GAME REPORT: DALLAS VS. ARIZONA

GAME REPORT: DALLAS VS. ARIZONA

By: Rafael Vela

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THE CARDINALS HIT BLUE STEEL; COWBOYS WIN 17-3
The Dallas defense upstaged Michael Irvin yesterday. In a performance reminiscent of the Randy White, TooTall Jones Doomsday units, the defense came within one play of their second shutout, stuffing Arizona 17-3.
The dominance was clear in every phase of the game. Arizona pushed inside the Dallas 30 just once, and that came after a pass interference call on Kevin Smith at the Dallas 17. The rushing defense was a wall of blue steel; LeShon Johnson had gained over 300 yards in his last two games but could muster just 21 yards on 14 carries Sunday.
The passing defense continued its control over NFL wide receivers. Deion Sanders watched much of the second half from the bench after turning an ankle, but he was barely missed. Alundis Brice filled in admirably, teaming with Kevin Smith to hold Rob Moore and Frank Sanders to four receptions for 62 yards.
Dave Campo showed that he and his staff had worked on stopping short passes to running backs, a weakness of the Dallas scheme the first five games. Larry Centers has burned the Cowboys in the past, and bragged that he would have another big game. This time it was the Dallas linebackers and safeties who could do the talking, as Centers was limited to 64 total yards. Dallas did a commendable job of containing Centers on screens and swing routes. The Cowboys perfectly defensed a deep route by Centers from the Dallas 17, allowing Tony Tolbert to sack Kent Graham and end the Cardinals only scoring threat.
Overall, the Cardinals were limited to 178 total yards. Arizona gained 58 rushing and only 120 through the air. The powerful performance almost assures the Cowboys defense of keeping the top ranking. This marks the second game in which an opponent did not score a touchdown. Dallas has allowed only five so far this season. In only one game has Dallas allowed more than one touchdown. It has permitted only three points in the last seven quarters.
The offense sputtered for two quarters, but got its bearings in the second half, pushing a 3-0 half-time lead to the final margin. Troy Aikman tried to connect with Michael Irvin early, but was denied by Aeneas Williams. The entire Cardinals defense threw Dallas off balance, permitting only one first down in the Cowboys' first three possessions.
Because the defense was in control, Dallas remained patient. Ernie Zampese continued to call running plays for Emmitt Smith, and in the second half the Dallas offensive line gained a consistent push; Smith finished with 112 yards on 21 carries. Two rushes went for scores, Smith's 100 and 101st of his career.
Irvin made a modest contribution, catching five Passes for 51 yards. Both Irvin and Deion Sanders were limited by a Cardinals zone defense that discouraged the deep pass. With Arizona focusing on the receivers, Eric Bjornson continued his strong play, catching five passes for 49 yards.
A FESTIVAL OF PUNTS
The game opened as a duel between Dave Campo and Cardinals defensive chief Vince Tobin. Arizona took the opening kickoff at its 28 and converted a third down pass to its 38. On the following play Kent Graham tried a pass to Larry Centers, who was circling over the middle. Fred Strickland tipped the ball into the air and struggled to gain control of the ball. He batted it into the hands of a sliding Frank Sanders, who gave the Cardinals a first down at the Arizona 49. It would be Sanders only catch of the day.
Arizona tried a strong side slant to LeShon Johnson on first down. Fred Strickland met Johnson in the hole and dropped him after a one yard gain. The Cardinals went to the I-formation on second down and ran Johnson on a lead draw behind Centers. Tony Tolbert and Strickland read this play and combined to drop Johnson for a two yard loss. On third down Arizona rolled Graham to his right, to get him away from Leon Lett. Graham found no one open and ran for a four yard gain. Jeff Feagles' punt was downed on the Dallas one yard line.
The Cowboys opened in a three tight end set, with Emmitt Smith in the backfield and Michael Irvin as the lone wide receiver. Aikman ran a play action fake to Smith and tried a ten yard out to Irvin. Aeneas Williams had tight press coverage and batted the ball down. After Smith ran for three yards, Aikman again looked for Irvin, who was running a seam route between the layers of the Cardinals zone. The pass sailed high, forcing Dallas to punt. John Jett's kick was high but short, giving the Cardinals good field position at the Dallas 42.
The Cardinals tried another slant to Johnson and Strickland again stopped him cold. Arizona tried running a screen for Centers, but Darrin Smith diagnosed the play and nailed Centers for a ten yard loss. Arizona rolled Graham out a second time and he again found no one open down field. His long pass sailed incomplete, forcing a second Arizona kick. Feagles' punt was fair caught by Kelvin Martin at the Dallas sixteen.
