Monday, December 14, 1998

Cowboys continue free fall

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The free-falling Dallas Cowboys could take little good out of Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

They failed for the second consecutive week to clinch the NFC East title -- and a playoff berth. Their running game continues to sputter. Yet another star player -- this time Michael Irvin -- suffered an injury.

And coach Chan Gailey said the Cowboys continue to be vexed by all-around inconsistency.

"You've got to fight," Gailey said. "We fought at times in all phases tonight, but at times we had lapses, and lapses will get you.

"I'm going to go back to that word I used earlier in the year -- consistency -- and we're not there now. We've got to get that back in order to get this thing where we want to get it."

Thrown into an unfamiliar spoiler's role by a six-game losing streak that took them out of playoff contention, the Chiefs (6-8) converted two Dallas turnovers into third-quarter touchdowns and handed the Cowboys (8-6) their third straight loss.

Dallas, playing again without injured cornerbacks Deion Sanders and Kevin Smith, answered the Chiefs' two third-quarter TDs with two of their own in the fourth period. But Pete Stoyanovich's 43-yard field goal and the power running of Bam Morris proved the difference for the Chiefs, who made the playoffs seven of the eight previous years.

The Cowboys are just one game ahead of Arizona in their division, although they do hold the tiebreaker over the Cardinals.

"We've got to get ourselves organized and regrouped and whatever other term you want to use and get ready to go win a football game and fight our way into the playoffs," Gailey said.

After Stoyanovich made it 20-10 with 5:56 left, Troy Aikman drove the Cowboys 72 yards downfield in just nine plays, hitting Emmitt Smith with an 8-yard touchdown pass that pulled Dallas within three points with 2:48 remaining.

But the Cowboys kicked deep, and Morris' running made sure Dallas never touched the ball again. Morris carried 27 times for 137 yards.

"To be out of the playoffs and playing a good team that has everything to play for, and beat them, it means a lot," offensive lineman Glenn Parker said. "It tells people we care a lot about how people perceive us. We don't want to be perceived as crybabies or losers or showboats."

After a dull first half ended 3-3, the Chiefs jumped on two Dallas turnovers to seize a 17-3 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Greg Manusky recovered a fumble by Tyrone Hughes on a punt return late in the third quarter, giving the Chiefs the ball on the 50. Rich Gannon scrambled 12 yards for a first down on third-and-10, retreating as far as the Kansas City 35. A moment later, Morris went over from the 1.

A few minutes later, Jerome Woods made a leaping interception and returned the ball 28 yards to the 35. On first-and-goal from the 9, Gannon went back to pass, then faked and froze safety George Teague, who stood in the end zone as Gannon darted in for the score.

"I got caught in a bad situation," Teague said. "Do I go get him or let him throw to the end zone? Hindsight, of course, I should have went on and made it a little tougher on him. But I felt like I was in a lose-lose situation either way."

The Cowboys, held to a field goal in a loss to New Orleans a week ago, responded with a 10-play, 63-yard drive and their first touchdown since Nov. 26 against Minnesota. On fourth-and-10 from the 28, Patrick Jeffers caught Aikman's pass on the 15 and went untouched into the end zone, making it 17-10 with 10:25 to play.

"I think there was more urgency in the fourth quarter," Aikman said. "(That) was what separated the play in the fourth quarter compared to the first three quarters."

Irvin left the game with back spasms, and Gailey said he would be re-examined today in Dallas. He's just one more name on a laundry list of injured Cowboys.

Aikman said the injuries are no excuse for the Cowboys' paltry output over the past month.

"We can't dwell on the fact that those guys aren't playing," he said. "When someone's not in the lineup we've still got to execute, we've still got to play. We've got to do our jobs."

The Chiefs managed only a 24-yard field goal by Stoyanovich in the first quarter, capping a 14-play, 82-yard drive keyed by Morris' 25-yard run.

The Cowboys tied it 3-all with 4:21 left in the half on Richie Cunningham's 32-yarder, set up by Hughes' 35-yard punt return.

Chiefs wide receiver Derrick Alexander praised the backups for Sanders and Smith, who have been highly criticized in recent games.

"I went up to them afterward and told them nice game, and I meant it," he said.

Dallas--0--3--0--14--17

Kansas City--3--0--14--3--20

First Quarter

KC--FG Stoyanovich 24, 5:21.

Second Quarter

Dal--FG Cunningham 32, 4:21.

Third Quarter

KC--Morris 1 run (Stoyanovich kick), 4:01.

KC--Gannon 9 run (Stoyanovich kick), :37.

Fourth Quarter

Dal--Jeffers 28 pass from Aikman (Cunningham kick), 10:25.

KC--FG Stoyanovich 43, 5:56.

Dal--Smith 8 pass from Aikman (Cunningham kick), 2:48.

A--77,697.

--Dallas--KC

First downs--14--23

Rushes-yards--16-51--38-183

Passing--196--200

Punt Returns--4-66--1-1

Kickoff Returns--5-109--4-82

Interceptions Ret.--0-0--1-28

Comp-Att-Int--18-35-1--19-41-0

Sacked-Yards Lost--1-3--0-0

Punts--6-36.5--5-44.0

Fumbles-Lost--1-1--0-0

Penalties-Yards--5-31--12-75

Time of Possession--22:40--37:20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Dallas, Smith 14-42, Davis 1-8, Irvin 1-1. Kansas City, Morris 27-137, Gannon 6-23, Anders 3-17, Bennett 2-6.

PASSING--Dallas, Aikman 18-35-1-199. Kansas City, Gannon 19-41-0-200.

RECEIVING--Dallas, Jeffers 5-74, Smith 4-41, Bjornson 3-16, Davis 2-27, Ogden 2-20, Williams 1-12, Irvin 1-9. Kansas City, Gonzalez 5-65, Alexander 5-53, Anders 4-39, Morris 2-18, Rison 1-11, Horn 1-9, Bennett 1-5.

MISSED FIELD GOALS--None.