Jones rushes for 4 TDs, Packers down Cowboys

[October 07, 2019]  Aaron Jones tied a franchise record with four touchdown runs, and the Green Bay Packers held off a furious comeback to beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-24 on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

The Packers had won all four previous visits to AT&T Stadium -- including Super Bowl XLV -- led in three of the four by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but it was the team's other Aaron that carried the load. Jones had 19 carries for 107 yards and added team-leading figures of seven receptions for 75 yards as the Packers (4-1) won without star receiver Davante Adams.

Jones became the fourth Packer to rush for four touchdowns in a game, joining Dorsey Levens, Terdell Middleton and Hall of Famer Jim Taylor, who accomplished the feat three times.

Jones' fourth gave Green Bay a 31-3 lead with 3:30 left in the third quarter, but Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott then took over the game. Despite facing a strong pass rush, he threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Michael Gallup and a 53-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper, with the latter cutting the margin to 34-24 with 7:46 remaining in the game.

Dallas pushed into the red zone on its next possession, but the drive bogged down, and kicker Brett Maher missed a 33-yard field goal wide right to seal Dallas' second consecutive loss following a 3-0 start.

Prescott threw for 463 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, including 11 completions for 226 yards and a touchdown to Cooper. Running back Ezekiel Elliott added 62 rushing yards and a touchdown, but the big deficit took him out of the game.

Rodgers threw for 238 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions for the Packers, who won the turnover battle 3-0. With Adams out with turf toe, Green Bay's receivers contributed just four receptions for 55 yards.

Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) runs with the ball in the first quarter against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (55) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay led 24-0 in the third quarter on touchdown runs of 18, 3 and 5 yards by Jones and a 20-yard field goal by Mason Crosby.

While Dallas moved the ball with relative ease in the first half, Green Bay's defense made key plays en route to a 17-0 halftime lead.

With the Cowboys moving into scoring position on the opening drive, Prescott's pass was dropped by Cooper and intercepted by Jaire Alexander to set up the Packers' first touchdown.

Preston Smith and Za'Darius Smith had third-down sacks, and reserve defensive back Chandon Sullivan added an interception as Green Bay seized control.

--Field Level Media

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