Tuesday, December 29, 1998

Cowboys' spirits and hopes get a lift for the playoffs

By Tim Cowlishaw

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

IRVING, Texas -- If the second quarter can be believed . . .

The Cardinals are coming to Texas Stadium on Saturday, and they are always tough this time of year.

Tough to find.

If the second quarter can be believed, it doesn't matter who Dallas plays.

The Cowboys learned late Sunday afternoon the identity of their wild-card opponent. It is a team they have never faced in the post-season, but then no one else has, either.

The Cardinals will be making their first playoff appearance since they became known as the Arizona Cardinals a decade ago. Not counting the bogus 16-team playoff of 1982, the Cards have been absent from the playoffs since the Ford administration when they hailed from St. Louis.

To find accounts of the Cardinals' most recent playoff victory, read Deuteronomy.

Actually, it was 1947, five years before Chan Gailey was born.

So 51 years since claiming an NFL title as the Chicago Cardinals (do you get the impression nobody wants to keep this team?), the Cards come to town for the playoffs. And, boy, are they due.

But if the second quarter is to be believed, if Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith can truly be placed on the NFL's Most Dangerous List, then the Cowboys' season continues beyond Saturday.

The Cowboys' surge to life in a 23-7 victory Sunday night came from out of nowhere. It also came against the Washington Redskins, which is why no one can say what Sunday night really meant. Only Cincinnati and Indianapolis gave up more points than the Redskins this season.

Iraq's defense had a better year.

Still, that was future Hall of Famer Darrell Green that Irvin beat down the left sideline for a 51-yard completion Sunday night. It was Irvin's longest catch of 1998.

And it really didn't matter who the defenders were on Smith's 26-yard touchdown run, his longest scoring romp in three years. It was a magical thing with Smith disappearing in the midst of a crowd of defenders, then darting outside and finally putting his head down and willing himself into the end zone.

If Irvin is back and Smith is back and the Cowboys' offense isn't as coffin-worthy as it suggested against New Orleans, Kansas City and Philadelphia, then Dallas survives the first round.

Then it's on to Atlanta, and well, let's not get ahead of ourselves since no one gets ahead of the Falcons these days.

The Cowboys amassed 219 yards in the second quarter Sunday night, a giddy total for a club that in entire games produced 182 against the Saints, 247 against the Chiefs and 248 against the Eagles.

Aikman, Smith and Irvin retired to the bench at halftime, healthy and happy.

"We were able to make plays in the passing game and score points," Aikman said. "I don't know what's going to happen these next several weeks. We're taking the long road in, but last year's Super Bowl champs (Denver) did that as well."

Gailey said the Cowboys aren't likely to have Deion Sanders next week certainly they won't have him at 100 percent and that means the Dallas offense must carry the day. Experience sides with the Cowboys.

In fact, there can't be much more of a historical playoff mismatch than Cowboys-Cardinals, unless maybe Yankees-Rangers.

The Cowboys have five Super Bowl wins, eight Super Bowl trips and 16 appearances in the NFC Championship Game. The Cardinals have won one playoff game, and it's unknown whether President Truman phoned in his congratulations.

Having swept the East, the Cowboys are now faced with the cliched challenge of beating a good team three times. Or at least beating a 9-7 team three times.

"The reason no one's ever swept the East (before) is because it's hard to do," Aikman said. "Having said that, it's hard to beat a team three times."

The Cardinals were as unimpressive in advancing to the playoffs Sunday as the Cowboys were in clinching the East a week ago against the Eagles. That doesn't mean they will play the same game against Dallas when they will face a tougher offense but a softer defense than San Diego showed them.

If you're a Cardinals fan, you're thrilled to be in the playoffs. The champagne corks have been popped.

Just reaching the playoffs is never enough for a Cowboys fan, not even when emerging from the ashes of 6-10. That is the difference between these two teams.

You don't answer questions in Week 17 against a team as shaky as the Redskins. But the Cowboys showed you can still use a game like this to lift hopes and attitudes.

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

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