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Sunday, August 24, 1997

Right partner for Cowboys' dance card

By Jim Reeves / Knight-Ridder Newspapers

IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys got just what they needed in their final preseason tuneup last night at Texas Stadium - a pleasant, relaxing, Tennessee waltz.

Too bad they won't be able to softshoe to an encore until the Oilers return on Thanksgiving Day.

Desperately in need of a patsy to restore a little confidence to an offense that looked absolutely dreadful a week ago against the Rams, the Cowboys drummed the hapless Oilers, 34-10.

Next stop: Pittsburgh one week from tomorrow. The Steelers' defense won't be nearly as soft or inviting as the one the woeful Oilers rolled out last night.

"The entire ballclub feels good," quarterback Troy Aikman said. "We went out tonight and moved the football, we made plays and we put points on the board, and that's what we needed to do. I think this football team's ready."

Aikman and the Cowboys' No. 1 offensive unit worked the game's first dozen plays over three series - one was aborted by a fumble after one play - and scored 10 points. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad.

Against the Oilers, who were penalized three times on the Cowboys' opening scoring drive, that's all it took.

Emmitt Smith played only in the game's first series and gained 14 yards on three carries, most of that on a vintage Smith draw play for a dozen yards in the middle of the drive.

Aikman was 5-for-8 for 93 yards and had a pass dropped by tight end Eric Bjornson.

The mental mistakes by the first team dwindled to two, a fumble by rookie tight end David LaFleur and a premature snap by center Clay Shiver. It was definite progress.

"We performed much better in those areas tonight," said Aikman, who was openly critical of the team's numerous mental mistakes against the Rams. "What was nice tonight was that we showed a lot of different things. A lot of different players made plays and allowed us to give a lot of different looks. We have lots of weapons."

Aikman's arm may be the most important of those and the Cowboys have hinted that he may get an opportunity to show it as he never has before.

"If we're not able to run the football like we have in the past, I think we still are going to be able to do some things and move the football passing," Aikman said. "We've got as good a group of receivers as we've had since I've been here. That's extremely encouraging to me."

It was not coincidental that Aikman's first three passes, however, went to an old favorite - Michael Irvin. Those connections helped the Cowboys drive 72 yards in six plays with the game's opening kickoff.

Smith capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown burst off right guard.

"Tonight showed that Emmitt, Michael and Troy are ready to play," an obviously pleased head coach Barry Switzer said. "They were in sync."

With the Oilers putting up an eight-man front to try and stop Smith, Aikman calmly hit Irvin over the middle for 24 yards on the game's first play and found him in single coverage again on the left sideline on the next play, turning that into an 18-yard gain.

We've seen this movie before, haven't we?

Also encouraging was the play of new wide receiver Anthony Miller, who forced the Oilers into a 44-yard pass-interference play and also had a 15-yard reception to set up Richie Cunningham's 23-yard field goal.

"He was open deep for a touchdown on the first play of the game, but he and Troy hadn't had a chance to practice much, so Troy went to Michael instead," Switzer said. "Miller showed he's a deep threat. He's not going to touch the ball as often as Michael does, but when he does, it's going to be big numbers. He's going to be going downfield."

Aikman went out looking for Miller in the team's second series.

"We went out there with the intention of getting off as many passes as we could to Anthony in that series," Aikman said. "He gives us a deep threat we haven't had in several years."

Best of all, the Cowboys got through their final preseason game without a major injury to any key players.

"We have a good football team" was Aikman's final assessment. "We've had an outstanding training camp. We've given ourselves a chance to start the season well.

"Now we'll find out."

The NFL's version of musical chairs begins one week from Sunday.

They won't be playing a waltz in Pittsburgh.

(c) 1997, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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