LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -Clinton Portis helped set up a touchdown on Washington’s opening drive after starting despite a sprained knee, Tony Romo was intercepted twice, and the Redskins led the Dallas Cowboys 10-7 at halftime Sunday night.
Portis, who didn’t practice all week, ran for 29 yards on five carries on the Redskins’ opening possession, including a gain of 9 on fourth-and-1 at Dallas’ 11.
On the next play, Jason Campbell rolled out and found Mike Sellers open in the right flat for a 2-yard touchdown pass. That play gave Sellers as many receptions – two – on that drive as he had through the season’s first nine games.
of the game gave him 1,000 yards rushing for the season, the sixth time he has reached that milestone in the NFL – and earliest in any season. He had 37 yards on nine carries in the first half.
Romo returned after missing three games with a broken pinkie on his throwing hand. He played with that finger covered in a heavy bandage that also wrapped around his wrist.
Romo completed his first six passes, but then completed only three of his next seven attempts, with the two interceptions.
Dallas’ second drive began at its own 22 and extended all the way down to Washington’s 27.
But on third-and-3, Romo threw the ball behind Terrell Owens, and DeAngelo Hall grabbed it – precisely the sort of play the Redskins were hoping for when they signed the cornerback last weekend after he was waived by the Oakland Raiders.
The next time Dallas moved inside Washington’s 30, this time in the second quarter, again the drive ended with a turnover on a pass aimed at Owens. This one landed in the wideout’s arms, but cornerback Carlos Rogers hit him from behind as the pass arrived.
The football popped into the air and was grabbed by linebacker Rocky McIntosh for his first interception in three seasons in the league.
The Cowboys eventually did get on the scoreboard with about a minute left in the half, capping an 80-yard drive with Marion Barber’s 2-yard TD run out of the shotgun. The play was reviewed by the booth to check whether he was down before crossing the goal line, but the original call stood, making it 7-all.
The key plays on the drive were Romo’s 28-yard completion to Jason Witten right before the 2-minute warning, followed by a 25-yard pass to Owens that set up first-and-goal at the 2.
After Barber’s score, Rock Cartwright’s 58-yard kickoff return set up the Redskins at the Cowboys’ 37. Five players later, Shaun Suisham’s 41-yard field goal put Washington back in front, 3 seconds before halftime.
Portis entered the week second in the NFL in yards rushing with 995, including 121 in a victory over Dallas on Sept. 28. He sprained his left knee in Washington’s previous game, a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 3.
Both Dallas and Washington were coming off a bye week.
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