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SPORTS Wednesday 27 september 2017

Prescott, Cowboys pull away

to beat Cardinals 28-17

By BOB BAUM lowed widespread protests the lead to 21-17 with 6:35
AP Sports Writer across the NFL of critical left.
GLENDALE, Arizona (AP) — comments by President Ezekiel Elliott, who gained
Dak Prescott kneeled with Donald Trump over the 8 yards on nine carries
his teammates and team weekend. against Denver and drew
owner before the game, After they kneeled, they criticism for not hustling af-
flipped head over heels stood and walked to the ter a couple of late inter-
for a touchdown in the first sideline and stood for the ceptions, was bottled up
half and capped his night anthem. much of the game, but
with a 37-yard TD pass that “We planned and it was still gained 80 yards on 22
proved to be the game executed that we would attempts, 30 on one play.
winner. go out and kneel,” Jones He ran 8 yards for the final
The Dallas Cowboys erased said, “and basically make Cowboys touchdown.
last week’s ugly memory the statement regarding The Cardinals (1-2), in their
on Monday night, with their the need for unity and the home opener, got a big
young quarterback lead- need for equality.” game from Fitzgerald, who
ing the way. Prescott, 13 of 18 for 183 caught 13 passes for 149
“He just kept battling,” Dal- yards, broke a 14-14 tie yards, in the process mov-
las coach Jason Garrett with a 37-yard scoring pass ing ahead of Marvin Har-
said. to Brice Butler with 11:52 to rison into eighth in career
“He kept making good de- play. receiving yards. The 13 re- Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) dives for a touch-
cisions. Obviously he made “I immediately scrambled ceptions tied a career high. down as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Justin Bethel (28) and
some good plays, big-time and when I scrambled “That’s Fitz. It’s Monday strong safety Antoine Bethea, rear, defend during the first half of
throws, but as much as Brice took the right angle night,” Arizona coach an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz.
anything else he’s got an and the right initiative go- Bruce Arians said. “He’s and two scores. He was yards and dominated time
amazing spirit and our play- ing to the back of the end a money player. It was a sacked six times, a career- of possession 19:34 to 9:41.
ers follow him.” zone,” Prescott said. great performance by him. high three by DeMarcus Arizona took the open-
The Cowboys (2-1), bounc- Arizona, with a spectacular It’s a shame we couldn’t Lawrence. ing kickoff and went 82
ing back from a 42-17 pum- catch by Larry Fitzgerald for play better around him.” The Cardinals dominated yards in eight plays. Palmer
meling in Denver, began 24 yards on a third-and-18 Carson Palmer had a big the first half statistically, but was 5-for-5 on the drive,
the game kneeling at mid- play, moved downfield but first half, completed 15 of were deadlocked with the capped by a 25-yard
field with owner Jerry Jones the drive stalled. Phil Daw- 18 for 145 yards and fin- Cowboys at 7-7. Arizona touchdown pass to Jaron
in a show of unity that fol- son’s 37-yard field goal cut ished 29 of 48 for 325 yards had a 152-57 advantage in Brown.q

Trump ‘s Tweet At a White House news demning NFL players who
Tuesday, exercised their freedom of
conference
Continued from Page 18 Trump was asked whether expression by kneeling si-
he’s spent too much time lently during the anthem.
whether or not our country thinking about the NFL in- “These players, with all the
will be disrespected!” stead of dealing with the assets they have, can ex-
The ratings for Monday’s crisis in hurricane-ravaged press their political views
Cowboys-Cardinals game Puerto Rico. without in effect denigrat-
were up 63 percent from “Well, I wasn’t preoccu- ing the symbols of our na-
the equivalent game a pied with the NFL. ... I don’t tion, a nation that has
year ago, which went up think you can disrespect provided our freedom to
against a presidential de- our country, our flag, our speak,” Sessions said dur-
bate between Trump and national anthem. To me, ing an appearance at
Hillary Clinton. The ratings the NFL situation is a very Georgetown University’s
for Week 3 of the NFL sea- important situation,” Trump law school.
son were 3 percent higher responded. “I’ve heard Tennessee Titans wide re-
than the same week last that before — about was ceiver Rishard Matthews,
season. I ‘preoccupied.’ Not at all. whose father is a retired
But viewership for national The Dallas Cowboys, led by owner Jerry Jones, center, take a Not at all. I have plenty of Marine master sergeant
telecasts of NFL games is knee prior to the national anthem prior to an NFL football game time on my hands. All I do and whose half-brother
down 11 percent this sea- against the Arizona Cardinals, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, in Glen- is work.” died in Afghanistan as a
son compared with 2016 dale, Ariz. He went on to call kneel- defense contractor, said
through three weeks, ac- Associated Press ing during the anthem “dis- Tuesday on ESPN’s NFL
cording to the Nielsen game. viewership numbers last graceful.” Live that he will kneel until
company. That figure does Still, five of the 10 shows week were NFL-related Attorney General Jeff Ses- Trump apologizes.
not include Monday’s with the largest prime-time telecasts. sions weighed in, too, con- q