Monday, November 23, 1998

Deion-less Dallas survives Seahawks, but Vikings next

By Randy Galloway

Knight Ridder Newspapers

(KRT)

IRVING, Texas - It was an improbable Dallas Cowboys' victory for a multitude of reasons. Like too many mindless penalties, and too many injuries, with one of those causing the sudden departure of a nine-toed Deion.

But one local myth was buried Sunday, at least temporarily. The Cowboys defense is capable of still facing the music when Deion is rendered danceless and useless.

Listen closely, however, and you can hear the big band sound of Minnesota's orchestra of receivers. Those trombones will be here way too soon, meaning Thursday, for a Dallas defense that now has an identity crisis.

What to do without Deion? His fingerprints and footprints are supposed to be all over this defense. His crippled limp out of the postgame locker room Sunday suggested his game-readiness for Thursday is basically impossible.

If so, the 30-22 victory against Seattle at least provided the Cowboys with a short-notice blueprint on how to handle the upcoming season's toughest test since that long-ago visit to Denver.

The Seahawks aren't exactly Minnesota, but the element of offensive danger was very real Sunday. Receiver Joey Galloway can torch a cornerback in a hurry - and did. Kevin Smith suffered a first-degree touchdown burn early in the second quarter.

And while the debate was still going on over why Smith was left in single coverage on Galloway, Deion took a second-quarter limp off the field, not to return. With the game very much undecided at that point, the Cowboys had to play the remainder of the afternoon with the cornerback duo of Smith-Charlie Williams.

And remember, this was a defense still wearing Jake the Snake skidmarks from a week ago in Arizona.

"But in reality, we benefited today from the breakdowns we had in Arizona," defensive coordinator Dave Campo said. "If we hadn't responded to that kind of adversity, it wouldn't have been the group of guys I think we have.

"As far as Charlie goes, he practiced all week at corner, took all the reps with Deion out, so he was also more prepared, as opposed to when he had to come in cold last week."

Plus, Troy Aikman and Co. continued to show offensive thunder and consistency, leading to a whopping 17-minute advantage in possession time. This is the best friend of any defense.

But that still subtracts nothing from how the Cowboys' defense played without Deion. Holding the Seahawks to one touchdown in the first 56 minutes, two for the game, and then snuffing a late drive, was a total reversal from the collapse of last week.

The front four provided adequate pressure on Warren Moon, the blitz paid off with Darren Woodson forcing an early Moon fumble, Campo left Galloway admittedly frustrated with his "help" coverage for Charlie Williams, and ...

Kevin Smith proved yet again that the one thing he hasn't lost is mental toughness. Beaten upon all season by receivers and local critics, Smith still never caves.

"Kevin gave up that long one early, but he bounced right back and kept making the plays, including the biggest play of all - the last one," Woodson said.

On a Seattle fourth down from midfield, Smith knocked away a pass intended for Galloway. With just over two minutes left, that one sacked the game for Dallas.

"I can't tell you how much the players on this team appreciate Kevin," added Woodson. "I know a lot of people don't, but we do. He hung in there today. We all did.

"This was another one of those games we don't win the last couple of years." Woodson said. "But that's a tribute to Chan Gailey and the coaching staff. Week after week, we have to rely on our depth, and those people come in ready to play."

Despite the injuries and penalties that piled up Sunday, Gailey, responding to a question, said, "Yes, this was a game we were still supposed to win even if there were a lot of reasons we could have lost it. If you want to be a good team, you have to overcome all forms of adversity. We did that. And we won."

Then Gailey also added, "But we weren't supposed to be that ragged doing it, I admit that."

Yes, Gailey could have held Deion out of the Seattle game, hoping for an improved toe against Minnesota. But why?

"The idea is to win now, and worry about the next game when it gets here," said Gailey. Amen to that.

By winning now, the Cowboys are 8-3 and have won four straight. Now, of course, the worry can start, both about the next game and Deion's toe.

(Randy Galloway is a sports columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Write to him at: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, P.O. Box 1870, Fort Worth, Texas, 76101.)

(c) 1998, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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