Dallas spread the ball around, and made a modest drive. Smith carried on first down but was dropped by Eric Swann for no gain. An out to Deion Sanders gained nine yards. On third and two Smith ran off left guard and bulled his way for seven yards and a first down. Aikman then drew a cheer from the crowd when he completed an eleven yard out to Irvin. Two Smith runs gained five more yards, but the drive was undone by an offsides call on the Cowboys. Facing third and ten, Aikman tried a pump an go to Sanders, but his pass sailed high. Jett's second punt was returned to the Arizona 26.
Arizona opened its third drive as it had the previous two, with a strong side slant to Johnson. Strickland again read the play and tackled him after two yards. A slant pass to Rob Moore fell incomplete, as Graham could not beat tight coverage by Kevin Smith. On third down Graham lined up in the shotgun, with Centers flanked to his right. The Cardinals center made a direct snap to Centers, who tried running outside left tackle. Dallas was not fooled and a host of tacklers stopped him after a four yard gain.
Dallas regained possession on its 41, after a21 yard return by Kelvin Martin. The Cowboys went nowhere, as Aikman's pass on third and five was knocked down at the line of scrimmage. Jett's third punt was fair caught at the Cardinals' fifteen.
After an incompletion the Cardinals went to a three wide receiver set. The Cowboys blitzed up the middle and Graham beat it with a quick out to Rob Moore. Moore faked out Roger Harper and staggered for a first down before being tackled by Kevin Smith at the 25.
The second quarter began with a play action incompletion by Graham. A toss by Johnson gained four yards. Graham then sailed a third down pass high, forcing the Cardinals to punt again. Feagles kick was fair caught at the Dallas sixteen.
THE COWBOYS GAIN SOME TRACTION
The Cowboys fourth drive finally saw them gain a rhythm. Deion Sanders got the drive going by running a curl route for eleven yards. The Cowboys returned to the ground and Emmitt Smith finally found some running room against the beefy Arizona front. He first ran a draw for seven yards. He then ran behind Larry Allen and Erik Williams for sixteen more yards, to midfield. Michael Irvin then gained sixteen yards when he beat Aeneas Williams on an out route along the left sideline. Deion Sanders injured his ankle on the far sideline on the play and left the field.
The Cowboys were now on the fringe of Chris Boniol's range. He would not get a chance to kick, however, as the next three plays lost one yard. With his defense playing so well, Barry Switzer elected to punt and play the field position game. The decision worked when Billy Davis caught John Jett's punt on the fly at the Cardinals' three yard line.
The Cowboys tried to keep the Cardinals in a box, but Rob Moore helped them escape. After LeShon Johnson was stuffed for the umpteenth time by Fred Strickland, Graham beat a strong Cowboys rush on second and eight by heaving the ball towards Moore, who was running a go route up the right sideline. Moore outleapt Kevin Smith and somehow managed to drag both feet in bounds at the Arizona 25. The Cardinals then tried running Larry Centers at the Cowboys line, and he gained eight yards on two carries. He then beat the Cowboys to the corner on a third down sweep left, gaining two yards and another first down.
After an incompletion and a Johnson draw left the Cardinals in third and seven, Moore beat the Cowboys a second time. He stopped in a gap on the right side of the Dallas zone. Graham found him, and Moore carried the ball to the Cowboys' 47. Here, Dallas stiffened, as Kevin Smith broke up a pass to Moore off a fake sweep. Feagles' fourth punt of the day was fair caught by Deion Sanders at the fifteen. Sanders limped noticeably after the play.
Dallas had found success running Emmitt Smith on the previous drive, so they continued handing him the ball. Aikman opened the drive by throwing a flare to Smith in the right flat. Smith squirmed to the 20. On second down, Emmitt cut behind a trap block and gained seven more yards. After an incompletion, Smith beat a Cardinals blitz on a draw play, slashing for nine yards to the Dallas 41. He then blasted behind Nate Newton and Mark Tuinei for one yard and another first down.
Dallas could have continued running Smith, but time was now against the Cowboys; under three minutes remained, so Aikman took to the air. Two incompletions left the offense in third and ten at the two minute warning. When play resumed, Dallas lined up in a three receiver set. Aikman found Kelvin Martin streaking across the middle of the Cardinals' zone and hit him at the Arizona 38.
