Prime-Time Cowboys Too Much For Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys live.

Lifted from their lethargy by Herschel Walker’s kickoff return, the Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 Monday night to restore their credibility and avoid the basement in the NFC East.

It was a prime-time performance by Dallas’ prime timers - Troy Aikman, Leon Lett, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Walker, who had a 49-yard return after the Cowboys had fallen behind 10-0 on Philadelphia’s first two possessions.

That ignited a run of 20 points in a 16-minute span of the first half, highlighted by a 96-yard touchdown drive led by Aikman.

“We finally played with emotion and intensity,” said coach Barry Switzer. “This game was about respect tonight. That’s what I told them in the locker room. This team is going to catch on fire.”

Lett led a Dallas defense that had six sacks and forced five turnovers.

Three of the turnovers set up field goals by Chris Boniol. Included was an interception by Sanders, whose 39-yard reception was the game’s key offensive play. George Teague’s interception stopped Philadelphia’s final drive at the Dallas 30 with two minutes left.

Dallas (2-3) is now a game behind Philadelphia (3-2) and two behind Washington with 11 left as it pursues its fifth straight NFC East title and fourth Super Bowl win in five seasons.

And another prime timer, wide receiver Michael Irvin, returns from his drug suspension for their next game, against Arizona on Oct. 13. That could take some of the load off Sanders, who has been playing both ways while Irvin’s been out.

Meanwhile, the Eagles will be without quarterback Rodney Peete for the rest of the season. He tore the patella tendon in his right knee when he slipped dropping back to pass with 1:50 left in the half.

“We’ve just got to rally around Ty,” left tackle Barrett Brooks said of Ty Detmer, the former Heisman Trophy winner who will replace Peete. “He’s a good quarterback. He’s no slouch.”

How big was this win for Dallas?

The Cowboys, who fell behind 10-0 on the Eagles’ first two possessions, would have been three games behind Philadelphia and Washington had they lost. Moreover, they came into the game doubting themselves - they had just one offensive touchdown in their previous six quarters.

“We hadn’t been getting the respect and maybe we didn’t deserve it,” Aikman said.

But the return by Walker, who came back to Dallas for the minimum salary after he was released by the New York Giants, seemed to provide a spark that had been lacking.

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead on Gary Anderson’s 36-yard field goal, then followed that with a 65-yard, nine-play drive capped by Ricky Watters’ 2-yard TD run on fourth-and-one.

But Walker took the kickoff and burst up the middle to the Philadelphia 44. Seven plays later, on a third-and-goal from the 5, Aikman rifled a ball off his back foot to Eric Bjornson in the back of the end zone.

On their next possession, the Cowboys were hurt by two penalties - a holding call on Darren Woodson that set them back to their own 4 to start the drive, then a clip by Aikman on a reverse to Sanders that made it second-and-22 at the 14.

Then came the play that may have turned the game - Sanders took off down the leftside on a fly pattern, got inside Troy Vincent and took in a perfect pass from Aikman at the Philadelphia 47.

Six plays later, Smith, who rushed for 92 yards in 22 carries, capped the drive with a 5-yard TD run and suddenly the Cowboys led 14-10. The official length of the drive was 96 yards, but with penalty yardage added, the Cowboys netted 105.

“Ninety six yards?” joked Switzer. “That drive was 130 yards, we had so many darn penalties.”

Sanders’ interception set up a 36-yard field goal and Peete’s fumble on the play on which he was injured set up a 30-yarder to give Dallas a 20-10 halftime lead.

Philadelphia Ray Rhodes gave most of the credit to the Dallas defense, particularly Lett.