Monday, July 27, 1998

Kevin Smith out to erase 1997

By DENNE H. FREEMAN

Associated Press

WICHITA FALLS -- It seems like Kevin Smith always has something to overcome.

Two years ago it was a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the first game of the 1995 season.

This year he's having to overcome a crazy season in which the Dallas secondary had only seven interceptions, lowest in the NFL. Still, the Dallas pass defense yielded only 156 yards per game, best in the league.

The combination of a poor pass rush, an offense that couldn't keep the ball and an injury to Deion Sanders put a lot of the heat on Smith, the right cornerback.

In some games, he responded by holding to keep a wide receiver from breaking open. In some cases, a wide receiver held him and he still got the penalty.

"It looks like I have something to prove again," said Smith, who led the team in passes defensed for the fourth time. "Last year didn't go as well as I would have liked."

Far too often Smith heard "Interference. No. 26."

Smith was flagged eight times for pass interference. Sanders was tagged six times.

Smith is surprisingly mellow about his feud with the officials.

"They called it like they saw it," Smith said. "Even when Deion was in there he was getting the same thing called on him. In fact, considering the pass ratio, it was called more times on him than me."

The only thing that made Smith mad was a publication that didn't rate him in the top 30 cornerbacks in the NFL.

"I know I have the respect of the quarterbacks in the NFL and that's what matters," said Smith, who is nicknamed "The Pup" for his gangly gait.

Smith said the Cowboys, whose descent to 6-10 cost Barry Switzer his job, are going to shock teams in the NFC East.

"I think we can win 10, 11, 12 games," Smith said. "We'll have Leon Lett and Deion Sanders back full time. That will help a lot. We'll get a better pass rush with Leon in there."

Although the combination of Sanders and Smith at cornerback is rated one of the best in the NFL, Smith has never made the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team.

"My time will come," he said. "I work against Michael Irvin every day. If you can guard him, you can match up against anybody."

Defensive coordinator Dave Campo said he wouldn't trade his pair of cornerbacks.

"Deion will be OK again after ankle surgery and we know Kevin can play," Campo said. "A lot of those calls he got last year were very questionable. But that's kind of the way our year went. And Kevin was one of the victims."