Friday, October 9, 1998

CAROLINA (0-4) AT DALLAS (3-2) noon, FOX

OPENING LINE - Cowboys by 7.

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Panthers 0-3; Cowboys 3-2.

SERIES RECORD - Panthers lead 1-0.

LAST TIME MET - Panthers beat Cowboys 23-13 on Dec. 8, 1997 at Dallas.

LAST WEEK - Panthers lost to Falcons 51-23. Cowboys beat Redskins 31-10.

LAST WEEK'S STARS - Panthers LB Kevin Greene had 7 tackles with 2 sacks. Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith had 120 yards and 1 TD on 28 carries.

PANTHERS OFFENSE - RUSH (No. 28), PASS (No. 7), OVERALL (No. 14)

QB Kerry Collins was 20-for-38 for 302 yards and 3 TDs. Collins had fifth career 300-yard passing game, but on Wednesday voluntarily removed himself from starting lineup. Veteran QB Steve Beuerlein will start. WR Muhsin Muhammad had 4 catches for 102 yards, including 72-yard TD. WR Raghib Ismail had 4 catches for 82 yards, but left game with concussion and is probable. RB Fred Lane had 48 yards on 15 carries.

COWBOYS OFFENSE - RUSH (No. 4), PASS (No. 13), OVERALL (No. 7)

Smith, fourth in AFC with 417 yards rushing, had 50th 100-yard rushing game. QB Jason Garrett was 14-for-17 for 169 yards and 1 TD to improve to 2-1 as starter in place of injured Troy Aikman. Garrett's 81.4 rating fifth in NFC. RB Chris Warren had 104 yards, including 2 6-yard TD runs, on 114 carries. First time 2 Cowboys rushed for 100 yards since Tony Dorsett and Robert Newhouse in 1978. WR Ernie Mills had 43-yard TD reception. WR Michael Irvin, third in NFC with 27 receptions, had 1 catch.

PANTHERS DEFENSE - RUSH (No. 24), PASS (No. 24), OVERALL (No. 27)

Greene leads NFL with 9 sacks. LB Greg Lloyd had 9 tackles, 7 solo, and first INT since 1995. CB Clifton Alexander and LB Micheal Barrow each had 7 tackles. CB Rod Smith had 6 tackles and INT. LB Jeff Brady had 6 tackles.

COWBOYS DEFENSE - RUSH (No. 12), PASS (No. 15), OVERALL (No. 11)

DL Hurvin McCormack had 2 sacks. LB Randall Godfrey had 6 tackles with 1 sack and forced fumble. DT Leon Lett and LB Dexter Coakley each had 6 tackles. DE Kavika Pittman had 1 sack. Held Washington to 92 yards rushing. CB Deion Sanders had INT.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Panthers KR Michael Bates had 9 kickoff returns for 200 yards. Sanders had 71-yard punt return negated by penalties.

KEY MATCHUP - LB Greene vs. Cowboys offensive line.

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Panthers had 6 turnovers vs. Atlanta. ... Falcons' 53 points were most allowed in Carolina history. ... Panthers have lost 13 of last 20. ... Greene became first player in NFL history with at least 2 sacks in five consecutive games. ... Greene has 6 career sacks vs. Cowboys. ... Collins has 6 TDs and 3 INTs in last 3 road games. ... Barrow had 1 sack and 2 forced fumbles vs. Cowboys last season. ... Cowboys outscored 31-10 in first quarter. ... Cowboys have league's best October record (17-4) since 1993. ... Garrett 4-1 in career as starter. ... Smith needs 3 TDs to tie Walter Payton (125) for fourth on career list. ... Cowboys' 47 first downs rushing lead NFL, including Smith's league-leading 31. ... Irvin needs 7 catches to pass Gary Clark (699) for 10th on career list.