Witten, Elliott lead as Cowboys stifle Giants
AUTO RACING: Homestead-Miami Speedway suffered minor and cosmetic damage to non-essential areas but none of the damage will impact the track’s ability to host the NASCAR season finale Nov. 17-19, the track announced.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Oklahoma senior QB Baker Mayfield apologized for planting a Sooners flag at midfield of the Horseshoe after his team’s upset of Ohio State last weekend in Columbus . ... Oklahoma sophomore DL Amani Bledsoe filed a lawsuit last month against the NCAA after being suspended for failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs. According to court documents, Oklahoma asked the NCAA to lift the suspension and restore a year of eligibility. It also seeks reimbursement for court costs and attorney fees. Bledsoe said he ran out of a supplement and took some of a teammate’s supplement last year before submitting to a random NCAA drug test . ... Central Florida and Georgia Tech officials agreed to cancel Saturday’s game in Orlando because of Hurricane Irma. The national guard is using Spectrum Stadium as a staging area, and the inability to gather some Knights players for practice after they were released to be with their families limited the team’s ability to host a game. It wasn’t yet decided if the game will be rescheduled . ... Louisville senior RB Jeremy Smith will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his right foot during practice Thursday . ... Kent State coach Paul Haynes returned after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. Haynes, 48, had taken a medical leave of absence last month, but the school hadn’t provided details about his condition. He missed the Golden Flashes’ loss at Clemson in their season opener, but he surprised the team Saturday by showing up before its 38-31 win against Howard . ... Rutgers offensive coordinator Jerry Kill was hospitalized Sunday after suffering a seizure. Kill, 56, who has dealt with epilepsy for about 20 years, stepped down as Minnesota’s head coach during the 2015 season because of his struggles with seizures. Scarlet Knights coach Chris Ash said he hopes Kill will be on the sideline Saturday for the team’s home game against Morgan State.
NBA: The Pelicans and G Tony Allen agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million deal, ESPN reported. Allen, 35, averaged 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 71 games for the Grizzlies last season.
NHL: The Devils re-signed D Damon Severson to a six-year, $25 million contract that runs through the 2022-23 season. Severson, 23, had a career-high 28 assists and 31 points in 80 games last season.
SOCCER: Sporting Kansas City and U.S. under-20 international Erik PalmerBrown signed a pre-contract with English Premier League club Manchester City, ESPN confirmed. Palmer-Brown, 20, will finish out the MLS season and then join Man City in January.
TENNIS: Garbine Muguruza reached No. 1 for the first time, joining US Open champion Rafael Nadal in making Spain the first country since the U.S. 14 years ago to top the WTA and ATP rankings. Muguruza, the Wimbledon champion, rose two spots from No. 3 after advancing to the fourth round at the U.S. Open.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Tough guy Jason Witten scored the game’s only touchdown while setting another franchise record for the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps the most prestigious yet.
Ezekiel Elliott took care of the tough yards, churning out another 100-yard game two days after learning that his six-game suspension over a domestic violence case is on hold.
While Witten and Elliott helped Dallas produce points, the Cowboys shackled a New York offense missing dynamic receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in a 19-3 victory over the Giants on Sunday night.
“You just enjoy the journey,” said Witten, who began his 15th season by breaking Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin’s club record of 11,904 yards. “I’m just trying to devour where I am at this moment. It’s a great time in my life.”
Elliott, last year’s NFL rushing leader, had a rugged 104 yards on the ground and another 36 receiving in a game that he knew he would get to play regardless of a federal judge’s ruling in his bid to have the NFL’s punishment overturned.
“You just have to block it out,” said Elliott, who could play the entire season depending on the next legal move by the NFL. “You just have to focus on being the guy I need to be for this team. I think I am good for this locker room.”
Dak Prescott was turnover-free while throwing for 268 yards as the Cowboys dominated their NFC East rival that swept them during a 13-3 season that topped the NFC and was fueled by the sensational rookie years for the quarterbackrunning back duo. Dan Bailey kicked four field goals.
Eli Manning didn’t have Beckham in his 200th straight start after his top target sprained his left ankle in a preseason game. The Giants were outgained in the first half 265-49, with just two first downs, while falling behind 16-0.
Manning was 28 of 37 for 211 yards with an interception and connected with new receiver Brandon Marshall just once, late on a desperation drive with the outcome already settled.
Witten scored the Cowboys’ first touchdown on a 12-yard catch and finished with seven catches for 59 yards. Witten now has 1,096 receptions for 11,947 yards.
The 35-year-old Witten is the only tight end other than Tony Gonzalez with at least 1,000 catches and 10,000 yards.