Tuesday, December 22, 1998

The ice cream sure tastes good for Chan Gailey

By DENNE H. FREEMAN

AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Chan Gailey celebrated his first NFC East championship with the Dallas Cowboys as wildly as he knew how.

"I had a big dinner and a bowl of ice cream," he said Monday. "That's as big as I ever celebrate."

The Dallas coach, the former offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, flipped the Cowboys from a 6-10 season in Barry Switzer's final year into a 9-6 team that was the best in a bad division.

Dallas has one game left -- at home against Washington on Sunday night -- but the outcome won't change the NFC playoff schedule. The Cowboys will be home against a wild-card team on Jan. 2 or Jan. 3.

Gailey predicted the Cowboys would be playing in January during the July training camp. He kept referring to the team as "the 1998-99 Dallas Cowboys."

"If you don't believe you're going to get into the playoffs you shouldn't be playing," Gailey said at the time.

On Monday, Gailey said his team is ready for more surprises in the playoffs.

"Greatness has never been achieved without a challenge," Gailey said. "Pull this off and people will say it's one of the greatest (upsets) of all time."

Quarterback Troy Aikman, owner of three Super Bowl rings, said there is no reason the Cowboys can't make an impact in the postseason.

"I'd like to think we can go all the way," Aikman said.

Gailey said Aikman deserves a lot of credit for the way Dallas stayed together after going on a three-game losing streak.

"He kept us focused and gave the team a lot of direction," Gailey said.

Gailey said Dallas won't go through the motions in the final game against Washington.

"This team has a chance to win every division game it played this year and that would be something to really look forward to," Gailey said.

Dallas swept the season series from Arizona, Philadelphia and the New York Giants. The Cowboys beat Washington 31-10 on Oct. 4 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

Gailey gave the Cowboys a day off Monday as a reward for winning the NFC East.

"They earned it," he said. "They had a lot of ups and downs this year."

Injuries remain a big concern for Gailey. He said cornerback Deion Sanders' status for the playoffs is still a big question mark.

"I don't think anybody knows how that will turn out," Gailey said of Sanders' injured big left toe. "He still has a chance to play in the playoffs. It's taken longer (to heal) than what we thought it would. There's still some swelling. We want to be smart about it. We don't need to push him this week."

Gailey said tight end David LaFleur, who has missed the last two games with a knee injury, could be back Sunday.

"We hope to have him on Sunday," Gailey said.

Defensive end Kavika Pittman, who has a pulled hamstring, and backup running back Chris Warren, who aggravated a groin injury, were doubtful for the Redskins.