CHICAGO — DeMarco Murray ran for a season-high 179 yards and a touchdown, Tony Romo threw for three scores and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Chicago Bears 41-28 on Thursday night.

The Cowboys (9-4) made it look easy for most of the night against a struggling team that lost receiver Brandon Marshall to a rib injury. Dallas clinched its first winning season since 2009 but is looking for more, with an NFC East title and first playoff appearance in five years in sight.

Led by Romo and Murray, Dallas rebounded from a blowout loss to the Eagles on Thanksgiving and pulled within a half-game of them with a showdown in Philadelphia next week.

The Cowboys took a 14-7 halftime lead and scored 21 unanswered in the third quarter before the Bears (5-8) rallied in the fourth.

Marshall was hurt taking a knee to the right side from Barry Church following a reception in the second quarter.

That happened moments after he made a spectacular 42-yard catch, juggling the ball with his right hand, to help set up a touchdown.

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NOTES

JETS: Kicker Nick Folk returned to practice and attempted a few field goals after being sidelined with a hip flexor injury.

Folk was limited but said being able to kick is progress. He and Coach Rex Ryan said how he feels Friday will go a long way in determining whether he’ll play Sunday at Minnesota. Folk injured his right hip Monday night during the 16-13 loss to Miami.

 The Jets placed receiver Greg Salas on season-ending injured reserve and signed receiver Chris Owusu from the practice squad.

ADRIAN PETERSON’S appeal hearing concluded in New York after about two hours, with the primary focus on testimony from an NFL executive, Troy Vincent.

Peterson is seeking reinstatement after Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for the final six games of the regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Goodell also told Peterson he won’t be considered for reinstatement before April 15.

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RAVENS: Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance- enhancing substances.

The league said he can return to the active roster Dec. 29 and would be eligible for any playoff games.

STEELERS: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to work following an unexpected day off and almost certainly will play Sunday at Cincinnati.

Roethlisberger, who hit his right (throwing hand) on a New Orleans player Sunday and skipped practice Wednesday was sharp in team drills, according to offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

TEXANS: Linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, the top overall draft pick, will have a second surgery on his right knee, ending his rookie season after just three games.

“This guy’s been injured and it’s time to clean it up, and get him back to feeling good and get him back on the field as soon as we can,” Coach Bill O’Brien said.

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FALCONS: Safety William Moore said he was fined $22,050 by the NFL for a crown-of-helmet hit on Arizona wide receiver Jaron Brown last week.

The fine was Moore’s first of 2014. He drew almost $75,000 in fines from the league last season. There was no penalty on the fourth-quarter play.

BROWNS: Wide receiver Miles Austin was released from a Buffalo-area hospital following a three-day stay with a kidney injury.

Coach Mike Pettine said Austin was released Wednesday night and returned to Cleveland. Pettine didn’t think the injury was career threatening and believes he’ll make a full recovery. The team placed him on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season.


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