Tuesday, September 22, 1998

Cowboys 31, Giants 7

By DAVE GOLDBERG

Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Even with Troy Aikman out with a broken collarbone and Emmitt Smith hobbled by a groin injury, there's still another facet that makes the Dallas Cowboys a threat - Primetime.

And Deion Sanders didn't let the Cowboys down Monday night against the New York Giants.

Sanders scored on a 59-yard punt return and a 71-yard interception return, set up another TD with a 55-yard pass reception and had 226 yards on offense, defense and special teams in leading the Cowboys to a 31-7 win over the Giants.

"He played phenomenal," Cowboys linebacker Randall Godfrey said. "We lose our leader, Troy Aikman. Emmitt is out the second half. Who else, man? Next man step up and that was Deion. He stepped up and took control. That's what it takes."

The win left the Cowboys (2-1) as the only team in the NFC East with a winning record. It also raised serious questions about the Giants, the defending division champions (1-2) who have now played very poorly in losing their last two games.

"If you can go home tonight and sleep and be happy with yourself after everyone in the world watched you get your butt kicked, you've got trouble," Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said.

The Cowboys, who slipped to 6-10 last season after five straight division titles, killed New York with the big play in a game played before a record crowd at Giants Stadium, 78,039.

Besides Sanders, Jason Garrett, filling in for Aikman, might have made the biggest, combining with Billy Davis on an 80-yard scoring pass play late in the second quarter to snap a 7-7 tie. The touchdown came just three plays after Danny Kanell threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer.

Richie Cunningham's 40-yard field goal stretched the lead to 17-7 just before halftime, and then Deion took center stage again after intermission.

His 55-yard reception set up Sherman Williams' 18-yard third-quarter touchdown run, and Sanders iced the game by recording his eighth career interception return for a touchdown, one shy of Ken Houston's NFL record.

"He had a super game," said Smith, who was limited to 21 yards on seven carries after suffering a groin pull in the second quarter. "He played a superb game. Anything less would be uncivilized. It was a nice game. He made plays. He made things happen. It was just doing what Deion always does."

Sanders did everything Monday night despite having to sit out much of the second quarter because of dehydration. He left after his punt return, a play on which he faked left and outran the Giants around the right side.

"I was feeling funny before the game," Sanders said. "My feet weren't with me. I felt tired after the first two series and I lost all my substances on the punt return."

After getting fluids at halftime, Sanders was even better in the second half.

"I don't have to tell you, he's a special athlete," said Garrett, who completed 12 of 28 passes for 222 yards and no interceptions in his first start since 1994. "He does some unbelievable things, and he does them over and over and over again."

The Giants played like the Giants of old, the team that was one of the laughing stocks of the league until Jim Fassel turned them into a winner last year.

New York had 11 penalties for 92 yards, with the offensive line called for five procedure penalties. The Giants also failed to register a sack after getting a league-high 13 in the first two weeks.

"I'm confused a little bit right now with where this team is mentally," Fassel said. "We're not showing the mental toughness, the focus and all those things."

While happy beating the Giants on the road, no one in Dallas locker room seemed ready to say the Cowboys are back.

"We have a long ways to go before we are back," fullback Daryl Johnston said. "It's a great start and a step in the right direction, but we are nowhere near where we want to be."