Reports of Dallas' demise are greatly premature

Sporting News, The, Oct 14, 1996 by Bob Glauber

We have been hearing the predictions of their imminent demise for months now. The Dallas dynasty is dead, critics have been saying since shortly after the Cowboys' win over the Steelers in the Super Bowl. It's over.

Well, it's six weeks into yet another Super Bowl defense for the bold and brash 'Boys, and the dynasty survives. Dangling by a thread, perhaps, but still intact, even after an uncertain and at times exasperating 2-3 start.

"We've got some momentum," coach Barry Switzer says. "I don't know how much velocity or speed we have, but we're trying to accelerate and get going. This team's capable of catching fire and winning a bunch of games in a stretch."

And if the Cowboys are to challenge for an unprecedented fourth Super Bowl title over a five-year span, then that stretch is now upon them. And if they can follow up that monster Monday night win in Philadelphia with home victories over Arizona and Atlanta the next two weeks, then they are very much back in this race. Not quite what you expected from a team that staggered to a 1-3 record after a series of poor, early-season performances.

"This is a football team that has struggled, but if there's anything we've learned over the last five ballgames, it's that we can't take anything for granted," Troy Aikman says. "I don't know how many games we're going to win, and I don't know what's going to happen to this football team after 16 games. But I do know that this team is not going to quit. This team is made up of a bunch of good guys, good character people and champions. With that, you can never count us out."

Which is why you won't see me counting these Cowboys out, and why I won't back off my preseason prediction that they'll be there in New Orleans carting off another of those Vince Lombardi trophies. Sure, those Packers are scaring the hell out of me on that prediction, but like Aikman says: "We're champions until proven otherwise."

Here's why

Michael's back. Dallas weathered an early-season storm created in large part by the five-game suspension of receiver Michael Irvin, whose sordid behavior in an Irving, Texas, motel room led to his banishment. But Irvin is back now, ready to perform his on-field magic and take the pressure off an offense that is struggling.

"We've been saying quite frequently that we can't wait for Michael to come back," offensive tackle Erik Williams says. "We're getting tired of those eight-man fronts teams are using against us. Now that we've got Mike back, it'll take him one or two games to get where he wants, but just his presence will draw double coverage."

Emmitts healthy. Emmitt Smith finally started looking like his old self in the victory over the Eagles, due in large part to the fact he's recovering from early-season aches and pains to his knees, ankle and neck. And the bye week can only help.

"I'm feeling better and hopefully, I won't get any more setbacks" Smith says. "I haven't felt completely healthy in a while, so I'm looking forward to keeping things going."

Smith ran for 92 yards against the Eagles--not a spectacular output, but his 4.2 yards-per-carry average was far better than his 3.3-yard average coming into the game.

Eric Bjornson's emergence, With the likelihood increasing that Jay Novacek has played his final game because of persistent back problems, the Cowboys were in the market for a tight end. Not anymore, now that Bjornson, a second-year player, has become a significant target for Aikman. Bjorn son caught his first touchdown pass of the season against the Eagles and has been consistently getting open in one-on-one coverage, taking immense pressure off the beleaguered wide-receiver corps.

The surprising defense. You'd figure the free-agent defections of linebackers Robert Jones and Dixon Edwards and cornerback Larry Brown--as well as the chronic back problems of defensive end Charles Haley--would have a major impact on the Dallas defense. Not so. In fact, the Cowboys had the league's top ranked defense after five games, thanks in large measure to the Pro Bowl-caliber performance of tackle Leon Lett, the improved play of backup defensive end Hurvin McCormack and the solid contributions of linebackers Broderick Thomas and Fred Strickland, who replaced Edwards and Jones.

Rodney Peete's injury. The Eagles were the biggest threat to the Cowboys' chances of winning another NFC East division title (I'm still not sold on the Redskins keeping up their momentum from a 4-1 start) but without Peete, who's out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, there's now a clear path to the top.

Put it all together, and you come up with this: As much as you might be sick of the Cowboys, they're just not ready to go away.

Shange vote of confidence

As his 0-6 team careens toward another last-place finish and the calls for his firing crescendo to a fever pitch, Jets coach Rich Kotite has received a vote of confidence from an unlikely source.

Jerry Jones, whose bold and aggressive style has molded the Cowboys into the league's dominant team of the '90s, believes Kotite should not only remain the Jets' coach through this season, but should continue at the top for years to come.