El Paso native Aaron Jones leads Packers over Cowboys 34-24

Green Bay running back Aaron Jones had a career day at the Dallas Cowboys.

Jones had four touchdowns rushing, two more than his career high, to help the Packers to a 34-24 victory Sunday afternoon.

The third-year back had a career-high 182 scrimmage yards — 107 rushing and 75 receiving — and opened the scoring with an 18-yard run after being held to 19 and 21 yards rushing the previous two weeks.

On a punctuating touchdown for a 24-0 lead early in the second half, Jones waved “bye-bye” to cornerback Byron Jones while beating him to the pylon on a 5-yard run. The fourth TD was a 1-yard plunge.

Jones grew up in El Paso and went to his hometown school at UTEP.

Green Bay’s other Aaron — star quarterback Aaron Rodgers — kept the Packers moving to that big early lead with more dazzling plays at AT&T Stadium.

Rodgers zipped a sidearm throw to Robert Tonyan to fix one broken play, flipped a left-hander to Tra Carson to rescue another, and helped Green Bay improve to 5-0 inside the retractable-roof stadium where the two-time MVP’s first win was the 2011 Super Bowl.

The Packers (4-1) built a 31-3 lead, although Dak Prescott (463 yards passing) and Amari Cooper (226 yards receiving) set career highs trying to keep things interesting in the fourth quarter.

The last hope for Dallas ended with 1:41 left when Brett Maher missed his second field goal — a 33-yarder that would have given the Cowboys a shot at an onside kick down seven.

Missing his biggest threat in Davante Adams because of a toe injury, Rodgers threw for 238 yards without an interception — to the delight of a large contingent of Green Bay fans that pulled off several “Go Pack Go” chants without much resistance from the home crowd.

Prescott, on the other hand, matched a career high with three interceptions, although the first was a drop by Cooper on what should have been a big play early.

The Cowboys (3-2) lost their second straight game after winning their first three, just as the Packers had done. Green Bay took sole possession of first in the NFC North, while Dallas dropped into a tie for the NFC East lead with Philadelphia.

Cooper had a 53-yard touchdown among his 11 catches and Michael Gallup had 113 yards receiving with a 40-yard score. Prescott, who had never lost when throwing for more than 275 yards, was 27 of 44.

EMPHATIC CHALLENGE

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when he slammed the challenge flag in front of side judge Scott Edwards after Edwards ruled Cooper out of bounds when the receiver got both feet in on a catch. The call was reversed on replay, but the Cowboys started first-and-25 because of the penalty. Elliott, who had 62 yards rushing, caught a 26-yard pass on the next play.

INJURIES

Green Bay center Corey Linsley didn’t return after leaving in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion. Packers safety Darnell Savage left with an ankle injury and didn’t return. Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins, who played after being listed as questionable with a back issue, was taken out with an ankle injury in the second half.

UP NEXT

Packers: Detroit at home next Monday.

Cowboys: at the New York Jets next Sunday.