Tuesday, September 15, 1998

Cowboys' loss to Broncos was no disgrace

By Jonathan Rand

Knight Ridder Newspapers

(KRT)

DENVER - Even if the Dallas Cowboys are moving in the right direction, they were reminded again that the rest of the NFL hasn't stood still waiting for them to regain their throne.

The Cowboys had a 9-0 record against the AFC West in the '90s before they were walloped 42-23 by the Denver Broncos on Sunday. They'd gone 24-9, including three Super Bowl victories, against the AFC in the '90s.

"This was not a setback," Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith insisted.

"It's an eye-opener, but it's not like we lost to the Bears of last year. We lost to the No. 1 team in football."

The loss certainly should have been an eyeopener to Cowboy fans giddy over a 38-10 rout of the Cardinals. That opponent, however, has now been outscored 71-24 in two losses, and the Broncos made it clear the Cowboys aren't strong enough to walk over a playoff-caliber opponent, especially not on the road.

"It's a shot we have to take to our hearts," Smith said.

"We have the rest of the year to work and get the job done. It still can be a great, great season for us."

That possibility, however, became more remote Sunday when quarterback Troy Aikman suffered a broken collarbone on a second-quarter scramble.

The Cowboys' offensive success through the '90s has been rooted in their triplets: wide receiver Michael Irvin, running back Emmitt Smith and Aikman. But now Aikman, who had started 60 consecutive games, will be out from four to eight weeks.

"It's very frustrating, especially with the excitement and enthusiasm on this team," said Aikman, who was elated over the coaching change from Barry Switzer to Chan Gailey.

"I like what we've been doing on offense, and I liked what we were doing on offense (Sunday). But the team moves on, and the other guys will step up."

Now, Jason Garrett will run Gailey's offense, which for Aikman might be a mixed blessing. It tries to make Aikman a less predictable passer by having him make throws based on reads instead of throwing to spots, as he did under the previous regime. He also now uses the shotgun.

But Aikman must hold the ball longer to make his reads and, consequently, run more often because there's less time to throw the ball away when nobody's open. His 43 yards rushing against the Cardinals topped his totals for two of the last three seasons.

"There's going to be those who speculate that's one of the reasons," Aikman said, referring to the suggestion that Gailey's offense puts him at risk.

"But this is a freak injury. It could have been the first scramble I had of the year or the last scramble. You just don't know when those things happen."

The schedule appears kind for the Cowboys while Aikman heals. After visiting the Giants on Monday night, they face five straight opponents with non-winning records last year or this year.

But these Cowboys can't approach any opponents with their customary old swagger. When at the end of last season they had four winnable games and a chance to make the playoffs, they lost all four.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he won't bring in another quarterback. Garrett has spent most of the last five seasons as the Cowboys' third quarterback and won both his starts.

"There's no need to write off our season like some people probably want to do," said Smith, who has gained 217 yards in two weeks and with Aikman out will have to carry as big a load as ever.

"We don't believe that. We believe we can still win games."

The Cowboys' problems in Denver were reversed from of a year ago, when they had the league's second-ranked defense but a disappointing offense. Their offense hummed with Aikman in the game and totaled 370 yards.

But their defense was shredded for 515 yards and five straight touchdown drives. The Cowboys struggled against the run last year but were burned Sunday for 306 yards passing, too.

"I'm disappointed about the game," Irvin said.

"But we're definitely not putting our goals on the shelf. I don't think anybody in this locker room thought we were going to go 16-0."

(c) 1998, The Kansas City Star.

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