After a screen pass to Daryl Johnston lost a yard, Aikman completed two consecutive passes to Michael Irvin. The first gave the Cowboys a first down at the Cards' 28. On the next play, Irvin ran a crossing route from left to right. He carried Aikman's pass to the nineteen, but was tripped up before he could get out of bounds. Dallas was forced to use a time out with 1:11 left in the half.
Emmitt Smith then ran a trap draw from a split back formation, gaining two yards. The play earned the first down, but it forced Dallas to burn its last time out. The Cardinals knew the Cowboys were too short on time to run with Smith, so they sat in a zone, hoping to keep Dallas from completing a pass in the end zone. The Cowboys inched closer to six when Aikman hit Sanders, who ran a curl route at the Arizona five. Dallas was out of time outs, so Aikman hurried the offense to the line. He tried a pass to Irvin, who had stopped between Cards' players on the goal line. The pass was tipped away, halting the clock with eleven seconds left.
On second and goal, Zampese lined up Irvin and Bjornson left. At the snap, both cut right, in an attempt to clear Cardinals defenders out of the left flat. Emmitt Smith ran a flare route in the area vacated by Irvin and Bjornson. An Arizona safety recognized the play and broke away from Bjornson. A one on one duel between him and Smith was shaping up; if Smith could shake him, he could score. If the tackle was made, Emmitt would have to dive out of bounds and stop the clock.
The duel never happened. Simeon Rice took a wide rush and knocked down Aikman's pass. Seven seconds remained, so Dallas brought Chris Boniol out to break the scoring ice. His kick was true and Dallas had a 3-0 lead just five seconds before the half.
EMMITT STARTS TO ROLL
Dallas went to the locker room knowing that Emmitt Smith was getting untracked. When the Cowboys took the second half kickoff, they returned to their bread and butter plays. After Herschel Walker spun his way to the Dallas 34 with the kickoff, Smith got two carries and gained eight yards. Emmitt limped off the field after the second carry with an injury to his right leg. Aikman kept the drive going with an out pass to Daryl Johnston, who gained fifteen yards to the Cardinals 43.
Aikman tried for a score on the next play, as he faked an out to Irvin then threw deep for him. Aeneas Williams did not buy the fake and ran with Irvin down the right sideline. Aikman's pass was thrown wide over Irvin's right shoulder. Irvin did not adjust to the ball. Williams did and intercepted the pass at the Cardinals' four.
Dallas had let the Cardinals mount a drive out of bad field position late in the first half. Here, the defense did a better job. Arizona gained one first down when Graham found Larry Centers between the Cowboys linebackers at the nineteen. Two plays later, on third and nine, Graham scrambled right to escape a strong Dallas rush. He was tripped up a yard short of a first down by Leon Lett, forcing Jeff Feagles to kick his fifth punt of the day. Kelvin Martin returned the kick to the Dallas 38.
Dallas had stopped its last possession by getting greedy. This time, Ernie Zampese took what the stingy Cardinals zone was willing to give. The result was a twelve play scoring drive.
Smith took a first down flare from Aikman and gained nothing. Arizona had rolled its corners up in coverage, and Williams made the tackle. Smith then took a draw to his right and gained eighteen yards. Emmitt appeared ready to go the distance, but was ankle tackled by the last Cardinal between him and the goal line. On the next play, Aikman found his primary receiver covered, stutter stepped in the pocket, then hit Irvin for a short gain to the Cardinals' 41.
Sherman Williams had replaced Emmitt Smith the play before. On second and five, he ran around left end for ten yards and a Dallas first down. Two plays later, Eric Bjornson ran a route beneath the Arizona linebackers. Aikman threw to him for seven yards to the Cardinal 21. Johnston then ran a dive, gaining two yards and another first down. On the following play, Aikman faked a hand-off to Smith and rolled right. He threw again to Bjornson, who carried the ball to the Cards' ten.
A Smith blast gained one yard, giving Dallas a first down nine yards from pay dirt. Smith tried the left side of the Dallas line and found several Arizona defenders waiting for him. Aikman then threw a third time to Bjornson, who was dragged down a yard short of a score. Dallas brought in its short yardage team and pitched left to Smith. He stutter stepped to left his blockers engage Cardinals, then launched himself into the end zone. Boniol's PAT pushed the Dallas lead to 10-0.
