Saturday, August 24, 1996
Cowboys hang on to defeat Oilers (See Associated Press Version) ...ALSO
DMN Version
By DANNY REAGAN
Reporter OnLine
(August 24, 1996)
Well, it wasn't perfect, but it was a W.
The Dallas Cowboys, beset by injuries, off-field distractions
and a much-traveled schedule no doubt breathed a sigh of relief
to see the 1996 pre-season come to an end.
A 24-19 victory over the Houston Oilers in Florida, in what should
be the last game for the bragging rights of Texas, gave the Cowboys
a meaningless, yet disappointing 2-3 record in pre-season. The
Cowboys haven't had a winning record in pre-season since 1989.
Prior to the contest, Switzer said he would just be happy to
get back home without any major injuries, much less a win.
With his all-Pro running back on the sidelines with a sprained
knee and several other Cowboys nursing ailments, Switzer got
his wish. The only Cowboy battered further Saturday night was
Deion Sanders who fell on the ball after taking a seven-yard
pass from Wade Wilson on the first play of the second half. That
knocked the wind out of him and possibly bruised his shoulder.
He didn't see any other action in the game, but his condition
was not deemed serious.
Alundis Brice also sustained a possible shoulder injury late
in the game, but his condition was unknown.
After a fairly even first half and trailing only 13-10, the Cowboys
scored two touchdowns in rapid succession at the start of the
second half to give themselves a little breathing room.
Behind the running of "bubble back" Dominique Ross
(who contributed 28 yards to the drive), Wade Wilson found new
Cowboy tight end Derek Ware for a 30-yard touchdown pass with
11:45 left in the third. On the ensuing kickoff, Ross caused
an Oiler to fumble and then, the back who is sweating the final
Cowboy cut Sunday, recovered the ball.
Two plays later, Wilson hit Ware again, this time on a 6-yard
scoring pass, and suddenly the Cowboys were ahead, 24-13. Wilson,
who came out of the game midway through the third quarter, on
the night was 7 of 10 for 163 yards, three TD passes and one
interception.
Oiler quarterback Steve McNair kept the game close by hitting
receiver Malcomb Floyd for a 29-yard touchdown pass with 3:01
left in the third quarter. McNair was then stopped by Alan Campos
on a two-point conversion try, but the Oilers had made it a ballgame
again, 24-19.
The teams were evenly matched in the first quarter when most
of the starters were in the game.
A 52-yard bomb from Oiler quarterback Chris Chandler made the
difference in that period. That put the Oilers on the Cowboys'
3-yard line, where Chandler converted on a TD pass two plays
later. The Oilers went for two twice (after a Cowboys' penalty)
and Brock Marion, Leon Lett and Darren Woodson stuffed running
back Ronnie Harmon to prevent the conversion.
The Cowboys started the second quarter red hot with a couple
of quick first downs.
Aikman, who was harried by an Oiler bull rush during most of
his brief stint in the game, completed 8-yard passes to Deion
Sanders and Kevin Williams, and Herschel Walker ran for 18 yards.
A penalty, however, caused Dallas to run out of steam and they
had to punt.
Three plays later, however, Cowboy Brock Marion intercepted a
Steve McNair pass and ran it all the way back to the Oiler 18.
After another stall, Chris Boniol connected on a 29-yard field
goal with 7:53 left in the first half to make the score 6-3,
Oilers. Most of the Cowboy starters left the game at that point,
midway through the second quarter.
After an Oiler punt, Wade Wilson threw an interception at his
own 17, but the very first play by Houston following that was
a bad exchange between McNair and running back Eddie George.
Cowboy Broderick Thomas recovered the fumble, and on the very
next play, quarterback Wade Wilson hit Kevin Williams on an 82-yard
touchdown bomb. With 2:29 left in the first half, the Cowboys
led 10-6.
McNair put together a long drive in the final two minutes, however,
capping it off with a 7-yard touchdown toss to Derek Russell
to give Houston their 13-10 lead at halftime.
All content copyright 1996, The Abilene Reporter-News
and Reporter OnLine
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