Dak Prescott threw two TD passes and ran for another as the Cowboys topped the Cardinals.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes and flipped head over heels into the end zone on a 10yard run for another, and the Dallas Cowboys pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Arizona Cardinals 28-17 on Monday night.
The Cowboys (2-1) bounced back from a 42-17 pummeling in Denver.
Prescott, 13-of-18 for 183 yards, broke a 14-14 tie with a 37-yard scoring pass to Brice Butler with 11:52 to play.
Arizona, with a spectacular catch by Larry Fitzgerald for 24 yards on a third-and-18 play, moved downfield but the drive stalled. Phil Dawson’s 37yard field goal cut the lead to 21-17 with 6:35 left.
Ezekiel Elliott, who gained 8 yards in nine carries against Denver and drew criticism for not hustling after a couple of late interceptions, was bottled up much of the game but still gained 80 yards on 22 attempts, 30 on one play. He ran 8 yards for the final Cowboys touchdown.
The Cardinals (1-2), in their home opener, got a big game from Fitzgerald, who caught 13 passes for 149 yards, in the process moving ahead of Marvin Harrison into eighth in career receiving yards.
Carson Palmer had a big first half, completed 15-of-18 for 145 yards and finished 29-of-48 for 325 yards and two scores. He was sacked six times, a career-high three by DeMarcus Lawrence.
The Cardinals dominated the first half statistically but were deadlocked with the Cowboys at 7-7. Arizona had a 152-57 advantage in yards and dominated time of possession 19:34 to 9:41.
Arizona took the opening kickoff and went 82 yards in eight plays. Palmer was 5-for-5 on the drive, capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown.
Before Dallas even had a first down, Arizona mounted a nearly nine-minute drive but a touchdown pass to Brown was negated by a holding penalty and Phil Dawson’s 36-yard field goal try was wide right. It was the third mid-range miss for the 41-year-old kicker this season.
And the miss left the door open for the Cowboys to get back in it.
Prescott scored on a 10yard run, flipping headfirst over the goal line to tie it at 7-7 with 3:33 left in the half.