players-only meeting as Denver rolled past New York.

Elvis Dumervil dumped Eli Manning twice, extending his NFL-leading sack total to 14. Dumervil's second one came in the fourth quarter and resulted in a fumble that sealed Denver's first win since Oct. 19.

Behind three takeaways, the Broncos (7-4) halted their freefall and pulled within a half game of AFC West leader San Diego. New York (6-5) fell two games behind Dallas in the NFC East.

Coming out of a commercial break following Denver's second field goal, the NFL Network showed a clip of Broncos coach Josh McDaniels yelling at his players on the sideline saying, "All we're trying to do is win a (expletive) game!"

The vulgarity was clearly audible to viewers, and announcer Bob Papa immediately apologized to viewers.

In an interview with The Associated Press and the Denver Post, Eric Weinberger, executive producer of the NFL Network, apologized to viewers and McDaniels for the "terrible mistake."

"It was on delay. We wish we would have caught it and bleeped it," Weinberger said. "We apologize for ever airing anything like that, absolutely, especially on Thanksgiving."

PACKERS 34, LIONS 12

DETROIT — Aaron Rodgers matched a career high with three touchdown passes and Green Bay beat Detroit for its third straight win to improve its playoff prospects.

"We can't talk about the playoffs yet," Packers receiver Donald Driver said.

Matthew Stafford, playing with a sore non-throwing shoulder, threw one touchdown pass and four interceptions as Detroit lost its sixth straight game on Thanksgiving.

Detroit (2-9) recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff and took a 7-0 lead on Stafford's 1-yard TD pass to Calvin Johnson. But the Packers (7-4) scored 27 unanswered points to turn the game into a rout.

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