Tennessee capitalizes on Dallas’ mistakes

ARLINGTON, Texas — Kevin Byard secured the interception that sparked the sluggish Titans and turned toward midfield.

The flashback for the Cowboys was just as disheartening as the original.

Byard mimicked Terrell Owens’ mocking celebration on the star logo at the 50-yard line from 18 years ago, Marcus Mariota accounted for three touchdowns and the Titans spoiled Amari Cooper’s Dallas debut with a 28-14 victory Monday night.

The end-zone pick of Dak Prescott came after Mariota fumbled on the first two Tennessee possessions. Just as T.O. did at old Texas Stadium 18 years ago, Byard ran to midfield, under the huge videoboard at spacious AT&T Stadium, and spread his arms.

Owens did it twice in a blowout 49ers win over a bad Dallas team that time. This win by the Titans (4-4) ended their threegame losing streak and handed the Cowboys (3-5) their first loss in four home games.

“It was huge,” Mariota said of Byard, while adding that he didn’t see the celebration. “The defense has done an unbelievable job throughout the year in building us up. They found ways to give us plays, to get turnovers.”

The Cowboys looked like the team headed for a blowout win, but led just 7-0 after Mariota’s early miscues because of Brett Maher’s missed 38-yard fieldgoal try on the opening possession and Prescott’s ill-advised throw into double coverage.

“That was the difference. Simple as that,” said Prescott, who fumbled at his 40-yard line to set up Tennessee’s tie-breaking score in the third quarter.

Cooper scored the first Dallas touchdown after DeMarcus Lawrence stripped the ball from Mariota. Cooper finished with five receptions for 58 yards after coming from the Raiders in a trade for a first-round pick Oct. 22.

Mariota led an 80-yard drive capped by Derrick Henry’s 1-yard plunge for a 7-7 tie when given another chance on what would have been a third straight fumble to start the game was overturned by a review.

After getting sacked on third down with nobody realizing Tennessee had called timeout in a 7-7 game in the second quarter, Mariota completed a 36-yarder to Darius Jennings before a screen pass to Dion Lewis went 18 yards for a touchdown.

Mariota broke a 14-14 tie in the third quarter when he pulled the ball out of Lewis’ gut and delivered a 7-yard shovel pass to Jonnu Smith to put the Titans ahead for good. Mariota’s 9-yard scoring run all but sealed things with 4:38 to go.