VINGFive plays into the game, the Browns | Forum

CHARLOTTE, N. Craig Kimbrel Red Sox Jersey .C. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. candidly declared two weeks ago that he has too good of a race team to be worried about making NASCARs playoffs.Since then, he has produced underwhelming finishes at Daytona and Kentucky and slipped to 13th in the Sprint Cup standings. Earnhardt hasnt scored a top-10 finish in a month and, yes, he is indeed in danger of missing the championship Chase.With eight races remaining to complete the 16-driver field, Earnhardt ranks third among drivers who have yet to secure a win this season but are ranked high enough to make the Chase. Its not a safe position by any means: Earnhardt has slipped from seventh in the standings since May and has led only four laps since mid-March.Hes not the only driver in a precarious position. Because 11 drivers have so far won races this season, any first-time winners in the next two months will claim the remaining five Chase berths. Among those looking for automatic berths in the Chase are two of Earnhardts Hendrick Motorsports teammates -- Chase Elliott and Kasey Kahne -- as well as 2015 qualifier Jamie McMurray.Ryan Newman, who has made the Chase the last two years without a win, is on the bubble. Austin Dillon, rookie Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson are all eyeing wildcard spots but they could solidify a berth with their first career Cup wins.The chances of some of the bubble drivers over the final two months of NASCARs regular season before the playoffs begin:EARNHARDTNASCARs most popular driver is probably the most puzzling performer this season. After winning seven races the past two years, this is the deepest he has gone into a season without a victory since his 2013 winless campaign. Earnhardts numbers are down across the board. Hes got only five top-five finishes, six top-10s and 53 laps led.He told reporters after Saturday nights 13th-place finish at Kentucky that he is not nervous about his positioning for the Chase.What am I going to do? he asked. Were running as good as we can. Its either going to be good enough or wont be enough. Im not really going to lose any sleep over it, at least at this moment. When we miss the Chase, itll be frustrating and disappointing, but were going to plan on not doing that. Were going to plan on making it.In the coming month, Earnhardt could gain some traction at Pocono, where he has two career victories, finished second in June and has seven consecutive finishes of 11th or better.He has also won at Bristol, Michigan and Richmond, where the Chase field will be finalized Sept. 10. Even if he doesnt get a win, mediocre results at his strong tracks should be enough to get Earnhardt into the Chase.EARNHARDTS TEAMMATESElliott is having a very nice rookie season and has climbed from 10th in the standings in early May to as high as sixth. He is currently eighth, the highest-ranked driver without a victory but three consecutive finishes outside the top-20 weakened his position.What could work against Elliott is a lack of experience at some of the upcoming tracks. Hes yet to run a Cup car at New Hampshire, site of Sundays race, or Watkins Glen. Elliott has only been to Pocono in a Cup car once, same with Indianapolis. But he won Xfinity Series races at Darlington and Richmond, so both tracks are very familiar.Kahne is in much rougher shape at 17th in the overall standings, but seventh among winless drivers.Kahne has only one win in almost three full seasons, and hes not exactly knocking on the door of victory lane. Hes finished in the top-five only twice this season and has yet to lead a lap.Hes likely going to need to steal a win somewhere to have any shot at making the Chase.NEWMANHe is the sneaky driver in this field and has successfully made the Chase the last three seasons. Despite not winning a race since 2013, Newman was runner-up in the championship in 2014 and made it to the second round of the Chase last year. Now hes on another quiet run toward a Chase berth. Newman has climbed from 18th in the standings in May to 12th, and hes ranked only behind Elliott among winless drivers. Also in his favor? Hes really good at Indy, where hes got one career victory and five consecutive finishes of 12th or better.THE YOUNG GUYSNASCAR has high hopes for the future of the Cup Series with fresh talent in Elliott, Dillon, Blaney and Larson. Of that crop, Elliott is having the best year, but the others have shown flashes of stepping it up a notch.Dillon is currently on the Chase bubble at 14th