With the game against the injured and fading world-champion San Francisco 49ers six days away, the powerful Dallas Cowboys faced an hors d’oeuvre Monday night in the Philadelphia Eagles and devoured them 34-12.
The Eagles were in the midst of a four-game winning streak and looked tougher to swallow than the decaying 49ers. But the Cowboys considered them as just another taste treat on the way to their real feast, Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, Ariz.
Emmitt Smith scored twice and gained 158 yards in 27 carries. Michael Irvin tied an NFL record with his seventh straight 100-yard receiving day, getting 115 and a touchdown on eight catches. Troy Aikman completed 17 of 24 passes for 202 yards. A defense missing starting tackles Leon Lett (drug suspension) and Russell Maryland (injury) nevertheless kept the Eagles in check.
“They outclassed us in every area,” Philadelphia coach Ray Rhodes said.
“We took a while to separate,” Cowboys coach Barry Switzer said by way of explaining a mere 17-6 halftime lead and 24-12 third-quarter edge.
The 49ers (5-4) look like no competition now for the Cowboys (8-1), whose owner, Jerry Jones, is undaunted by his team’s tough four-game stretch–the Eagles, 49ers, at Raiders, and Chiefs.
“Barring injury, there’s not one acceptable reason for not winning the Super Bowl,” Jones said.
Ex-49er Deion Sanders refused to discuss the approaching matchup, saying, “Can we enjoy this game?” But the other Cowboys still expect a good fight from the ailing 49ers.
“Hey, if Steve Young is well, I promise you it will be an entirely different football game,” Switzer said.
Young has missed three starts with what has been reported as a bruised shoulder. Aikman is suspicious.
“I know Steve well enough to know he’s been trying to find a way to play before this,” Aikman said. “They say it’s a bruised shoulder. I think it’s a little more serious than they’ve let on.”
Smith, who was nursing hamstring injuries when the 49ers beat the Cowboys twice last season, said: “It’s not going to be a cakewalk regardless of injuries.”
Besides Young, the 49ers have lost fullback William Floyd for the year and have been banged up in the offensive line.
“They weren’t sympathetic for us,” Smith said.
The Eagles entered Monday’s game with the No. 2-ranked defense in the league only to watch helplessly as Aikman and Co. dismantled it.
“We’re a group that feels we’ll have success regardless of who we play,” Aikman said. “Lots of teams speak of wanting to be balanced, but they don’t have the talent to do it.
“It’s (49ers) still a big game, but the game has lost some of its magnitude because of four losses. You forget what’s going on around the league. Chicago is right there. But if we play like we’re capable of playing, we control our destiny. One thing is we’re getting better.”
