Cowboys’ Prescott, Elliott get Packers next in uneven Year 2

FRISCO, TEXAS » Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott lost two games when both played during a remarkable rookie year for the Dallas Cowboys.

The star quarterback and running back have already matched that a quarter of the way through what’s been an uneven second season. They face Green Bay on Sunday less than nine months after the Packers (3-1) spoiled the duo’s first playoff appearance as the NFC’s top seed at home.

The Cowboys (2-2) solved the problem of slow starts in two straight games, but created a new one by letting an 11-point lead slip away in a surprising 35-30 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Prescott, last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, was off-target as the Cowboys punted three straight times in the third quarter after scoring on all four first-half drives Sunday. The fourth possession after halftime ended with his third interception of the season. Prescott threw four his entire rookie year.

“I think I missed some throws in the second half that I didn’t miss in the first half or that I can’t miss, simply,” Prescott said . “Going along with that, it is just knowing where I am going with the ball so that my feet can be in tune with my body.”

Prescott was 20 of 36 for 252 yards and three touchdowns with his third sub100 passer rating in four games. He had five such games last season, when he set an NFL rookie record with a 104.9 rating as the Cowboys went 13-3. They lost their finale when Prescott played only briefly and Elliott sat with a firstround playoff bye clinched.

Appeals court latest stop in running back’s suspension case

NEW ORLEANS » A federal appeals court in New Orleans could rule as early as Tuesday on whether Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott must begin serving a six-game suspension because of domestic violence allegations.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Elliott in August. Elliott has been allowed to play, however, because a federal district judge blocked the suspension pending appeals.

The NFL says the players union, representing Elliott, improperly filed suit before an arbitrator ruled in the case.

The union argues the suit could be pursued because the arbitration proceedings were complete, except for the final ruling, which went against Elliott.

Raiders QB Carr out 2 to 6 weeks

ALAMEDA » The Oakland Raiders will be without quarterback Derek Carr for two to six weeks after he injured his back in a 16-10 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Carr left the Raiders’ game at Denver late in the third quarter Sunday after being shaken up on a sack.

Carr was hit by defensive end Shelby Harris and was going down when defensive end Adam Gotsis flew in and wrapped a padded arm between his helmet and shoulder pads.

Carr remained on the ground for several moments as team trainers and medical personnel came on to the field to tend to him. He eventually was able to get up and walk off the field on his own power, holding his lower back.

Giants are not the winless New York team everyone expected

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » There were a lot of people who believed there would be a winless team in New York four games into the NFL season.

It just wasn’t York Giants.

The Jets? Sure. They were supposed to tank the season and get the No. 1 overall draft pick. They’re 2-2, though, and thinking turnaround.

The Giants were coming off an 11-5 season that got them into the playoffs and had high expectations. Now, they are in big trouble. They are off to their worst start since going 0-6 in 2013, and coach Ben McAdoo is hoping his players aren’t overwhelmed by the task in front of them.

Only one team since the NFL and AFL merged into one league in 1970 has started 0-4 and made the playoffs. That was the San Diego Chargers in 1992. the New