in the standings and only one point below Earnhardt. His season is up one week, down the next, and he needs consistency to maintain his footing.Blaney is ranked 18th in the standings and is probably the longshot for victory lane. He has yet to lead a lap and only has six top-10 finishes, but Ford has turned it up of late and hes got de facto Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano to lean on for assistance.Larson might be the first of the group to get a win, which would be long overdue. He has been erratic since his 2014 rookie campaign, though his drop-offs are much shorter now He was third at Michigan, followed by 12th at Sonoma. Then he was sixth at Daytona, followed by 19th at Kentucky.If hes going to make his first Chase, he either needs a string of top-10 finishes, or to finally get that first win. 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CLEVELAND -- Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes and kept any talk for Tony Romo unnecessary, leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 35-10 win on Sunday over the winless Cleveland Browns.Rookie Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 92 yards and scored twice and durable tight end Jason Witten had 134 yards receiving for the Cowboys, off to their best start since 2007.Prescott has won seven straight starts since losing the season opener, and with the Cowboys (7-1) leading the NFC East and getting better, theres no reason for the team to accelerate Romos return from a back injury.Romo returned to practice earlier this week and is looking at a return at some point this season, but with how Prescott is playing, the 36-year-old doesnt look as if hell be back on the field anytime soon.The miserable Browns (0-9) dropped their franchise-record 12th straight game going back to last season and are 3-27 in their past 30. They also started 0-9 in 1975.Cleveland, which also lost 19 of 20 -- also a team record -- got just 28 total yards in the second half.According to STATS, the Browns are the first team since the 1964 Denver Broncos to allow at least 25 points in their first nine games.Prescott threw a 26-yard TD pass to Jason Witten and a 6-yarder to Cole Beasley in the first half to help open a 21-3 lead.And while hes pushing Romo deeper into the background, the fourth-round pick from Mississippi State is also drawing comparisons to another Cowboys rookie QB -- Troy Aikman.Prescott broke two of the Hall of Famers team rookie records in the blowout, surpassing him in TDs and completions. With eight games left, Prescott, who finished 21 of 27 for 247 yards, will surpass all of Aikmans first-year marks and may start to chip away at some others as well.Elliott, too, has Cowboys fans thinking about those glory days when Aikman and Emmitt Smith were together in Dallas backfield. The first-rounnd pick scored on runs of 10 and 8 yards, giving him eight this season. Sandy Leon Jersey. lliotts 8-yard TD run gave the Cowboys a 28-10 lead in the third quarter, and Prescott put Dallas up by 25 points when he lofted a 2-yard pass to Gavin Escobar.In the first quarter, Prescott connected with a wide-open Witten on a 26-yard TD to give the Cowboys a 7-3 lead and thousands of Dallas fans who invaded FirstEnergy Stadium their first chance to scream.It was Prescotts 10th pass, pushing him past Aikmans rookie record and then he got No. 11 with his short toss to Beasley make it 21-3.ONE TOUGH COWBOYThe 34-year-old Witten, who had eight receptions, made his 155th consecutive start, breaking a team record held by linebacker Lee Roy Jordan.It was Wittens first 100-yard game since 2013 and the 13-year veteran moved past Calvin Johnson (11,619 yards) for 28th place on the career list.KESSLER RETURNSBrowns rookie quarterback Cody Kessler returned after missing one game with a concussion and passed for 203 yards. Kessler threw a 12-year-old TD pass to Terrelle Pryor and also took several hard shots as Dallas defense teed off on him with the big lead in the second half.ERVING VS. IRVINGFive plays into the game, the Browns and Cowboys were brawling.Cleveland starting center Cam Erving and Dallas defensive end David Irving scuffled following a play and both were ejected. Its not clear what prompted the altercation, which included punches being thrown and ended with Erving pulling off Irvings helmet.The loss of Erving caused the latest shakeup on Clevelands offensive line as John Greco moved from right guard to center, Alvin Bailey went from left guard to right and rookie Spencer Drango came in.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '