SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 28, 2013
Cowboys 31, Raiders 24: DeMarco Murray rushed for three touchdowns - the first multi-touchdown game of his career - and Tony Romo passed for 225 yards and a score as host Dallas rallied past Oakland.
Lance Dunbar rushed for 82 yards and Murray added 63 yards on the ground for the Cowboys (7-5), who took a half-game lead over Philadelphia in the NFC East. Romo was 23-of-32 and connected with Dez Bryant seven times for 61 yards and a score.
Undrafted rookie Matt McGloin made his third straight start at quarterback for Oakland (4-8), going 18-of-30 for 255 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Rashad Jennings rushed for two touchdowns and Andre Holmes caught seven passes for 136 yards for the Raiders.
Oakland was in command early, as Greg Jenkins returned Terrance Williams' fumble on the opening kickoff 23 yards for a touchdown and Jennings scored on a pair of 1-yard runs to give the Raiders a 21-7 lead. The Cowboys changed the momentum with an eight-play, 73-yard drive capped by Murray's 4-yard run just before halftime to pull within a touchdown.
The Cowboys dominated the second half, tying it on Romo's 4-yard touchdown pass to Bryant and taking the lead when Murray's 7-yard run capped a 65-yard drive on the second play of the fourth quarter. The Raiders were driving toward a potential tying touchdown, but Dallas' Brandon Carr made a leaping interception in the end zone to pick off a pass intended for Jacoby Ford and preserve the 28-21 lead - to which both teams added field goals.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Romo has thrown 18 TD passes on Thanksgiving, the most in NFL history. กญ The Cowboys have topped 100 yards rushing in two straight games after doing so only once in their first 10 contests. กญ The Raiders had 50 rushing yards, their second-lowest output of the season and only the third time all season they've failed to break 100.