Cowboys Win On The Field
They spent last year in controversy and courtrooms, sometimes even in handcuffs. If a player wasn’t in trouble, the coach was. Everyone said the Dallas Cowboys weren’t what they used to be.
They were right. The Cowboys might be even better.
The Cowboys made all their troubles - the videotaped cocaine buys, the dormitory trashing and Barry Switzer’s handgun charge - go away by doing what they do best: Playing football better than almost anyone.
Troy Aikman, making his 126th NFL start, gave Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart, making his first, a lesson in the art of big-play quarterbacking by throwing four touchdown passes as Dallas routed the host Steelers 37-7 Sunday.
So much for the rematch of the Cowboys’ 27-17 victory over Pittsburgh in the January 1996 Super Bowl. The Steelers (0-1) were overwhelmed offensively and defensively in their worst defeat in Bill Cowher’s six seasons as coach.
Receiver Michael Irvin, suspended for last year’s opener and a magnet for all of the Cowboys’ off-field problems, picked on each of the Steelers’ new cornerbacks, rookie Chad Scott and Donnell Woolford, for TD catches among his seven receptions for 153 yards.
Oilers 24, Raiders 21 (OT)
Tennessee got 216 yards rushing from Eddie George but needed a vintage drive led by Steve McNair to win in overtime at Memphis, Tenn.
The winning drive was capped by a 33-yard field goal by Al Del Greco.
It was the first NFL regular-season game played in Tennessee.
Only 30,171 fans showed up at the 62,000-seat Liberty Bowl.
George, last season’s offensive rookie of the year, had 216 yards rushing in 35 carries, the second-highest total on opening day in NFL history behind O.J. Simpson’s 250 yards for Buffalo in 1973.
Rams 38, Saints 24
Lawrence Phillips ran for a career-best 125 yards and three touchdowns, one short of his rookie-year total, and host St. Louis forced five turnovers to spoil Mike Ditka’s return and make Dick Vermeil’s a success.
Phillips, limited to two carries for 3 yards by a sore left knee in the preseason finale, had 26 attempts Sunday, and he scored on runs of 1, 25 and 5 yards.
“I think the whole team wanted to come out and perform for coach Vermeil,” Phillips said. “Everything started clicking.”
Dolphins 16, Colts 10
Dan Marino struggled, but Olindo Mare kicked his first three NFL field goals and safety Shawn Wooden came up with three turnovers for host Miami against Indianapolis.
Marino, playing in his 200th game at the start of his 15th season, completed just 10 of 26 passes for 105 yards.
Patriots 41, Chargers 7
Drew Bledsoe ran Pete Carroll’s offense with precision, throwing touchdown passes to four receivers in the first half and leading New England to an easy victory in Foxborough, Mass., over new coach Kevin Gilbride and San Diego.
In the first half, the Patriots scored on five of six possessions, while the defense recovered two fumbles, forced four punts, sacked Stan Humphries three times and allowed no points. Humphries left with a dislocated throwing shoulder in the fourth quarter.
Bledsoe completed 26 of 39 passes for 340 yards.
Lions 28, Falcons 17
Defense got the Bobby Ross era off to a winning start at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich., as Stephen Boyd returned a fumble for a touchdown and set up the winning score with an interception, spoiling Dan Reeves’ debut with Atlanta.
Linebacker Reggie Brown returned an interception 38 yards for an insurance touchdown with 3:57 remaining. It was the Lions’ third interception of Chris Chandler.
Bucs 13, 49ers 6
Steve Young and Jerry Rice left with injuries, leaving San Francisco without its two biggest weapons for most of the game at Tampa, Fla.
Trent Dilfer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Dave Moore, and Michael Husted kicked field goals of 40 and 34 yards to give the Bucs the victory in Steve Mariucci’s debut for the 49ers.
Young returned in the third quarter after taking a knee to the head, and Rice injured his left knee on a reverse in the second quarter.
Jaguars 28, Ravens 27
A gimpy Rob Johnson, playing in place of injured Mark Brunell, threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Smith with 5:47 left, lifting Jacksonville at Baltimore.
Making his first NFL start, Johnson overcame a badly sprained left ankle and a 27-21 deficit, completing 20 of 24 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns.
Broncos 19, Chiefs 3
Terrell Davis ran for 101 yards and the game’s only touchdown, a 10-yard burst early in the final period, and Jason Elam kicked four field goals for host Denver.
John Elway, shrugging off the ruptured biceps tendon he suffered Aug. 4 and a hand injury just before the half, completed 17 of 28 passes for 246 yards as the Broncos opened the season gaining 378 yards.
Vikings 34, Bills 13
Minnesota’s Robert Smith gained a career-high 169 yards on 16 carries and broke loose on a 78-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter at Orchard Park, N.Y.
Vikings linebacker Jeff Brady sealed the victory by returning a fumbled snap 30 yards for a TD.
Bengals 24, Cardinals 21
Host Cincinnati scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, the final one on a 6-yard pass from Jeff Blake to Carl Pickens with 38 seconds left against stunned Arizona. Ki-Jana Carter’s 1-yard run cut it to 21-16 with 2:14 left and the Bengals out of timeouts.
Giants 31, Eagles 17
Tiki Barber scored on a 1-yard run and made two big plays to set up a touchdown pass in Jim Fassel’s debut as coach for New York in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Giants defense played a big role with nine sacks, and safety Sam Garnes returned a fourth-quarter interception 95 yards after visiting Philadelphia cut a 24-3 deficit to 24-17.
Redskins 24, Panthers 10
Terry Allen ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns as Washington handed Carolina its first loss in the 10-game history of Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte.
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST Quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe 26-39-340-4-0 Troy Aikman 19-30-295-4-0 Neil O’Donnell 18-25-270-5-0 Jeff George 21-37-298-3-0 Running backs Eddie George 35-216-1 Robert Smith 16-169-1 Lawrence Phillips 26-125-3 Receivers Tim Brown 8-158-2 Michael Irvin 7-153-2 Michael Jackson 8-143-1