Arizona's try at a quick response was thwarted when Broderick Thomas sacked Kent Graham on third and twelve from the Cardinals' 31. Dallas opened the fourth quarter on its own 26, and saw its hopes for a knockout drive squelched when a third down middle screen to Emmitt Smith was stopped for no gain. John Jett boomed a high deep punt and Jim Schwantz' jarring tackle left the Cardinals at their own eleven yard line.
Arizona had found no success throwing to its backs or receivers. It now gained ground passing to its tight end. On the first play of its drive, Pat Carter beat Godfrey Myles on an out pattern and gained seven yards. After Larry Centers ran a draw to the Cardinals 27, Carter got open on the right side of the Dallas zone. He shook free from Broderick Thomas and rumbled to the Cards' 47.
Two plays later, on third and four, Graham beat a Cowboys blitz when he found Centers open in the left flat. Centers was pushed out of bounds by Brock Marion at the Dallas 36. Two Centers runs and an incompletion left the Cardinals in fourth and eight. Graham threw for Frank Sanders, who was covered in the right seam by Kevin Smith. Graham's pass appeared high, but Smith was penalized for interference. The penalty gave the Cardinals a first down at the Dallas seventeen.
The Cowboys defense needed a hero, and Tony Tolbert rode to their rescue. On first down, Centers lined up behind the right tackle. At the snap, he broke upfield, to the right corner of the end zone. Centers had beaten Darrin Smith for a touchdown on this very same play last year. This time, he was covered. Graham hesitated as he looked for another receiver. This gave Tolbert the time to bull rush his way to the Cards' QB. He sacked Graham for a seven yard loss. After an incompletion, Tolbert sacked Graham a second time at the Dallas 31. The sacks had almost pushed the Cardinals out of field goal range. Almost. Greg Davis demonstrated his strong leg when he boomed a 49 yard attempt between the uprights.
Arizona was finally on the board. However, their thirteen play drive had consumed a great deal of time. Only 5:36 remained in the game, so it was vital that they stop Dallas on the ensuing drive.
Greg Davis made Arizona's task a harder one when he was flagged for a late hit on the kickoff. The penalty let Dallas start its drive at its own 44. A motion penalty moved Dallas back to the 39, but was quickly overcome when Aikman hit Bjornson, who had cleared the Cardinals linebackers. The completion gave Dallas a first down at the Cards' 42.
Dallas then fed the ball to Emmitt Smith. He gained three yards on first down. He then followed Nate Newton and Mark Tuinei for fourteen more yards. On the next play, Daryl Johnston caught a four yard pass in the right flat. The clock now read 3:12, and the Cardinals were in trouble. On second down, they stacked nine men at the line of scrimmage. Smith tried to run through the Arizona blitz, but was dropped for a two yard loss.
Deion Sanders had been quiet since the first half, but now he made his most important offensive contribution of the game. He cut inside Aeneas Williams and caught a slant for nine yards on third and eight. The Cowboys were now fourteen yards for deciding the game. It took Emmitt Smith just one play to finish the job. He took a hand-off left, found a huge hole between Newton and Ray Donaldson, broke a tackle and dashed to his second touchdown of the day. Boniol's PAT made the score 17-3, with just 2:03 left in the game.
The Cardinals were now out of the game, but fought on in hopes of a late score. Graham gave Arizona a first down at its 34 when he ran a quarterback draw for three yards on fourth and two. His day came to an abrupt end when Kevin Smith intercepted him on the next play. Just 51 seconds remained to be played. Troy Aikman took a knee, and Dallas was back at .500 for the first time in a month.
COWBOYS NOTES
Tony Tolbert now has eight sacks in six games. The number matches Tolbert's career high. His production could mushroom when Charles Haley returns.
When preseason injuries hobbled Jay Novacek, Mark Tuinei, Eric Bjornson and Kendall Watkins, Billy Davis' injury went unnoticed. He returned to the lineup yesterday and gave the special teams a boost. Davis was responsible for two tackles on punts and downed a John Jett rocket on the Cardinals two yard line.
Leon Lett's fast start has caught the attention of opposing offensive coordinators. It is also prompting teams to target him. The Cardinals attacked Lett with a trap play that had Larry Centers line up wide and hit Lett's knees once he entered the backfield. Lett was fortunate to escape this game without a serious injury.
The Cardinals game resembled a 1970's match. Both teams stayed with their running attacks, which resulted in a two hour forty minute game.
Fred Strickland looked like Lee Roy Jordan yesterday. Dallas has adjusted smartly to the Cardinals split backfield running plays, stopping quick hitting plays and counter plays. The Cardinals West Coast offense provided one more opportunity for Dallas to get its scheme together before it plays the Eagles, 49ers and Packers in the next month.

