Prime Time Monday Night
Sanders scores 2 TDs in Cowboys' 31-7 thumping of Giants
Posted: Tuesday September 22, 1998 02:12 AM
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Prime Time's stage: Sanders accounted for 226 total yards, including two touchdowns AP |
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AP) -- Who needs Troy Aikman or Emmitt Smith when Deion Sanders does it all?
Sanders returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown; set up another TD with a
55-yard reception; and returned an interception 71 yards for a score,
piling up 226 yards on offense, defense and special teams.
The result: a 31-7 victory over the New York Giants that put
the Dallas Cowboys
back where they think they should always be -- at the top of the NFC East.
"I don't have to tell you, he's a special athlete," Cowboys quarterback Jason Garrett said. "He
does some unbelievable things and he does them over and over and over
again."
Garrett, making only his third career start for the injured Troy Aikman,
connected with Billy
Davis on an 80-yard TD pass and Sherman Williams ran 18 yards for a
score after Sanders' long reception as Dallas (2-1) became the only team in
the division with a winning record.
The Cowboys, who fell to 6-10 and fourth place last season after five
straight division titles, won despite being without two of their quartet of
stars -- Aikman, who broke his collarbone last week, and Smith, who left in
the second quarter with a pulled groin muscle and did not return.
Even Sanders, who added a 39-yard punt return in the third quarter, sat
out most of the second quarter because of dehydration.
"It's exhausting but I love it," Sanders said of his multiple roles. "It
keeps me focused on the game."
Emmitt Smith left in the second quarter with a pulled groin muscle and did not return AP | |
For the Giants (1-2), the loss broke a nine-game streak without a loss in
the division they won last season with a 10-5-1 record.
They had 11 penalties for 92 yards after getting 15 for 90 yards in a loss
at Oakland last week and had no sacks after entering the game tied for the
NFL lead with 13.
How bad was it?
At one point, the Giants had two straight illegal procedure calls against
them and had five overall, three by left tackle Roman Oben. That's not
supposed to happen at home before a record crowd of 78,039.
"I'm confused right now where this team is mentally," coach Jim Fassel
said.
"No matter what we tried, we just made mistake after mistake after
mistake. More than once they made a play and our guys didn't. That's what
the NFL is all about."
Neither team crossed midfield in the first quarter.
But after the Giants first series of the second quarter, Sanders struck.
He took Brad Maynard's
low punt, zigged left, then zigged right and zagged back into the middle of
the field for the 15th return touchdown of his career, the fourth on a
punt.
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Relief: Garrett finished 12-of-28 for 222 yards with one touchdown pass AP |
"I don't catch the punt and go 10 yards," Sanders said. "I try to score
every time."
The Giants tied it 7-7 with 3:54 left in the half on a 36-yard TD pass
from Danny Kanell to Amani Toomer.
But on the next series, Garrett found Davis over the middle on a
third-and-10 from his own 20.
Then, after Mathis intercepted a pass by Kanell, a pass interference
penalty on Phillippi
Sparks set up Richie
Cunningham's 40-yard field goal that made it 17-7 at halftime.
Garrett, who finished 12-of-28 for 222 yards, connected with Sanders on a
third-and-8 from their 20 on their second offensive series in the second
half that carried the ball to the New York 25. That set up Williams'
touchdown dash up the middle.
Sanders' 71-yard interception return came with 2:25 left in the game.
Giants receiver Ike
Hilliard slipped, Sanders grabbed the ball and ran untouched to the end
zone, dancing over the last 10 yards.
That left Smith to sum up Sanders' night.
"He had a super game, a superb game," he said of Sanders. "Anything less
would be uncivilized." Extra points
The victory made the Cowboys 6-0 against the Giants on Monday night. One
of those wins came in the opening game of 1986, one of two for New York in
a season in which they won the Super Bowl. ... Several New York Mets, who
were off Monday night, attended the game, including Mike Piazza, Al Leiter,
Brian McRae, John and Matt Franco and Butch Huskey. ... The 80-yard TD pass
was the longest of Garrett's career. ... Dallas had lost three straight to
the Giants. ... Cowboys backup linebacker Nate Hemsley dislocated
his ankle covering a punt in the fourth quarter.
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