IRVING, Texas (AP) -- The Cleveland Browns have the best defense in the NFL when it comes to preventing points. Troy Aikman and the Dallas Cowboys learned that first-hand Saturday.The Browns intercepted two Aikman passes, sacked him twice, recovered a critical fumble and watched a last-minute Dallas rally end at the 1-inch line as they beat the Cowboys 19-14 to virtually assure themselves of a wild card berth.
Cleveland (10-4), which got four field goals from Matt Stover, will get one AFC wild card spot if Denver loses or is tied by the Los Angeles Rams or if Buffalo loses or is tied by Minnesota on Sunday. If that doesn't happen, the Browns still get in should Kansas City lose or be tied by Miami on Monday night.
Dallas (11-3) has already clinched the NFC East title and a playoff spot, but the loss damaged its chances for a homefield advantage throughout the playoffs as they seek a record third consecutive Super Bowl. The Cowboys are a game behind San Francisco, which beat them 21-14 earlier this season.
Aikman, wearing a brace to protect his sprained left knee, was less nimble and less accurate with his passes after a two-week layoff in which the Cowboys won with Jason Garrett and Rodney Peete playing quarterback.
Still, he was able to lead Dallas 47 yards and 11 inches downfield in the final minute as Dallas nearly pulled it out. On the final play of the game, Aikman cpompleted a pass to tight end Jay Novacek, but he seemed to slip as he caught the pass and Eric Turner made the tackle. Time expired befor e the Cowboys could get set for another play.
The Browns led 16-7 with 12:44 to play after Stover's third field goal, a 43-yarder after Don Griffin had intercepted Aikman.
But Dallas rallied behind Emmitt Smith, who scored on a 4-yard run to cut the deficit to 16-14 with 6:21 remaining to cap a 78-yard drive.
Aikman fumbled on fourth-and-1 from the Dallas 17 and Cleveland converted it into Stover's fourth field goal, this time from 32 yards with 1:49 to play for a 19-14 lead.
Dallas had no timeouts, but Kevin Williams returned the kickoff 42 yards to the Dallas 48 to set up the final drive in which Aikman completed passes of 19 and 14 yards to Michael Irvin and 15 yards to Williams.
The Cowboys got an early break and turned it into a first period touchdown. Cleveland's Leroy Hoard fumbled into the end zone after being hit by Charles Haley and Robert Jones recovered to stop a Browns drive.
Dallas rollled 80 yards in 13 plays, with the payoff coming on a 7-yard pass from Aikman to Smith. It was Smith's 20th touchdown of the year, a club record, and his first with a pass reception.
A 48-yard pass interference on Larry Brown provided Cleveland with the opportunity to tie the game on a 2-yard Vinny Testaverde to Michael Jackson touchdown pass. Brown was beaten by Jackson on the play.
Another Dallas mistake in the second quarter gave the Browns a 10-7 halftime lead. Alvin Harper fumbled after an 11-yard reception and Stefan Moore recovered at the Dallas 47. The Browns moved it to the Cowboys 17 and Stover drilled a 34-yard field goal, his 17th in a row, a club record.
Dallas lost a 47-yard field goal from Chris Boniol in the second quarter when Tony Tolbert moved for an illegal procedure penalty that took Dallas out of field goal range.
Smith rushed 21 times for 136 yards and Hoard had 99 yards on 25 carries. Testaverde completed 15 of 25 passes for 115 yards and Aikman hit 21 of 36 for 188.