Cowboys lose to Vikings, fall to 1-4

MINNEAPOLIS - Percy Harvin's 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown gave Minnesota a spark to start the second half, and the Vikings overcame another uneven game by Brett Favre to beat the Cowboys, 24-21, Sunday. Up next for 1-4 Dallas is a Monday night showdown with the Giants.

Playing with a bad elbow and the NFL investigating alleged racy messages he sent to a former New York Jets employee, Favre took a bunch of big hits and finished 14-for-19 for 118 yards, one touchdown and one turnover. Randy Moss' first home game since joining the Vikings in a trade turned into an afterthought, but the defense and special teams did plenty to make up for Favre's unpolished play.

The Vikings (2-3) won this matchup of preseason NFC favorites, though even in defeat the Cowboys could still wind up as contenders in the mediocre conference.

Tony Romo, who found Roy Williams for touchdowns twice in the first half, went 25-for-33 for 211 yards mostly on dump-offs and screens. Romo hit rookie Dez Bryant from 31 yards with 10:18 left to tie it at 21, but he was intercepted twice by E.J. Henderson deep in his own territory - leading to 10 points for the Vikings.

The second one set up Ryan Longwell's 38-yard field goal with 4:05 left that put Minnesota in front 24-21, and the Vikings - pressuring Romo and stopping the run just like they did in the playoff game last season - promptly forced a three-and-out. Dallas, despite six penalties for 63 yards, outgained the Vikings 190-60 in the first half and led 14-7 at halftime. - AP