DALLAS 31, WASHINGTON 7 --- November 20, 1994

   
   IRVING, Texas (AP) -- The NFL champion Dallas Cowboys, hounded by
   adversity even when they win, lost two quarterbacks in one game
   Sunday.
   
   Troy Aikman, playing with a sore passing thumb and a broken nose, went
   down with a sprained knee in Sunday's 31-7 victory over the Washington
   Redskins. His questionable status puts a severe strain on a team
   trying to win a record third consecutive Super Bowl.
   
   Aikman was given a "very small" chance to play on Thanksgiving Day
   against Green Bay by trainer Kevin O'Neill. An MRI showed a medial
   collateral sprain of the left knee.
   
   If Aikman's injury wasn't bad enough, backup Rodney Peete sprained the
   thumb on his passing hand and was replaced by third-stringer Jason
   Garrett.
   
   "We'll know more about Troy in 24 to 36 hours,," O'Neill said. "It
   should give us a better picture. It's a very small chance he could
   play."
   
   Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who mistakenly predicted wide receiver
   Alvin Harper would miss the season with a knee sprain, said, "It seems
   unlikely Troy will be back for the next two games."
   
   The last time Aikman had a sprained knee, he missed five games in 1991
   and Dallas got knocked out of the playoffs by the Detroit Lions.
   
   Peete responded with a touchdown pass and Emmitt Smith ran for a two
   TDs as Dallas, smarting from a 21-14 loss to San Francisco last week,
   notched its 13th consecutive NFC East victory. Smith rushed for 85
   yards and went over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season. He has
   1,074.
   
   Aikman was hurt in the second quarter when he was tackled around the
   knees by linebacker Ken Harvey. Aikman called timeout, limped to the
   sidelines, then accompanied Cowboys doctors to the locker room.
   Wearing a knee brace, Aikman was taken to a hospital for an MRI. He
   hit 8 of 13 passes for 87 yards before he was hurt.
   
   After the injury, Peete threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Harper
   to give Dallas a 24-7 halftime lead. Kevin Williams then dashed 83
   yards on a punt return for a touchdown as Washington's record dipped
   to 2-9.
   
   Peete jammed his thumb in the third period when hit by defensive end
   Dexter Nottage. Peete could barely grip the ball after the injury, but
   X-rays of the thumb were negative.
   
   "I'll know more about my injury tomorrow," Peete said. "I'm worried
   about the ligament. I want to play Thursday. I just hope I can."
   
   O'Neill wasn't so sure.
   
   "Rodney could possibly have significant ligament damage," O'Neill
   said. "We'll have to wait and see. He has an appointment with a thumb
   specialist in the morning."
   
   The Cowboys (9-2) also lost guard Derek Kennard with a toe injury and
   linebacker Godfrey Myles with a knee injury during the game.
   
   "It's ugly for the Cowboys right now," said guard Nate Newton, who
   also was hurt. "It's an epidemic."
   
   Washington trickery backfired after Brian Mitchell returned the
   opening kickoff 66 yards to the Dallas 23. On second down, Mitchell
   tried a halfback pass, but cornerback Kevin Smith intercepted in the
   end zone.
   
   The Cowboys drove 80 yards in 10 plays, with Smith scoring on an
   8-yard run on which he carried linebacker Andre Collins the last 2
   yards.
   
   After a missed 53-yard field goal, Dallas went 56 yards in four plays,
   with Smith scoring on a 3-yard run.
   
   Then James Washington intercepted Gus Frerotte's pass and returned it
   15 yards to the Washington 20. Chris Boniol kicked a 32-yard field
   goal for a 17-0 first-quarter lead.
   
   John Friesz, who began the season as Washington's No. 1 quarterback,
   replaced Frerotte and hit Desmond Howard with a 19-yard touchdown
   pass.
   
   Heath Shuler also played for the Redskins, meaning six quarterbacks
   played in the game.
   
   "Who will our quarterback be next week?" said Washington coach Norv
   Turner. "That's a good question. We'll make a decision next week. We
   didn't play well today. We were out of it early. Gus didn't have a
   good day."
   
   It was the first time Dallas swept Washington in their annual two-game
   series in 10 years. The Cowboys beat Washington 34-7 earlier in the
   year.
   
   Jones said the Cowboys will launch a search for backup quarterbacks.
   
   "We'll look for quarterbacks throughout the league, but for
   Thanksgiving will go with what we got," Jones said.
   
   Dallas is only $40,000 under the salary cap, which limits their
   efforts.
   
   "We've got to find us a quarterback," said Dallas coach Barry Switzer.
   "There's none at the 7-11. But we have to find somebody.
   
   "We can't rack the table and quit. We still have to play the last five
   balls. All I know, six quarterbacks in one game has to be an NFL
   first. It at least ties a record."