PHILADELPHIA — Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes that kept Dallas even through three quarters. Then the Cowboys let their defense and special teams run wild in the end zone to win big and pump some life back into the NFC East race.
Dwayne Harris had a 78-yard punt return touchdown, and Brandon Carr returned an interception 47 yards for a score to lead the Cowboys to a 38-23 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
The Cowboys (4-5) and are second in the NFC East, 1 1/2 games behind the New York Giants, who lost to Cincinnati earlier Sunday.
The victory, and a break in the schedule, could propel the Cowboys back in the thick of the division race. They will play five of their next six games at home, starting Sunday against Cleveland.
“Don’t use words like desperate,” Romo said. “The importance was at its highest level. I don’t know if we are thinking anything more than we need another win.”
The latest game between these fierce rivals was more about salvaging a season than playing with something big on the line.
The Eagles (3-6) lost Michael Vick to a concussion after consecutive bruising hits in the second quarter and have lost five consecutive games under coach Andy Reid for the first time in his 14 seasons.
Rookie Nick Foles filled in for Vick and briefly rallied the Eagles until the Cowboys started showing some touchdown versatility. Romo hit Dez Bryant on a 30-yard pass on the final play of the third quarter, and Harris and Carr scored their touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Foles hit the field in the second quarter and was greeted by a loud ovation from a crowd that had become fed up with Vick’s erratic play.
Vick was knocked on his back by linebacker Ernie Sims on an incomplete pass and was slow to get up. He headed for the locker room and Foles started warming up. But Vick might have been injured on the previous play when he was driven from behind headfirst into the ground by Jay Ratliff.
Vick did not talk to reporters but appeared groggy in the locker room.
It might be too late for the Eagles, no matter who the quarterback is, to save their season.
Reid said he’d determine the starter for Sunday’s game at Washington based on Vick’s health
“I was hoping he’d make it through without having a concussion, but that’s where we sit right now with him,” Reid said.
Foles woke up a sleepy crowd in the third quarter when he hit Jeremy Maclin for a 44-yard touchdown and a 14-10 lead. Alex Henery’s 40-yard field goal made it 17-10.
Foles was rolling and the Eagles were scoring at Lincoln Financial Field.
But the Eagles were quickly knocked down to reality.
Romo, who finished 19 of 26 for 209 yards, tied it with the touchdown pass to Bryant.
Dallas Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys weren’t desperate after losing 4 of 5. And they were dominant in the fourth period.
But owner Jerry Jones refused to call the victory a season saver.
“I don’t want to do that,”he said. “You can, but I don’t want to do it. I know how important the game is to us.”
Early in the final quarter, Foles had an interception return for a touchdown wiped out on a holding penalty. No worries, Dallas. Harris returned a punt 78 yards for a 24-17 lead that silenced the crowd.
On the next drive, Foles had an interception returned for a score that counted, by Carr, returned 47 yards for a 31-17 lead.
Stanley Havili had a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:55 left, but Henery missed the extra point.
Then Foles fumbled after sacked and Mike Jenkins recovered for a touchdown.
In the final minutes, fans behind Dallas’ bench unrolled a banner that read, “Andy, Quit, Your Team Has!”
Foles was 22 of 32 for 209 yards and 1 touchdown.
“Not good enough to win,” Foles said. “I made some mistakes and I can’t turn the ball over. That’s the most important thing to win games.”
Vick, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, entered with 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
He looked sharp on the first drive, finishing it by connecting with Riley Cooper for a 2-yard touchdown.
Cooper’s one-handed grab on a fade route gave the Eagles their first points on their opening drive all season.
The fun was short-lived when Romo hit Felix Jones (Arkansas Razorbacks) on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Jones accounted for 93 yards, 71 rushing on 16 carries and 3 catches for 22 yards.
Dan Bailey kicked a 30-yard field goal to send the Cowboys into halftime with a 10-7 lead.
This week’s games THURSDAY’S GAME Indianapolis 27, Jacksonville 10 SUNDAY’S GAMES New Orleans 31, Atlanta 27 Minnesota 34, Detroit 24 Denver 36, Carolina 14 Tampa Bay 34, San Diego 24 Tennessee 37, Miami 3 New England 37, Buffalo 31 Baltimore 55, Oakland 20 Cincinnati 31, N.Y. Giants 13 Seattle 28, N.Y. Jets 7 St. Louis 24, San Francisco 24, OT Dallas 38, Philadelphia 23 Houston 13, Chicago 6 OPEN Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Washington TODAY’S GAME Kansas City at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Sports, Pages 15 on 11/12/2012