Cowboys need OT to beat Browns (2-8)

Dallas Cowboys holder Brian Moorman (2) congratulates Dan Bailey (5) after Bailey kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime of Sunday’s game in Arlington, Texas. Bailey made a field goal with 2 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

Dallas Cowboys holder Brian Moorman (2) congratulates Dan Bailey (5) after Bailey kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime of Sunday’s game in Arlington, Texas. Bailey made a field goal with 2 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

Monday, November 19, 2012

— Tony Romo persevered through a career-high seven sacks, even avoiding costly mistakes that have dogged his career as he ran from constant pressure.

Just when he had Dallas in position to finish a rally and beat Cleveland, Romo lost a fumble that left the Cowboys scrambling to survive a wild ending Sunday in the first overtime game at Cowboys Stadium.

Finally, Dan Bailey’s 38-yard field goal with 6:07 left in the extra period gave the Cowboys a 23-20 victory.

It was Bailey who sent the game into overtime with a 32-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining in regulation.

“Had it all the way,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, smiling, as he walked into the post game locker room.

That’s how it looked late in the fourth quarter when Romo put the Cowboys ahead 17-13 with a 28-yard scoring pass to Dez Bryant, who had a career high 145 yards receiving. Anthony Spencer sacked Browns rookie Brandon Weeden on the next drive, forced a fumble and recovered it at the Cleveland 18 with 5:45 remaining.

Romo fumbled it back to the Browns two plays later - his first turnover in three games - as he was hit by Frostee Rucker while trying to avoid the sixth Cleveland sack. Dallas’ offensive line didn’t have left tackle Tyron Smith for most of the game because of an ankle injury.

“I obviously need to hold onto the ball and not let the guy come from behind and let the ball come out,” Romo said. “That could have been a big one.”

The Cowboys made one goal-line stand in the final minutes, but the Browns (2-8) got another chance and went ahead 20-17 on Weeden’s 17-yard pass to Benjamin Watson with 1:07 remaining.

Dallas won for the first time in six games when Romo is sacked at least five times. Despite the constant pressure, he still finished 35 of 50 for 313 yards with the touchdown to Bryant.

“Tony did a really good job of playing with poise,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “When you play quarterback and you have a lot of negative plays ... it’s easy to kind of get out of yourself and do some things you shouldn’t be doing.”

Referee Ed Hochuli carried on a running commentary in explaining replays and other rulings on the huge video board, and the most critical came in overtime when the officials ruled an incompletion on a throw that Miles Austin dropped.

The Cowboys were in position for a winning field goal, and replays appeared to show Austin had possession and took two steps before the ball was knocked out. The Browns recovered the loose ball, and called timeout to allow more time for a review. Hochuli announced that the play wasn’t reviewable, although that was one time he didn’t explain his reasoning; it wasn’t reviewable because a whistle had blown the play dead.

“I pretty much knew by the way they called it that it was not reviewable,” Browns coach Pat Shurmur said. “But I wanted to make sure they had time to get it all right.”

Cleveland led 13-0 at halftime, had Romo running for cover and the crowd booing repeatedly. But Dallas scored on its first three possessions of the second half, capped by Romo’s toss to Bryant.

Weeden took the Browns to the Dallas 1 after Romo’s fumble, but running back Trent Richardson was stuffed on third down and Weeden threw incomplete with 1:42 remaining.

The Browns weren’t finished, though. They used all three timeouts and forced a Dallas punt. The Cowboys’ John Phillips was penalized for a horse collar tackle on Joshua Cribbs, even though replay showed Phillips grabbing Cribbs’ hanging dreadlocks rather than his jersey. With the ball at the 17, Weeden found Watson in the middle of the end zone on the next play, just as he did on a 10-yard play for the game’s first score.

Dallas drove to the Cleveland 9 in the closing seconds, keyed by a 35-yard pass interference penalty on Sheldon Brown. The Cowboys tried to throw into the end zone twice, then settled for Bailey’s tying kick.

This week’s games THURSDAY’S GAME Buffalo 19, Miami 14 SUNDAY’S GAMES Dallas 23, Cleveland 20, OT N.Y. Jets 27, St. Louis 13 Houston 43, Jacksonville 37, OT Cincinnati 28, Kansas City 6 Washington 31, Philadelphia 6 Green Bay 24, Detroit 20 Atlanta 23, Arizona 19 Tampa Bay 27, Carolina 21, OT New Orleans 38, Oakland 17 Denver 30, San Diego 23 New England 59, Indianapolis 24 Baltimore 13, Pittsburgh 10 OPEN Minnesota, NY Giants, Seattle, Tennessee MONDAY’S GAME Chicago at San Francisco, 7:30 p.m.

Sports, Pages 13 on 11/19/2012