Friday, September 25, 1998

OAKLAND (1-2) AT DALLAS (2-1) noon, CBS

OPENING LINE - Cowboys by 5.

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Raiders 1-2; Cowboys 2-1.

SERIES RECORD - Series tied 3-3.

LAST TIME MET - Cowboys beat Raiders 34-21 on Nov. 19, 1995 at Oakland.

LAST WEEK - Raiders lost to Broncos 34-17. Cowboys beat Giants 31-7.

LAST WEEK'S STARS - Raiders S Eric Turner returned INT 94 yards for TD and had 8 tackles. Cowboys CB-PR Deion Sanders returned punt 59 yards for TD, set up TD with 55-yard reception and returned INT 71 yards for TD.

RAIDERS OFFENSE - RUSH (No. 23), PASS (No. 14), OVERALL (No. 15)

WR James Jett had 5 catches for 116 yards. QB Jeff George was 16-for-28 for 188 yards and 1 TD, but threw 3 INTs. RB Napoleon Kaufman had 78 yards on 17 carries. Kaufman also had 4 receptions. TE Rickey Dudley had 11-yard TD reception. WR Tim Brown had 2 catches for 24 yards and is fifth in AFC with 218 yards receiving.

COWBOYS OFFENSE - RUSH (No. 6), PASS (No. 11), OVERALL (No. 7)

QB Jason Garrett made third career start and was 12-for-28 for 222 yards, including 80-yard TD pass to Billy Davis. RB Emmitt Smith, 21 yards on 7 carries, pulled groin in second quarter and didn't return. He is questionable for Sunday. RB Sherman Williams had 62 yards and 1 TD on 20 carries. WR Michael Irvin had 5 catches for 67 yards and is third in NFC with 20 receptions.

RAIDERS DEFENSE - RUSH (No. 18), PASS (No. 5), OVERALL (No. 6)

LB Greg Biekert had 12 tackles and 1 pass defensed. CB Eric Allen had 8 tackles and 3 passes defensed. DE Lance Johnstone had 2 sacks and 6 tackles. CB Albert Lewis had 6 tackles.

COWBOYS DEFENSE - RUSH (No. 9), PASS (No. 20), OVERALL (No. 16)

Sanders, who sat out second quarter with dehydration, also had 4 tackles. Sanders, named NFL's "prime time" player of week, needs to return 1 INT for TD to tie Ken Houston for most with 9. LB Randall Godfrey had 8 tackles and 1 sack. S Darren Woodson had 8 tackles. S Kenny Wheaton had 6 tackles and 1 INT. CB Kevin Mathis had 1 INT and 4 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Raiders KR Desmond Howard returned 4 punts for 42 yards. Sanders had 5 punt returns for 100 yards, including 59-yard TD. Cowboys K Richie Cunningham is tied for second in NFC with 26 points.

KEY MATCHUPS - WRs Brown and Jett vs. CBs Sanders and Kevin Smith; CBs Allen and Charles Woodson vs. WR Irvin.

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Last 2 games in Dallas decided by total of 6 points. ... Raiders 2-0 at Texas Stadium. ... Brown, playing first game in hometown, had career-high 12 catches in last game vs. Cowboys. ... Kaufman's 5.3 yards per carry is tops among AFC rushers with at least 200 yards. ... Sanders had 226 yards on offense, defense and special teams. ... Sanders has 15 return TDs, including 4 on punt returns. ... Cowboys improved to 6-0 vs. Giants on Monday nights. ... Cowboys are 62-35 vs. AFC.