SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 19, 2014
Cowboys 31, Giants 21: Tony Romo threw for three touchdowns and DeMarco Murray set an NFL record by registering his seventh straight 100-yard performance to begin the season as host Dallas posted its sixth consecutive victory.
Romo (17-of-23, 279 yards) tossed two scoring passes to tight end Gavin Escobar while Terrance Williams notched his fifth touchdown catch in five games for the Cowboys (6-1). Murray added a 1-yard TD run to highlight his 128-yard rushing effort and Dez Bryant reeled in a game-high nine receptions for 151 yards.
Eli Manning (21-of-33, 248 yards) threw two of his three touchdown passes to rookie Odell Beckham Jr. for the Giants (3-4), who have dropped two straight contests to NFC East foes after compiling a three-game winning streak. Daniel Fells hauled in his fourth touchdown pass in five weeks, but fellow tight end Larry Donnell lost two fumbles in the fourth quarter to aid in his team's undoing.
With the score tied at 14-14, Escobar extended himself to snare a pass over the middle from Romo before absorbing a hit from Quintin Demps for his second touchdown of the contest. Murray doubled the advantage by plowing in from 1 yard out before Manning trimmed the deficit with 5:28 left by connecting with Beckham for a 5-yard touchdown.
Romo found Escobar on a post pattern in the back of the end zone to open the scoring before Manning teamed up with Beckham near the right pylon early in the second. Prince Amukamara's interception set up Fells' 27-yard touchdown reception on the next play before Romo drilled a pass to Williams in the back of the end zone with 2:17 remaining in the half to forge a 14-14 tie.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Escobar recorded his first career two-touchdown performance while also notching a multi-reception game for the first time this season. ... New York did not allow a sack after surrendering eight in a 27-0 loss to Philadelphia last week. ... Giants DT Cullen Jenkins strained his calf in the first quarter and LB Jon Beason sustained an undisclosed injury in the second. Neither returned to the contest.