ARLINGTON, Texas — DeMarco Murray moved ahead of Jim Brown in the NFL record book. Tony Romo moved the Dallas Cowboys up and down the field for their sixth straight win.
Murray broke Brown’s 56-year-old mark with his seventh straight 100-yard rushing game to start a season, Romo threw three touchdown passes and the Cowboys beat the New York Giants 31-21 Sunday.
Romo had a fourth scoring pass overturned on replay. Instead, Murray wound up with his seventh rushing touchdown of the season on a 1-yard plunge.
He finished with 128 yards on the ground to pass Brown, who hit the century mark in the first six games of the 1958 season for Cleveland.
The Cowboys (6-1) are off to their best start since winning six of their first seven on the way to a 13-3 finish in 2007, when they were the top seed in the NFC before losing to New York in their first playoff game.
Eli Manning had three touchdown passes for the Giants (3-4), who have lost road games to the NFC East’s top two teams in consecutive weeks. New York now has two-game skids on either side of a three-game winning streak.
Dallas tight end Gavin Escobar had his first two-touchdown game, and Dez Bryant finished with a season-high 151 yards receiving. Romo was 17 of 23 for 279 yards with an interception.
Bryant had a touchdown taken away when he stretched his left arm over the goal line as he was being tackled by Prince Amukamara. The call was overturned on review, and Murray scored on the next play for a 28-14 fourth-quarter lead.
Murray didn’t return in the first half after falling down in the open field on his longest run before halftime, a 21-yard sprint around right end. He spent a few minutes with trainers on the sideline but didn’t leave the field.
The fourth-year back from Oklahoma returned in the second half and broke Brown’s record on a 1-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter after a 15-yard carry put him on the verge of setting the mark.
JAGUARS 24, BROWNS 6
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars are winless no more.
Denard Robinson ran for a career-high 127 yards and a touchdown, Jacksonville’s defense came up big in the red zone, and the Jaguars snapped a nine-game losing streak.
Jacksonville (1-6) won for the first time since beating Houston on Dec. 15, 2013.
Blake Bortles connected with fellow rookie Allen Robinson for a 31-yard score and the game’s first touchdown. It was really all the Jaguars needed on a day in which coach Gus Bradley’s defense delivered time and time again.
The Browns (3-3) settled for field goals in two trips inside the 20-yard line and failed to convert on fourth-and-1 at the 24.
CHIEFS 23, CHARGERS 20
SAN DIEGO — Cairo Santos kicked a 48-yard field goal field goal with 21 seconds left and the Chiefs snapped the Chargers’ five-game winning streak.
The Chiefs moved into field goal range thanks to Alex Smith, who completed three straight passes for 43 yards, including a 29-yarder to Dwayne Bowe. Smith was playing on the same field where he led Helix High to consecutive San Diego Section championships.
Coming off their bye, the Chiefs (3-3) made the AFC West a three-team race, pulling within 1 ½ games of San Diego (5-2). The Broncos (5-1) lead the division.
The Chiefs’ Andy Reid is 14-2 after a bye week, the most victories for any coach.
CARDINALS 24, RAIDERS 13
OAKLAND, Calif. — Carson Palmer threw two touchdown passes in his return to Oakland to send the Raiders to their 12th straight loss.
Stepfan Taylor caught one touchdown pass and ran for another, and Andre Ellington gained 160 yards from scrimmage for the Cardinals (5-1), who are off to their best start since 1976.
Darren McFadden ran for a touchdown for the Raiders (0-6), off to their worst start to a season since losing their first 13 games in 1962 — the year before late owner Al Davis joined the franchise.
LIONS 24, SAINTS 23
DETROIT — Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes in the final 3:38, including the winner to Corey Fuller with 1:48 remaining.
The Saints (2-4) were in control late in the fourth quarter when Stafford found Golden Tate for a 73-yard catch-and-run that made it 23-17. Then Drew Brees was intercepted on third down by Glover Quin, whose 23-yard return gave the Lions (5-2) the ball at the New Orleans 14.
Detroit caught a break when Rafael Bush was called for pass interference on fourth down. Stafford eventually connected with Fuller in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown and the win.
The Saints committed 12 penalties for 134 yards.
COLTS 27, BENGALS 0
INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes and the Colts’ defense dominated Cincinnati. Luck was 27 of 42 for 344 yards as Indianapolis (5-2) won its fifth straight. It was Indy’s first shutout since December 2008 and the 500th victory in franchise history.
Cincinnati (3-2-1), which hasn’t won since starting 3-0, endured its first shutout since December 2009 and had a franchise record tying 11 punts Sunday. Andy Dalton was 18 of 38 for 126 yards.
Indy churned out 506 yards, struck early and pulled away late.
Bradshaw’s 1-yard TD run made it 10-0 in the second quarter and Luck threw two second-half TD passes to make it 24-0.
PACKERS 38, PANTHERS 17
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns, and Randall Cobb torched the Carolina secondary for 121 yards on receptions.
Sure-tackling Green Bay (5-2) limited quarterback Cam Newton in the first half. The Packers scored touchdowns on their first three series and led 28-3 at halftime, eliminating the threat of the Panthers’ running game.
Newton, who had a career-high 17 carries last week, had 41 yards rushing on seven attempts. He passed for 205 yards for Carolina (3-3-1).
RAVENS 29, FALCONS 7
BALTIMORE — Elvis Dumervil and Pernell McPhee each had two sacks, part of a dominant defensive performance that carried the Ravens.
Baltimore (5-2) led 17-0 at halftime and coasted to its second straight blowout win. The Ravens beat Tampa Bay 48-17 last week.
The Falcons (2-5) averted their first shutout loss since December 2004 when Matt Ryan connected with Roddy White for a 4-yard touchdown with 7:12 remaining. It was Atlanta’s first fourth-quarter score in five games.
Terrell Suggs sacked Ryan for a safety and Joe Flacco threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith on a fourth-and-9 to seal Baltimore’s fourth win in five games.
DOLPHINS 27, BEARS 14
CHICAGO — Ryan Tannehill threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns in an efficient performance. Tannehill connected on his first 14 passes and was 25 of 32 overall, helping Miami bounce back from a brutal 27-24 loss to Green Bay.
Lamar Miller also had a 2-yard touchdown run for the Dolphins (3-3), who had lost three of four since an opening victory over New England.
The Bears (3-4) remained winless in three home games this season and have dropped five of their last seven at Soldier Field. Matt Forte scored two touchdowns and Jeremiah Ratliff finished with a career-best 3 1/2 sacks.
REDSKINS 19, TITANS 17
LANDOVER, Md. — Kai Forbath kicked a 22-yard field goal on the last play of the game, and Colt McCoy stepped in after Kirk Cousins was benched at halftime to lead the Redskins.
McCoy completed 11 of 12 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in his first meaningful role in a win since Nov. 20, 2011. Back then, he led the Browns to a 14-10 victory over the Jaguars.
The Redskins (2-5) snapped a four-game losing streak. The Titans fell to 2-5.
BILLS 17, VIKINGS 16
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Kyle Orton hit Sammy Watkins on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 1 second remaining. The touchdown capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive which Orton extended by converting a fourth-and-20 and a third-and-12. Orton set up the decisive score with a 28-yard pass to Chris Hogan at the Vikings 2.
Orton overcame an interception, a lost fumble and six sacks to finish 31 of 43 for 283 yards and two touchdowns — both to Watkins.
It was Orton’s second last-second victory in three starts for Buffalo (4-3), which overcame injuries to running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller.
By wire sources
