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Cowboys hold off Texans

Aug 23, 2008 - 3:30 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

IRVING, Texas (Ticker) -- With their first-team lineup seeing extensive action for the first time in the preseason, the Dallas Cowboys' offense looked crisp in one half of action in Friday's 23-22 victory over the Houston Texans.

Tony Romo completed 15-of-19 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown with one interception to help the Cowboys (1-2), considered a serious Super Bowl contender, to their first preseason triumph in the Governor's Cup.

Marion Barber added 75 yards and one touchdown rushing on 13 carries, while Terrell Owens caught four passes for 43 yards.

But as well as Dallas moved the ball for most of the contest, they were hindered by four turnovers, including a fumble inside the 10-yard line and Romo's interception in the end zone that cost them precious points and kept the game close.

For Houston (2-1), Matt Schaub completed 15-of-27 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown in three quarters of work, while Kevin Walter hauled in six passes for 61 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers.

The Texans almost won it late, but a failed two-point conversion provided the winning margin. Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 66 yards to set up backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels' 8-yard TD run to make it 23-22 with 2:05 left. But Dallas escaped with the win when Jones dropped Rosenfels' pass in the end zone on the subsequent two-point conversion attempt.

Adam Jones started at cornerback in place of injured Pro Bowler Terence Newman for Dallas.

The Texas Stadium crowd was silenced early when Texans wide receiver Harry Williams suffered a severe neck injury on a Houston kickoff just 2:11 into the contest.

While attempting to tackle Isaiah Stanback, Williams collided with teammate Nick Ferguson and went down without moving. After a lengthy delay, Williams, a second-year player who spent last season on Houston's practice squad, was carted off on a stretcher.

He wasn't moving and was being given oxygen as he was wheeled off the field and taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.