Cowboys 27, 49ers 24 (OT)
Tony Romo returned from injury to spur a frantic comeback and rookie Dan Bailey kicked a 19-yard game-winning field in overtime as the visiting Dallas Cowboys beat the San Francisco 49ers 27-24 on Sunday.
Determined to make amends for last week’s fourth-quarter collapse, Romo returned despite a fractured rib and helped Dallas (1-1) rally from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Bailey, who missed a chip-shot field goal from 21 yards earlier, sent the game into overtime with a 48-yarder as time expired.
After San Francisco punted in overtime, Romo hit Jesse Holley for 77 yards down to the San Francisco 1-yard line. It was just the second career catch for Holley, who was playing because of Dez Bryant's absence.
San Francisco called its last timeout before Bailey split the uprights for the win.
Romo redeemed himself after his two turnovers last week contributed to Dallas blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead for the first time in franchise history.
Romo, who re-emerged from the locker room late in the third quarter, threw a 25-yard scoring pass to Miles Austin – Austin’s career-high third TD of the day – that cut the 49ers lead to 24-21 with 6:55 left in the fourth.
Austin made a tremendous play on the ball, leaping high to catch it. He sprung forward and belly-flopped into the end zone before his knee hit the ground.
Alex Smith threw two touchdowns for the 49ers (1-1), who were trying to start 2-0 for the first time since 2007.