Tuesday, December 29, 1998

Emmitt Smith revives running game; Cowboys back breaks TD record

By Jean-Jacques Taylor

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

IRVING, Texas -- First, as Emmitt Smith lay in the end zone, tackle Erik Williams mobbed him.

Then Smith jumped up and thrust his hands in the air and did an impromptu little jig. Finally, he had a group hug with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin before handing the record-setting ball to equipment manager Mike McCord.

Smith, who had downplayed his pursuit of Marcus Allen's NFL record for rushing touchdowns, scored two touchdowns Sunday to establish a new NFL mark as the Cowboys beat Washington, 23-7, at Texas Stadium.

"I been stuck on the same number for the last two or three weeks," said Smith, who now has 125 rushing touchdowns. "To get it tonight at home, before a packed house on national TV means a lot."

Smith, who has 15 touchdowns this season, had not scored a rushing touchdown since Thanksgiving Day, when he had two against Minnesota.

He ended the streak and set the new NFL standard on a 1-yard run through a large hole up the middle. Two previous carries by Smith had moved the ball from the Washington 14 to the 1.

Smith's second touchdown -- a 26-yard sojourn through Washington's defense -- will surely appear on the Cowboys' 1998 highlight film.

Smith started up the middle and ran through an arm tackle. Then he cut left, picked up blocks from wide receiver Billy Davis and tackle Larry Allen as he ran down the sideline.

He cut inside at the 10 and stumbled into the corner of the end zone just inside the pylon. It was Smith's longest scoring run since a 39-yard jaunt in 1995 against Philadelphia.

"That was one of my better ones," he said with a grin as he dressed in the Cowboys' locker room. Smith ended up with 67 yards on 10 carries before sitting out the second half. He finished the season with 1,337 yards, his best season since winning his fourth rushing title in 1995.

"Emmitt really ran well," said coach Chan Gailey, who opted to rest several starters in the second half. "I was happy for him to get the record."

More important, however, than Smith's yardage or his records was the continued re-emergence of the Cowboys' running game as they rushed for more than 150 yards for the second consecutive week.

They will need their running game to beat Arizona in their wild-card playoff game next week.

After a dreadful three-game stretch in which the Cowboys rushed for just 117 yards on 58 carries, Gailey reviewed the running game and began using more formations and blocking schemes that had worked early in the season.

Gailey's biggest change was using more two-tight end formations, with tackle Tony Hutson serving as the second tight end.

"You have to run the football to win," quarterback Troy Aikman said. "I've always believed that. The difference today is that we also added some big plays in the passing game."

But it's the running game that will help the Cowboys keep the Cardinals' potent passing attack off the field in Saturday's NFC wild-card game at Texas Stadium.

In their two wins over Arizona this season, the Cowboys have rushed for 334 yards on 53 carries, a 6.3 average.

The Cardinals, ranked 21st against the run entering Sunday's game, are in the midst of a poor stretch of run defense.

Arizona has allowed at least 128 yards in four of the past five games. In that stretch, they have allowed huge games by the New York Giants' Gary Brown (25 carries for 124 yards), Philadelphia's Duce Staley (30 for 141) and San Diego's Terrell Fletcher (23 for 127).

There's not a future hall of famer in the bunch.

Aikman said he'd like to see more of what Smith did Sunday against Washington. In addition to Smith, Sherman Williams rushed for 90 yards on 23 carries and caught three passes for 19 yards.

He has replaced Chris Warren (strained groin) as the Cowboys' backup running back.

"I contributed running, catching and on specialties," Williams said, "but the most important thing that I did was hold on to the football. That gives me a lot more confidence heading into the playoffs."

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

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