Cowboys outclass Carolina

Romo back to his best at Cowboys Stadium

Last updated: 29th September 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Cowboys outclass Carolina

Romo: Improved display

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Dallas Cowboys overturned a 7-0 half-time deficit to beat Carolina Panthers 21-7 on Monday night.

Terence Newman returned an interception for a touchdown and Tony Romo produced a near-faultless display as the Cowboys impressively bounced back from their agonising defeat to New York Giants.

Romo, who was criticised for his display in that reverse, completed 22 of 33 passes for 255 yards as the Cowboys marked the first Monday night game in their new $1.15billion stadium with a win.

The game was scoreless for almost 29 minutes as both teams struggled on the offensive, however the Panthers sprang into life to break the deadlock late in the opening half.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme hit tight end Dante Rosario for a 25-yard gain to the Dallas 25-yard line, and repeated the trick a play later to give Carolina a 7-0 lead.

Key mistake

Dallas came out firing in the third quarter and a 40-yard scamper from Jones down to the Panthers 10 set up a 24-yard Nick Folk field goal and got the Cowboys on the board.

And they took the lead late in the third period when Choice went in from five yards out to finish off a 58-yard Dallas drive, highlighted by a 23-yard strike from Romo to wide receiver Roy Williams.

Another Folk field goal - this time from 19 yards out - then increased the lead to 13-7 and capped a 14-play, 73-yard Dallas drive.

Delhomme had thrown four interceptions in the season-opening loss to Philadelphia, and another key mistake deep into the final period here ensured victory for Dallas.

His short pass was picked off by Newman, who returned it 27 yards for the game-breaking score. Choice's run for a two-point conversion made the final margin of victory 21-7.

The Cowboys rise to 2-1 with the win, while the Panthers drop to 0-3.