by By TOM ORSBORN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS , The Houston Chronicle

"Safeties usually try to go low and knock you out of bounds," Hurd said, "so I faked like I was going to lower my shoulder and then stepped over him into the end zone."

Hurd's play sparked a scoring onslaught that saw five different Cowboys score touchdowns in a 38-17 romp over the Seahawks on Sunday before 80,886.

The Cowboys' third-straight win left them 5-2 and set up a showdown with Philadelphia next Sunday night for the NFC East lead after the Eagles shredded the New York Giants 40-17. The last time Dallas played in Philadelphia, it was humiliated in last year's win-or-go-home regular-season finale.

"We lost 44-6, dude," receiver Patrick Crayton said. "We had a chance to go to the playoffs and lost 44-6. It's got to be one of the worst feelings in the world. We literally got our (behinds) kicked up and down the field. ? You can't sugarcoat it."

In a good spot

But there's also no denying Dallas feels good about itself now. Each time the Cowboys have been 5-2 or better after seven games in the Jerry Jones era, they've made the playoffs.

"We are just now starting to see all the hard work and sacrifices we've made come into fruition, and it's a good feeling," linebacker Keith Brooking said.

With Roy Williams out for a rest, Hurd caught a pass over the middle late in the first quarter and turned it into a 36-yard TD to give Dallas a 7-3 cushion, a lead it never relinquished. It was only the second score of Hurd's four-year career and his first since the 2007 season opener.

Miles Austin and Williams also caught TD passes from Tony Romo. A fourth wideout, Crayton, returned a punt for a TD for the second straight week.

Hall of famer Bob Hayes (1968) is the only other player in franchise history to return punts for TDs in consecutive games.

Austin finished with five catches for 61 yards, both team highs. His 482 yards in the last three games is a league record for a player's first three starts.

"We're not selfish; we're hungry," Hurd said of the receivers each taking a turn in the spotlight.

Williams stretches score

Leading 14-10, the Cowboys drove 62 yards in nine plays on their final possession of the first half. Romo capped the series with a 7-yard strike to Roy Williams, who stretched to extend the ball over the goal line for only his third TD since joining the Cowboys in October 2007 and his first since the season opener.

Williams' score salvaged another frustrating day for the Texas alum. Romo targeted Williams seven times, but they connected only twice for 19 yards.

"One of these days, it's going to be like a light switch clicking on, and we're going to be dangerous," Williams said. "It has to happen. He's good. I'm good. I'm not going to play five years (the length of his contract) and not have it happen."

Romo, who won his 12th straight November start, was 21-of-36 for 256 yards with three TDs. For the first time in his career, he's gone three straight games without an interception. Better yet, he's had a career-best five interception-free games this season.

"I'm seeing things," he said. "It's as simple as that. I'm not throwing and hoping."

Of course, it helps to have so many targets.

"We can be very dangerous," Hurd said of the receiving corps. "Anybody who gets a chance can explode."

torsborn@express-news.net

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