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THE CARDINALS HIT BLUE STEEL; COWBOYS WIN 17-3 The Dallas defense upstaged Michael Irvin yesterday. In a performance reminiscent of the Randy White, TooTall Jones Doomsday units, the defense came within one play of their second shutout, stuffing Arizona 17-3. The dominance was clear in every phase of the game. Arizona pushed inside the Dallas 30 just once, and that came after a pass interference call on Kevin Smith at the Dallas 17. The rushing defense was a wall of blue steel; LeShon Johnson had gained over 300 yards in his last two games but could muster just 21 yards on 14 carries Sunday. The passing defense continued its control over NFL wide receivers. Deion Sanders watched much of the second half from the bench after turning an ankle, but he was barely missed. Alundis Brice filled in admirably, teaming with Kevin Smith to hold Rob Moore and Frank Sanders to four receptions for 62 yards. Dave Campo showed that he and his staff had worked on stopping short passes to running backs, a weakness of the Dallas scheme the first five games. Larry Centers has burned the Cowboys in the past, and bragged that he would have another big game. This time it was the Dallas linebackers and safeties who could do the talking, as Centers was limited to 64 total yards. Dallas did a commendable job of containing Centers on screens and swing routes. The Cowboys perfectly defensed a deep route by Centers from the Dallas 17, allowing Tony Tolbert to sack Kent Graham and end the Cardinals only scoring threat. Overall, the Cardinals were limited to 178 total yards. Arizona gained 58 rushing and only 120 through the air. The powerful performance almost assures the Cowboys defense of keeping the top ranking. This marks the second game in which an opponent did not score a touchdown. Dallas has allowed only five so far this season. In only one game has Dallas allowed more than one touchdown. It has permitted only three points in the last seven quarters. The offense sputtered for two quarters, but got its bearings in the second half, pushing a 3-0 half-time lead to the final margin. Troy Aikman tried to connect with Michael Irvin early, but was denied by Aeneas Williams. The entire Cardinals defense threw Dallas off balance, permitting only one first down in the Cowboys' first three possessions. Because the defense was in control, Dallas remained patient. Ernie Zampese continued to call running plays for Emmitt Smith, and in the second half the Dallas offensive line gained a consistent push; Smith finished with 112 yards on 21 carries. Two rushes went for scores, Smith's 100 and 101st of his career. Irvin made a modest contribution, catching five Passes for 51 yards. Both Irvin and Deion Sanders were limited by a Cardinals zone defense that discouraged the deep pass. With Arizona focusing on the receivers, Eric Bjornson continued his strong play, catching five passes for 49 yards. A FESTIVAL OF PUNTS The game opened as a duel between Dave Campo and Cardinals defensive chief Vince Tobin. Arizona took the opening kickoff at its 28 and converted a third down pass to its 38. On the following play Kent Graham tried a pass to Larry Centers, who was circling over the middle. Fred Strickland tipped the ball into the air and struggled to gain control of the ball. He batted it into the hands of a sliding Frank Sanders, who gave the Cardinals a first down at the Arizona 49. It would be Sanders only catch of the day. Arizona tried a strong side slant to LeShon Johnson on first down. Fred Strickland met Johnson in the hole and dropped him after a one yard gain. The Cardinals went to the I-formation on second down and ran Johnson on a lead draw behind Centers. Tony Tolbert and Strickland read this play and combined to drop Johnson for a two yard loss. On third down Arizona rolled Graham to his right, to get him away from Leon Lett. Graham found no one open and ran for a four yard gain. Jeff Feagles' punt was downed on the Dallas one yard line. The Cowboys opened in a three tight end set, with Emmitt Smith in the backfield and Michael Irvin as the lone wide receiver. Aikman ran a play action fake to Smith and tried a ten yard out to Irvin. Aeneas Williams had tight press coverage and batted the ball down. After Smith ran for three yards, Aikman again looked for Irvin, who was running a seam route between the layers of the Cardinals zone. The pass sailed high, forcing Dallas to punt. John Jett's kick was high but short, giving the Cardinals good field position at the Dallas 42. The Cardinals tried another slant to Johnson and Strickland again stopped him cold. Arizona tried running a screen for Centers, but Darrin Smith diagnosed the play and nailed Centers for a ten yard loss. Arizona rolled Graham out a second time and he again found no one open down field. His long pass sailed incomplete, forcing a second