Three in a row

Dallas improves to 5-2 on the season after picking up its third win in a row Sunday in a 38-17 win over Seattle.

The suddenly hot Miles Austin caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game and Patrick Crayton returned a punt for a score for the second consecutive week, sending Dallas past the Seattle Seahawks 38-17 and into a share of first place in the NFC East on Sunday.

Austin, who has only recently become a starter for the Cowboys at wide receiver, now has five touchdown receptions in his last three games.

Tony Romo also went a third game in a row without an interception. Since an up and down first month of the season, the Cowboys (5-2) have found quite a groove, winning three straight, setting up a showdown next Sunday night against the co-leading Eagles in Philadelphia.

Romo threw for 256 yards, with touchdowns to Austin, Sam Hurd and Roy Williams.

“Nice win for us," Wade Phillips said. "I thought it was a solid win. I thought all three phases did some good things. I like that this team is explosive in that we’re kind of rocking along and then we’re ahead. That they’re able to do that can make you a good football team. It was 14-10 after awhile and all of a sudden it was out of hand.

"But I thought it was a good, solid win for us. I liked the way we played."

Marion Barber added a TD run and Crayton broke the game open with an 82-yard punt return, one week after a game-breaking 73-yarder. DeMarcus Ware had a sack for the third straight game.

Overall the Cowboys' defense recorded three sacks and forced a fumble when the game was close, preventing Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks from building on an early 3-0 lead.

The Cowboys now have 17 sacks in the last 18 quarters after being shut out the first 10 quarters. Ware is up to five sacks, this one coming days after signing a $78 million, six-year contract extension.

"I'm just glad to see as many people really do as well and play as well as they did today," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "(Philadelphia) is the kind of game that I think we're ready for. Plus, I think we all remember so much - I know I do and so many players on this team remember - how we left Philadelphia last year."

Last December, Dallas could've clinched a playoff spot with a win in Philadelphia on the final day of the regular season.

Instead, the Cowboys weren't even close to competitive, losing 44-6 in a game that led to offseason changes ranging from Terrell Owens getting cut to defensive coordinator Brian Stewart getting fired.