Buffalo Bills' Jabari Greer (33) looks on as Dallas Cowboys' Nick Folk (six) celebrates his game-winning field goal with Cowboys' Brad Johnson at the end of the fourth quarter of their NFL game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Monday night. The Cowboys won 25-24. - AP

ORCHARD PARK, New York,

(Reuters):

NICK FOLK booted a 53-yard field goal as time expired to ensure the Dallas Cowboys maintained their perfect start to the NFL season with a 25-24 comeback victory over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

Back in the NFL Monday Night game spotlight for the first time in 13 years, the Bills had looked poised to pull off an upset behind a ferocious defence that had intercepted Dallas quarterback Tony Romo five-times, returning two for touchdowns.

With the capacity crowd of 72,175 already celebrating, Folk threw cold water on the party when he drove his field goal attempt through the uprights with two seconds to play.

But the drama was not over, Bills coach Dick Jauron signalled for a timeout just before the kick, forcing Folk to do it again.

The Dallas kicker held his nerve and the second attempt narrowly cleared the crossbar to send a stunned crowd into the night and the Bills to a second home defeat of the season in the dying seconds.

"I just tried to do the same thing I did the last kick," said Folk, who finished the night with four field goals.

"I try to take every kick the same from an extra point to a 53-yard game winner.

"I try to hit them all the same and it ended up working out."

The win lifted the Cowboys to 5-0, leaving Dallas, the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots as the NFL's only remaining unbeaten teams.

Dallas host New England next Sunday in the most anticipated match-up of week six.

With Romo at the helm of the NFL's most potent attack, the Cowboys were expected to easily dissect a Bills rearguard that ranked last among the league's 32 teams.

But the placid Bills defence suddenly turn ferocious, George Wilson and Chris Kelsay returning first-half interceptions for touchdowns while Terrence McGee electrified the crowd with a 103-yard third quarter kickoff return.