Arizona kick. Feagles' punt was fair caught by Kelvin Martin at the Dallas sixteen. Dallas spread the ball around, and made a modest drive. Smith carried on first down but was dropped by Eric Swann for no gain. An out to Deion Sanders gained nine yards. On third and two Smith ran off left guard and bulled his way for seven yards and a first down. Aikman then drew a cheer from the crowd when he completed an eleven yard out to Irvin. Two Smith runs gained five more yards, but the drive was undone by an offsides call on the Cowboys. Facing third and ten, Aikman tried a pump an go to Sanders, but his pass sailed high. Jett's second punt was returned to the Arizona 26. Arizona opened its third drive as it had the previous two, with a strong side slant to Johnson. Strickland again read the play and tackled him after two yards. A slant pass to Rob Moore fell incomplete, as Graham could not beat tight coverage by Kevin Smith. On third down Graham lined up in the shotgun, with Centers flanked to his right. The Cardinals center made a direct snap to Centers, who tried running outside left tackle. Dallas was not fooled and a host of tacklers stopped him after a four yard gain. Dallas regained possession on its 41, after a21 yard return by Kelvin Martin. The Cowboys went nowhere, as Aikman's pass on third and five was knocked down at the line of scrimmage. Jett's third punt was fair caught at the Cardinals' fifteen. After an incompletion the Cardinals went to a three wide receiver set. The Cowboys blitzed up the middle and Graham beat it with a quick out to Rob Moore. Moore faked out Roger Harper and staggered for a first down before being tackled by Kevin Smith at the 25. The second quarter began with a play action incompletion by Graham. A toss by Johnson gained four yards. Graham then sailed a third down pass high, forcing the Cardinals to punt again. Feagles kick was fair caught at the Dallas sixteen. THE COWBOYS GAIN SOME TRACTION The Cowboys fourth drive finally saw them gain a rhythm. Deion Sanders got the drive going by running a curl route for eleven yards. The Cowboys returned to the ground and Emmitt Smith finally found some running room against the beefy Arizona front. He first ran a draw for seven yards. He then ran behind Larry Allen and Erik Williams for sixteen more yards, to midfield. Michael Irvin then gained sixteen yards when he beat Aeneas Williams on an out route along the left sideline. Deion Sanders injured his ankle on the far sideline on the play and left the field. The Cowboys were now on the fringe of Chris Boniol's range. He would not get a chance to kick, however, as the next three plays lost one yard. With his defense playing so well, Barry Switzer elected to punt and play the field position game. The decision worked when Billy Davis caught John Jett's punt on the fly at the Cardinals' three yard line. The Cowboys tried to keep the Cardinals in a box, but Rob Moore helped them escape. After LeShon Johnson was stuffed for the umpteenth time by Fred Strickland, Graham beat a strong Cowboys rush on second and eight by heaving the ball towards Moore, who was running a go route up the right sideline. Moore outleapt Kevin Smith and somehow managed to drag both feet in bounds at the Arizona 25. The Cardinals then tried running Larry Centers at the Cowboys line, and he gained eight yards on two carries. He then beat the Cowboys to the corner on a third down sweep left, gaining two yards and another first down. After an incompletion and a Johnson draw left the Cardinals in third and seven, Moore beat the Cowboys a second time. He stopped in a gap on the right side of the Dallas zone. Graham found him, and Moore carried the ball to the Cowboys' 47. Here, Dallas stiffened, as Kevin Smith broke up a pass to Moore off a fake sweep. Feagles' fourth punt of the day was fair caught by Deion Sanders at the fifteen. Sanders limped noticeably after the play. Dallas had found success running Emmitt Smith on the previous drive, so they continued handing him the ball. Aikman opened the drive by throwing a flare to Smith in the right flat. Smith squirmed to the 20. On second down, Emmitt cut behind a trap block and gained seven more yards. After an incompletion, Smith beat a Cardinals blitz on a draw play, slashing for nine yards to the Dallas 41. He then blasted behind Nate Newton and Mark Tuinei for one yard and another first down. Dallas could have continued running Smith, but time was now against the Cowboys; under three minutes remained, so Aikman took to the air. Two incompletions left the offense in third and ten at the two minute warning. When play resumed, Dallas lined up in a three receiver set. Aikman found Kelvin Martin streaking across the middle of the Cardinals' zone and hit him at the Arizona 38. After a screen pass to Daryl Johnston lost a yard, Aikman completed two consecutive passes to Michael Irvin. The