What to look for

The Dallas Cowboys can clinch their fifth straight playoff berth and move closer to the N-F-C East title with a win Sunday over Washington.

N-F-L rushing leader Emmitt Smith is questionable with a sprained left medial collateral ligament. He suffered the injury late in the third quarter of Dallas' 24-12 Thanksgiving Day win over Kansas City.

Smith, who has rushed for 1,403 yards, is closing in on John Riggins' N-F-L single-season touchdown record of 24 set in 1983 for Washington. Smith has 21 touchdowns in 12 games.

If Smith is unable to play Sunday, rookie Sherman Williams will start at halfback. Williams has rushed for 205 yards on 43 carries.

The Cowboys are looking to avenge a 27-23 loss to the Redskins October 1st at Washington. Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman suffered a strained right calf in the first quarter of that game and did not return.

Terry Allen rushed for 121 yards and Gus Frerotte passed for two touchdowns as the Redskins built a 27-10 lead and withstood a second half Dallas comeback.

But since the win over Dallas, the Redskins have lost six of seven games. Coach Norv Turner moved quarterback Heath Shuler ahead of Frerotte in an attempt to shake up the team, but the Redskins struggled offensively in a 14-7 loss to Philadelphia last week. Shuler completed 12-of-27 passes for 164 yards with an interception.

The Cowboys seem to have rebounded quite well since their blowout loss to San Francisco three weeks ago. They have defeated the A-F-C's two-best teams in Oakland and Kansas City.

Aikman leads N-F-C quarterbacks with a passer rating of 102.8. Michael Irvin has 88 catches for 1,290 yards and nine touchdowns. Irvin's 10-100-yard games ties the league single-season record set by Charley Hennigan for San Diego in 1961.

Cowboys defensive lineman Leon Lett practiced with the team this week and is eligible to play after being suspended for four games for illegal drug use.

The Cowboys rolled to a 31-7 rout of the Redskins last November in Dallas.

Dallas can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie against Washington. It can also earn a playoff berth with all of the following: a Detroit loss or tie, a St. Louis loss or tie, and a Tampa Bay loss or tie.