Wednesday, November 25, 1998

Cowboys' Deion plays it coy on playing

By Kevin Lyons

Knight Ridder Newspapers

(KRT)

IRVING, Texas - Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders wore a walking cast to Valley Ranch yesterday to protect his sprained left big toe. He took the cast off and was walking barefoot around the locker room with a slight limp.

When asked if he will play against the Minnesota Vikings, he smiled and said, "Am I going to play? That's an interesting question."

He is not sitting around wasting time. Before he left the locker room, he asked team video director Robert Blackwell for tape of the Vikings' only loss this season, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sanders and running back Chris Warren did not practice. Running back Emmitt Smith and offensive tackle Erik Williams went through light drills. Each is listed as questionable on the injury report.What's the play?

The season-ending injury to Ernie Mills hurt the Cowboys in more ways than one. Mills tutored the other wide receivers because he is more familiar with Chan Gailey's offense.

This fact is not lost on Michael Irvin, who wondered, half-jokingly, about how he will know the plays.

"When Ernie and Deion (Sanders) are out there, every time we'd call a play Deion would say, 'OK, Ernie, what've I got?' " Irvin said. "It's a good thing Deion is not playing offense because there is no telling where he'd be running.

"I know if (Deion) turns to me, I'm going to say, 'Hey, partner, I got my own problems. You better figure it out yourself. I don't even know where I'm going.' '

Turkey Day advantage

Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green says he doesn't mind that the Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving Day. But he would like the schedule-makers to have the Cowboys play on the road the week before.

The Cowboys, who hosted Seattle on Sunday, have not had to travel since Nov. 14.

"I think most people have felt that they (Cowboys) should be on the road the week before," Green said. "Playing at home on Sunday and on Thursday, that's pretty good. That's a pretty sweet deal."

Itching to play

Kevin Mathis bemoaned his bad timing. He was the backup cornerback when he fractured a forearm against the New York Giants on Nov. 8. Had he been healthy, he would have seen his first extended action when Sanders and Kevin Smith got nicked in the past two games.

But he is out until the Cowboys play Dec. 6 in New Orleans.

"I tried to get them to let me play this week, but the doctors wouldn't let me," Mathis said. "When I got hurt, I told Deion that he couldn't get hurt. But I guess that didn't work."

Briefly

The Cowboys are asking fans who attend the game tomorrow to wear all white. In addition, white rags will be handed out for fans to wave at the game. ... The Thanksgiving Day game next season will be against Jimmy Johnson's Miami Dolphins or Bill Parcells' New York Jets. ... Guard Everett McIver is scheduled to have surgery today to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

(c) 1998, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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