ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes, two to Dez Bryant, in the first game with Tony Romo as his backup, and the Dallas Cowboys set a franchise season record with their ninth straight win, beating the Baltimore Ravens 27-17 on Sunday.
The Cowboys (9-1) punted on their first four possessions _ a first this season _ against the NFL’s No. 1 defense. They marched 92 and 88 yards on their first two drives of the second half to break a 10-10 tie. Both drives ended with TD passes to Bryant , who had six catches for 80 yards.
Romo, who broke a bone in his back in a preseason game, was active for the first time since Thanksgiving last year, and was the Dallas backup for the first time in 10 years.
The 36-year-old never took off his baseball cap, although he was watching with interest as medical personnel surrounded Prescott after the rookie went down hard on a late hit by C.J. Mosley after throwing his first touchdown pass, to Cole Beasley in the second quarter. Prescott returned a short time later.
NFL rushing leader Ezekiel Elliott broke the Dallas club rookie rushing record of 1,007 yards set by Tony Dorsett in 1977. That’s the same year the Cowboys set the previous franchise mark with an 8-0 start. Dallas won the Super Bowl that season.
Elliott had 97 yards to give him 1,102 this season.