Quick Kicks
Cowboys brass praise Aikman
Troy Aikman said he took no extra satisfaction from beating Carolina 16-13 in overtime on Sunday at Ericsson Stadium.
Playing the game, he said, inspires him - not the boos he heard last week at Texas Stadium. Or the calls to sports talk radio imploring the Cowboys to make backup Randall Cunningham the starter.
Aikman’s performance, though, clearly impressed coach Dave Campo and owner Jerry Jones.
And it wasn’t because Aikman had a great statistical game.
Aikman completed 15 of 23 passes for 131 yards with two interceptions.
But Aikman made his two best throws in overtime.
On first down from the Dallas 26, he completed a 19-yard pass to James McKnight, and on third-and-3 from the Carolina 29, he hit running back Chris Warren for a 23-yard gain to the 6.
Tim Seder kicked the game-winning field goal on the next play.
“The guy under center took this team with wounded receivers and won a game for us,” said Campo, his voice filled with emotion. “He’s a battler, and this team is filled with battlers.”
Jones said Sunday’s victory was a glimpse of Aikman at his finest because he led the Cowboys to a victory under adverse conditions.
“This was a special win because it was a Troy Aikman kind of game,” Jones said. “It was one that he had to stay within the game plan, and he did it. He has done that his entire career.”
Keyshawn coughs it up
His Italian suit finally stuffed inside with great difficulty, Keyshawn Johnson grabbed the zipper of his Gucci bag and gave it a tug. It was stuck.
It seems as though nothing in his first season in Tampa is coming easy for the former Jet.
After catching one shovel pass for one yard and watching arch-enemy Wayne Chrebet beat his Bucs last week, Johnson on Sunday contributed to a second straight Tampa Bay loss with a fourth-quarter fumble that set up a Redskins TD in Washington’s 20-17 overtime win.
“I fumbled. I don’t fumble, but I fumbled,” he explained. “That’s the first time I have ever fumbled in my NFL career. Bad (stuff) happens in bunches.”
Injury bug blues
Terrell Davis is still hobbled by a sprained left ankle.
“I really feel helpless when I’m out there,” the Denver running back said after the Broncos’ loss to New England.
“I can’t really sustain my blocks or drive off my legs. I feel handicapped, to be honest with you.”
Already trying to come back from major knee surgery, Davis injured the ankle in the opener against St. Louis. He sat out two straight weeks and has removed himself from the last two games.
Davis said he plans to consult doctors this week in hopes of learning more about his nagging injury that also has caused pain in his foot. He reiterated that his surgically repaired right knee has not bothered him.
“Everybody wants to relate it to the knee,” he said. “The knee is fine.”
They said it …
“Now I know how women in labor feel waiting for that baby to come. She was a big one, wasn’t she?” - Washington Redskins cornerback Deion Sanders on his game-breaking punt return after weeks of listening to criticism by Redskins fans about his less-than-impressive punt-return average.