Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Aikman Makes Amends Strickland’s Interception Gives Dallas Qb Another Chance

Associated Press

This time, Troy Aikman made up for his mistake, with a little help from linebacker Fred Strickland.

After Aikman threw another fourth-quarter interception that could have buried the Cowboys, Strickland got the ball back for him by intercepting Elvis Grbac’s pass on the next play.

From there, Aikman threw for the tying touchdown and led the drive leading to Chris Boniol’s 29-yard field goal with 8:43 left in overtime Sunday as the Cowboys beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17.

Dallas (6-4), in danger of falling from postseason contention, avoided a second straight loss and ended a three-game losing streak to San Francisco (7-3). With both Washington and Philadelphia losing Sunday, the Cowboys pulled within one game of the NFC East lead. Next Monday night, they play Green Bay.

“This was a game we felt we had to have to get back on track,” said Aikman, who completed 24 of 39 passes for 230 yards. “It only continues to remain big if we go on and play well.”

Said Dallas guard Nate Newton: “What drives us is the fear of not making the playoffs.”

The 49ers played much of the game with Grbac at quarterback in place of Steve Young, who was sidelined late in the second quarter by a concussion. He is questionable for next week’s Baltimore game.

Aikman, who threw an end zone interception that was returned for a score in the final minute of last week’s 31-21 loss to Philadelphia, was driving the Cowboys toward a score late in the fourth quarter when a pass intended for Deion Sanders was picked off inside the San Francisco 5 by Marquez Pope.

After a 4-yard return, San Francisco took over on the 9, but on the first play, Grbac threw behind William Floyd, and Strickland was there for the interception at the 15.

This time, Dallas made it into the end zone for the tying score, with Aikman throwing a six-yard touchdown pass to Eric Bjornson on third down with 2:45 remaining in regulation.

“I think this is a great game for Troy to show he can make a mistake and redeem himself,” Newton said.

Grbac’s second interception was the 49ers’ third turnover of the game, while Aikman’s interception was Dallas’ only giveaway. In the three previous games, San Francisco forced 12 Dallas turnovers and only lost the ball once.

“I just made a stupid mistake,” Grbac said of his last interception. “The way I look at it, I lost the game for this team.”

San Francisco coach coach George Seifert was not as critical.

“You don’t like to see errors,” Seifert said. “But you’ve got to be good enough to play through them. We can’t be blaming a coach or a player for losses. They call this a football team.”

Each team had the ball once in the final minutes of regulation without scoring, forcing the overtime.

Dallas won the toss and drove 66 yards in 12 plays. Sanders caught a key third-down pass for seven yards and a first down at the 49ers 28 then Emmitt Smith broke up the middle for 16 yards. Two plays later, Boniol came on for the winning kick, giving Dallas coach Barry Switzer his first win in four games against the 49ers.

“It’s a great win, great win,” said Switzer, who gave Aikman a congratulatory hug on the field right after Boniol’s kick split the uprights.