first gave the Cowboys a first down at the Cards' 28. On the next play, Irvin ran a crossing route from left to right. He carried Aikman's pass to the nineteen, but was tripped up before he could get out of bounds. Dallas was forced to use a time out with 1:11 left in the half. Emmitt Smith then ran a trap draw from a split back formation, gaining two yards. The play earned the first down, but it forced Dallas to burn its last time out. The Cardinals knew the Cowboys were too short on time to run with Smith, so they sat in a zone, hoping to keep Dallas from completing a pass in the end zone. The Cowboys inched closer to six when Aikman hit Sanders, who ran a curl route at the Arizona five. Dallas was out of time outs, so Aikman hurried the offense to the line. He tried a pass to Irvin, who had stopped between Cards' players on the goal line. The pass was tipped away, halting the clock with eleven seconds left. On second and goal, Zampese lined up Irvin and Bjornson left. At the snap, both cut right, in an attempt to clear Cardinals defenders out of the left flat. Emmitt Smith ran a flare route in the area vacated by Irvin and Bjornson. An Arizona safety recognized the play and broke away from Bjornson. A one on one duel between him and Smith was shaping up; if Smith could shake him, he could score. If the tackle was made, Emmitt would have to dive out of bounds and stop the clock. The duel never happened. Simeon Rice took a wide rush and knocked down Aikman's pass. Seven seconds remained, so Dallas brought Chris Boniol out to break the scoring ice. His kick was true and Dallas had a 3-0 lead just five seconds before the half. EMMITT STARTS TO ROLL Dallas went to the locker room knowing that Emmitt Smith was getting untracked. When the Cowboys took the second half kickoff, they returned to their bread and butter plays. After Herschel Walker spun his way to the Dallas 34 with the kickoff, Smith got two carries and gained eight yards. Emmitt limped off the field after the second carry with an injury to his right leg. Aikman kept the drive going with an out pass to Daryl Johnston, who gained fifteen yards to the Cardinals 43. Aikman tried for a score on the next play, as he faked an out to Irvin then threw deep for him. Aeneas Williams did not buy the fake and ran with Irvin down the right sideline. Aikman's pass was thrown wide over Irvin's right shoulder. Irvin did not adjust to the ball. Williams did and intercepted the pass at the Cardinals' four. Dallas had let the Cardinals mount a drive out of bad field position late in the first half. Here, the defense did a better job. Arizona gained one first down when Graham found Larry Centers between the Cowboys linebackers at the nineteen. Two plays later, on third and nine, Graham scrambled right to escape a strong Dallas rush. He was tripped up a yard short of a first down by Leon Lett, forcing Jeff Feagles to kick his fifth punt of the day. Kelvin Martin returned the kick to the Dallas 38. Dallas had stopped its last possession by getting greedy. This time, Ernie Zampese took what the stingy Cardinals zone was willing to give. The result was a twelve play scoring drive. Smith took a first down flare from Aikman and gained nothing. Arizona had rolled its corners up in coverage, and Williams made the tackle. Smith then took a draw to his right and gained eighteen yards. Emmitt appeared ready to go the distance, but was ankle tackled by the last Cardinal between him and the goal line. On the next play, Aikman found his primary receiver covered, stutter stepped in the pocket, then hit Irvin for a short gain to the Cardinals' 41. Sherman Williams had replaced Emmitt Smith the play before. On second and five, he ran around left end for ten yards and a Dallas first down. Two plays later, Eric Bjornson ran a route beneath the Arizona linebackers. Aikman threw to him for seven yards to the Cardinal 21. Johnston then ran a dive, gaining two yards and another first down. On the following play, Aikman faked a hand-off to Smith and rolled right. He threw again to Bjornson, who carried the ball to the Cards' ten. A Smith blast gained one yard, giving Dallas a first down nine yards from pay dirt. Smith tried the left side of the Dallas line and found several Arizona defenders waiting for him. Aikman then threw a third time to Bjornson, who was dragged down a yard short of a score. Dallas brought in its short yardage team and pitched left to Smith. He stutter stepped to left his blockers engage Cardinals, then launched himself into the end zone. Boniol's PAT pushed the Dallas lead to 10-0. Arizona's try at a quick response was thwarted when Broderick Thomas sacked Kent Graham on third and twelve from the Cardinals' 31. Dallas opened the fourth quarter on its own 26, and saw its hopes for a knockout drive squelched when a third down middle screen to Emmitt Smith was stopped for no gain. John