ARLINGTON, Texas — Carolina Coach Ron Rivera sees a Dallas team on the verge of a run with Tony Romo back and trying to keep the Cowboys in the playoff picture.

Rivera should know. That’s exactly what the Panthers did a year ago.

Cam Newton’s team rallied from 3-8-1 to win four straight and qualify for the postseason. This time Carolina is 10-0 for the first time in franchise history, making its Thanksgiving debut Thursday against the Cowboys (3-7).

Dallas just snapped a seven-game losing streak that covered all the games Romo missed with a broken collarbone, and four of the games All-Pro receiver Dez Bryant was out with a fractured foot.

“Their best receiver has been hurt, their tight end has been hurt, their running game is still in flux because it’s just starting to develop,” Rivera said of the defending NFC East champions.

“They’re, I think, on the cusp of getting ready to start rolling again.”

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Romo has a knack for winning these games. He’s the only quarterback in NFL history with multiple wins against teams that were 9-0 or better – Indianapolis (9-0) in 2006 and New Orleans (13-0) in 2009.

While Newton and the Panthers are trying to “manage our success,” as Rivera put it, Romo does at least share one thing with Carolina’s dual-threat star. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is undefeated this season, too – in three starts.

RAMS: Stedman Bailey was in intensive care and in stable condition at a Miami area hospital Wednesday after undergoing a surgery the team said lasted 4-6 hours for a bullet wound to the head.

Coach Jeff Fisher said he didn’t anticipate Bailey, who is eligible to return from a suspension in two weeks, would play again this season. Fisher did not have specifics on the number of times the 25-year-old Bailey was shot or the circumstances of the shooting.

Bailey was shot as he and four others were sitting in a car outside a home in the Miami area, police said.

 Quarterback Case Keenum returned to practice on a limited basis after missing one workout because of a concussion.

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BILLS: The NFL said the Buffalo Bills should have had a chance to run at least one more play against New England on Monday night after officials made the wrong call in allowing the final two seconds to run off the clock.

SEAHAWKS: Running back Marshawn Lynch has undergone surgery to repair an injury related to a sports hernia and will be sidelined for three to four weeks, Coach Pete Carroll confirmed.

LONDON GAMES: Washington could become the first team to play two games in London in a season.

Washington will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 30 at Wembley Stadium and could also face St. Louis a week earlier at Twickenham Stadium depending on how the team finishes in the NFC East.

However, the the operator of the Trans World Dome in St. Louis said the Rams’ lease agreement prohibits the team from playing home games elsewhere.

BROWNS: Coach Mike Pettine said he benched Johnny Manziel because the quarterback violated the team’s trust with his behavior during the bye week.

Pettine was upset after a video emerged of the second-year QB partying last week in Texas while the Browns were off.


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