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Tuesday, December 9, 1997

Realistically, Dallas' dynasty is over

By JAIME ARON AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) - The last snap that mattered for the Dallas Cowboys this season ended in a sack. And a fumble.

How fitting.

With the seconds winding down on a game, a season and an era, the aging Cowboys went out on their backs. There was nothing left in Dallas' tank, not even enough to bow out with dignity.

While Monday night's 23-13 loss to Carolina didn't officially eliminate the Cowboys from the playoffs, it realistically did. Nobody in the locker room disputed that, not even team owner Jerry Jones.

"I don't think there's any question that when you look at our players ... you deserve a better record (than 6-8), you deserve to be competing for the Super Bowl," a somber, barely audible Jones said. "I'm frustrated. I'm very disappointed."

Dallas, which has won the last five NFC East crowns, can't win a sixth straight even with victories in its last two games. And, with hardly anything left to play for, it'll be interesting to see whether the Cowboys can muster the energy to go all out in Cincinnati on Sunday or against the New York Giants in the season finale.

"I think we've got to question individually whether we still have it or not," defensive tackle Tony Casillas said. "It seems like the last few weeks we knew what we needed to do, but we just did not get the job done."

The Cowboys went three-and-out on their first three drives while their quarterback and top running back went to the sidelines with injuries. Troy Aikman returned, but Emmitt Smith didn't.

All the Dallas offense could muster in the first half were field goals of 43 and 32 yards. The first one was set up by a 45-yard kickoff return, the second by a fumble recovery. The offense moved all of 36 yards total on the two drives.

There were even fewer highlights in the second half - only a 52-yard touchdown pass from Aikman to Michael Irvin that got the Cowboys within seven with 8:01 to go.

Whatever momentum that should've generated didn't last. Instead of taking advantage of a 27-yard punt, Dallas got into fourth-and-1, then lost 25 yards on a serpentine backward scramble by Aikman.

Carolina turned it into a field goal, then gave the ball back with under a minute to play. Aikman threw a 2-yard completion, then was sacked by Micheal Barrow. The ball rolled away and Tim Morabito recovered it. There may have been 17 seconds left, but it was all over.

"We had our chances," said linebacker Randall Godfrey, referring both to the season and the game, "but we blew it."