Jett boomed a high deep punt and Jim Schwantz' jarring tackle left the Cardinals at their own eleven yard line. Arizona had found no success throwing to its backs or receivers. It now gained ground passing to its tight end. On the first play of its drive, Pat Carter beat Godfrey Myles on an out pattern and gained seven yards. After Larry Centers ran a draw to the Cardinals 27, Carter got open on the right side of the Dallas zone. He shook free from Broderick Thomas and rumbled to the Cards' 47. Two plays later, on third and four, Graham beat a Cowboys blitz when he found Centers open in the left flat. Centers was pushed out of bounds by Brock Marion at the Dallas 36. Two Centers runs and an incompletion left the Cardinals in fourth and eight. Graham threw for Frank Sanders, who was covered in the right seam by Kevin Smith. Graham's pass appeared high, but Smith was penalized for interference. The penalty gave the Cardinals a first down at the Dallas seventeen. The Cowboys defense needed a hero, and Tony Tolbert rode to their rescue. On first down, Centers lined up behind the right tackle. At the snap, he broke upfield, to the right corner of the end zone. Centers had beaten Darrin Smith for a touchdown on this very same play last year. This time, he was covered. Graham hesitated as he looked for another receiver. This gave Tolbert the time to bull rush his way to the Cards' QB. He sacked Graham for a seven yard loss. After an incompletion, Tolbert sacked Graham a second time at the Dallas 31. The sacks had almost pushed the Cardinals out of field goal range. Almost. Greg Davis demonstrated his strong leg when he boomed a 49 yard attempt between the uprights. Arizona was finally on the board. However, their thirteen play drive had consumed a great deal of time. Only 5:36 remained in the game, so it was vital that they stop Dallas on the ensuing drive. Greg Davis made Arizona's task a harder one when he was flagged for a late hit on the kickoff. The penalty let Dallas start its drive at its own 44. A motion penalty moved Dallas back to the 39, but was quickly overcome when Aikman hit Bjornson, who had cleared the Cardinals linebackers. The completion gave Dallas a first down at the Cards' 42. Dallas then fed the ball to Emmitt Smith. He gained three yards on first down. He then followed Nate Newton and Mark Tuinei for fourteen more yards. On the next play, Daryl Johnston caught a four yard pass in the right flat. The clock now read 3:12, and the Cardinals were in trouble. On second down, they stacked nine men at the line of scrimmage. Smith tried to run through the Arizona blitz, but was dropped for a two yard loss. Deion Sanders had been quiet since the first half, but now he made his most important offensive contribution of the game. He cut inside Aeneas Williams and caught a slant for nine yards on third and eight. The Cowboys were now fourteen yards for deciding the game. It took Emmitt Smith just one play to finish the job. He took a hand-off left, found a huge hole between Newton and Ray Donaldson, broke a tackle and dashed to his second touchdown of the day. Boniol's PAT made the score 17-3, with just 2:03 left in the game. The Cardinals were now out of the game, but fought on in hopes of a late score. Graham gave Arizona a first down at its 34 when he ran a quarterback draw for three yards on fourth and two. His day came to an abrupt end when Kevin Smith intercepted him on the next play. Just 51 seconds remained to be played. Troy Aikman took a knee, and Dallas was back at .500 for the first time in a month. COWBOYS NOTES Tony Tolbert now has eight sacks in six games. The number matches Tolbert's career high. His production could mushroom when Charles Haley returns. When preseason injuries hobbled Jay Novacek, Mark Tuinei, Eric Bjornson and Kendall Watkins, Billy Davis' injury went unnoticed. He returned to the lineup yesterday and gave the special teams a boost. Davis was responsible for two tackles on punts and downed a John Jett rocket on the Cardinals two yard line. Leon Lett's fast start has caught the attention of opposing offensive coordinators. It is also prompting teams to target him. The Cardinals attacked Lett with a trap play that had Larry Centers line up wide and hit Lett's knees once he entered the backfield. Lett was fortunate to escape this game without a serious injury. The Cardinals game resembled a 1970's match. Both teams stayed with their running attacks, which resulted in a two hour forty minute game. Fred Strickland looked like Lee Roy Jordan yesterday. Dallas has adjusted smartly to the Cardinals split backfield running plays, stopping quick hitting plays and counter plays. The Cardinals West Coast offense provided one more opportunity for Dallas to get its scheme together before it plays the Eagles, 49ers and Packers in the next month.
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