IRVING, Texas -- Dallas turned a series of bizarre and spectacular plays into three third-quarter touchdowns Sunday night _ two of them coming on 1-yard runs by third-string fullback Timmy Newsome _ to rally the Cowboys to a wild 42-31 victory over the Chargers.
In a game that was filled with one freakish play after another, the Cowboys boosted their record to 6-2 at the midway point of the NFL season and kept them a game back of Philadelphia in the NFC East.
San Diego, meanwhile, slipped to 5-3 and fell back into a first-place tie with Oakland in the tight AFC West.
San Diego had jumped in front at the half, 24-14, thanks in part to a pass from Dan Fouts that caromed off the helmet of Dallas cornerback Steve Wilson and into the hands of John Jefferson, who turned it into a 58-yard touchdown.
But the breaks began going Dallas' way in the second half and the Cowboys stormed back with three touchdowns in an 8:15 span.
Newsome scored on Dallas' initial possession of the first half after Cowboys tight end Jay Saldi had picked up a fumble by quarterback Danny White and carried it eight yards to the Charger 2.
The Cowboys scored five minutes later on another 1-yard run by Newsome after White had scrambled 12 yards for a first down on a fake punt and Tony Hill made a leaping catch to haul in a 24-yard pass.
Finally, Saldi caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from White, who threw the ball in desperation to prevent being sacked. That score came three plays after San Diego's Chuck Muncie had fumbled the ball away at his own 20. more
