The Dallas Cowboys overcame an ugly first half on Sunday in St. Louis to put together the biggest non-overtime comeback in the history of the franchise, defeating the Rams 34-31.
The Cowboys offense got off to a miserable start, turning the ball over twice on their first three possessions--first, a DeMarco Murray fumble and then a Tony Romo interception that was returned 25 yards for the score--and St. Louis ended up with 14 points off this pair of turnovers. The only Rams touchdown that didn’t come off a takeaway was their first, a one-yard pass from Austin Davis to Lance Kendricks to open the game, and cap a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ate up almost nine minutes.
The visiting team got on the board with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Murray with a little over two minutes left in the half. Murray, who got off to an incredibly slow start, finished nicely, with 100 yards on ten carries.
On the drive after the Murray score, and after Henry Melton recovered a fumble, Dan Bailey hit a 29-yard field goal with two seconds left to close the gap to 21-10 going into intermission.
The Cowboys rode that momentum into the second half.
In the third quarter, Dallas pulled within one with a 68-yard touchdown pass from Romo to Dez Bryant and a 40-yard field goal from Bailey. Romo would finish 18 for 23 passing for 217 yards, two touchdowns and the interception. His counterpart Davis finished with 327 yards, three touchdowns and two picks.
After a 28-yard field goal by Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein to open the fourth quarter, the Cowboys completed their long comeback, with a touchdown pass from Romo to Terrance Williams and a 25-yard pick-six by linebacker Bruce Carter on the Rams’ ensuing possession.
Davis hit Austin Pettis in the end zone with a couple minutes left to close the gap to 34-31, but they wouldn’t be able to muster any more than that on Sunday, and the game ended on a Morris Claiborne interception.
Now 2-1, the Cowboys will host the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium next week on Sunday Night Football.
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