Tuesday, August 27, 1996
Defending champions still have questions to
answer
By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer
(August 27, 1996)
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Who will or won't play for the Super
Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys in their regular season opener in
Chicago on Sept. 2 was the big question floating around the lockerroom
on Monday.
Wide receiver Michael Irvin, defensive end Shante Carver, and
tight end Jay Novacek won't.
Irvin and Carver are serving NFL suspensions and Novacek has
a degenerative disc in his back which needs rest.
Coach Barry Switzer, who calls his team the "thinnest"
in football and he's not talking calories, said he "thinks"
running back Emmitt Smith, offensive lineman Mark Tuinei, cornerback
Deion Sanders and tight end Erik Bjornson will take the field
against the Bears.
"We think Emmitt and Mark will be able to go," Switzer
said. "We'll know for sure later in the week."
Smith was getting treatment for a sprained knee and didn't practice.
Nor did Tuinei, who has a sprained knee ligament. Bjornson, nursing
a pulled hamstring, worked out in shorts and pads.
"We're counting on Bjornson playing," Switzer said."We
need him in there particularly if we run two tight end sets."
Free agent pickup Derek Ware, who played for Cincinnati and Atlanta,
caught two touchdown passes against the Oiler to make the team.
Sanders, who suffered a bruised shoulder Saturday in the Cowboys'
preseason finale against Houston, attended the brief practice.
Smith and Sanders weren't talking about their injuries, although
Smith was walking without a limp and historically has been a
fast healer.
"I think I'll be able to go but I'll just have to see what
happens when I get people pushing on me," Tuinei said. "We
have a lot of injuries. Maybe the most we've ever had. We've
got to find a way to weather the storm."
If Tuinei can't play, Larry Allen will switch from right guard
to left tackle and George Hegamin will fill for Allen.
Offensive tackle Nate Newton said it was time the Cowboys quit
worrying about who was hurt.
"We've got to quit whining," Newton said. "It's
time to work through this thing. It's time to start playing football
and quit worrying about who is here. It's time to rock and get
nasty and mean. No excuses. I'm telling you Tuinei will play
and Emmitt will play."
Defensive ends Tony Tolbert and Charles Haley, both nursing injuries,
were expected to start for the Cowboys.
"Tony has two tender knees and we're always worried about
Haley's back," Switzer said.
"With the combination of injuries and players missing because
of other things this is probably the most unsettled we've been
going into the regular season," said fullback Daryl Johnston.
"But this team always finds a way to survive."
The Cowboys get a day of rest on Tuesday before seeing on Wednesday
whether the injured can practice.
All content copyright 1996, AP, The Abilene
Reporter-News and Reporter OnLine
|
