Cowboys come up short against Eagles in OT for 6th straight loss
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys just can't find a way to win without Tony Romo. Not even when Dez Bryant has a big game.
And now they have their longest losing streak since the 1-15 debacle of 1989.
Bryant had his first touchdown catch of the season in his second game back from a broken right foot, but Sam Bradford threw a 41-yard scoring pass to Jordan Matthews in overtime to lift the Philadelphia Eagles to a 33-27 victory in DeMarco Murray's return to Dallas.
The Cowboys (2-6) have lost every game without Romo and have one more before he is eligible to return from a broken left collarbone.
And hopes of defending their NFC East title are fading with the longest skid since dropping the first eight the year owner Jerry Jones bought the team.
"There is half a season left," quarterback Matt Cassel said. "I hate standing up here every week and saying that, but it's the truth."
Matthews broke away from rookie defensive back Byron Jones and ran past safety J.J. Wilcox to break the fifth tie of the game.
"Me and Byron had been competing all game," said Matthews, who had nine catches for 133 yards. "He doesn't play like a rookie, and he's so aggressive. We said let's try and go with a double move. Sam threw it right on the money."
Jordan Hicks had a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Eagles (4-4) in just the second overtime game for teams that have met 114 times.
Murray had 161 total yards -- 83 rushing and 78 receiving -- in his first game on his old home field after winning the NFL rushing title with the Cowboys last season.
"They're a tough opponent. They're like family to me," said Murray, who broke Emmitt Smith's Dallas franchise record with 1,845 yards last season and is starting to churn out yardage after a slow start this year. "This one's special. A lot of emotion."
Dallas defensive lineman Greg Hardy had a sack and two penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct call, a day after he tweeted "regret" in response to the release of pictures of his bruised ex-girlfriend from his domestic violence case.
"Greg has a commitment to us," Dallas owner Jerry Jones said. "He has a commitment to do the right thing. We expect him to do the right thing."
It was the second time during the skid that Dallas lost by giving up a touchdown to start overtime. New Orleans' Drew Brees threw an 80-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the extra period in Week 4.
This time, Murray had a 20-yard run to get the drive going. Bradford's winning toss on his 28th birthday came a play after officials originally ruled a fumble at the end of a run by Ryan Mathews. But replays showed his knee was down before the ball came out.
"Jordan did a great job running that route," Bradford said. "It was something that we worked on all week. Best birthday present ever."
The Cowboys forced overtime with a 54-yard drive to Dan Bailey's 44-yard field goal that caromed off the left upright and went through. Byron Maxwell was called for pass interference twice against Bryant on the drive.
Bryant had 104 yards on five catches, and Cole Beasley had career highs with nine catches for 112 yards with two touchdowns, which matched his total from a win against Chicago last year.
Cassel threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, including an 18-yarder to Bryant in the end zone when he threw up a jump ball after a Romo-like spin out a potential sack. But the big mistake to Hicks left him with the same 0-3 record Brandon Weeden had filling in for Romo.
Hicks stepped in front of a pass in the flat for Darren McFadden and sprinted 67 yards untouched. Cassel hung his head as he slowed up, realizing he had no chance to catch the former Texas linebacker.
It was the 20th takeaway for the Eagles, who went into the game leading the NFL, and it extended their streak with at least one to 14 games.
The Cowboys are now two games back in the loss column of the division-leading New York Giants (5-4), who beat Tampa Bay 32-18.
"You see our team coming closer and closer together each week, and we're trying to figure out a way to get it done," Cassel said. "That's not to say this doesn't hurt. I'm not trying to minimize what happened."
Bradford was 25 of 36 for 295 yards, with the one touchdown to Matthews. He directed an offense that didn't score in the first quarter for the sixth time in eight games, but scored four times in five full possessions in the second half and overtime.
NOTES: Dallas lost linebackers Sean Lee (concussion) and Anthony Hitchens (ankle) on Philadelphia's 95-yard scoring drive to start the second half. Lee went out after tackling Murray on a short pass on the first play, and Hitchens was injured on Mathews' 6-yard scoring run. ... With the retractable roof at AT&T Stadium open, light rain fell briefly in the second half.
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