Cowboys rally to shake off Lions in NFL

Tony Romo connected with Terrance Williams with an eight-yard throw with 2:32 remaining to give the Cowboys a 24-20 NFL playoff win over Detroit.

Indianapolis Colts players celebrate after scoring a touchdown

Andrew Luck has lead the Indianapolis Colts to a wild-card round win for the second straight season. (AAP)

Tony Romo's touchdown pass to Terrance Williams with less than three minutes to play lifted the Dallas Cowboys to a thrilling 24-20 NFL playoff triumph over the Detroit Lions.

Romo connected with Williams with an eight-yard throw with 2:32 remaining.

Romo guided the Cowboys on three straight scoring drives to erase a 20-7 third-quarter deficit and grab the win in Sunday's National Football Conference first-round clash.

The victory sends the Cowboys into a second-round meeting with Green Bay.

Carolina, who punched their second-round ticket on Saturday with a win over Arizona, will face reigning Super Bowl champions Seattle next weekend.

In American Football Conference action, Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts earned a lopsided 26-10 victory over injury-hit Cincinnati to book a second-round meeting with the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos are trying to get back to the Super Bowl on February 1, a year after they were humbled 43-8 by the Seahawks in the NFL's championship.

Next weekend will also pit AFC top seed New England against Baltimore, who beat Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Detroit appeared on their way to their first post-season victory since 1991 before Romo and the Cowboys turned things around.

"More than anything, it's trying to keep your poise," said Romo, who was composed even as the Lions defence stymied the Cowboys offence early.

"You just have to stay in the moment and understand the game," Romo said.

Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant was limited to a modest 48 yards on three catches while double covered much of the contest.

Williams stepped up, pulling in a 76-yard touchdown catch late in the first half and finishing with 92 yards on three catches.

DeMarco Murray added a touchdown run while grinding out 75 yards on the ground against the Lions' top-ranked rushing defence.

The Cowboys also benefited from a controversial call that preceded the game-winning drive.

The Lions had to punt the ball away with 8:10 to play following quarterback Matthew Stafford's incomplete pass on third down - on which a pass interference call against Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens was overturned.

There was no such drama in Indianapolis, where the Colts never trailed.

Adam Vinatieri made all four of his field goal attempts, Daniel Herron gained 141 yards and ran for a touchdown, and T.Y. Hilton caught six passes for 103 yards for the Colts.

Marvin Lewis fell to 0-6 in the post-season as Cincinnati's head coach, the last four of those defeats came with Andy Dalton at quarterback.

Dalton, under pressure throughout, threw for just 155 yards on 18-of-35 passing.


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Source: AAP


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