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Aikman will face 'Skins
Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King spoke with CNN/Sports Illustrated anchor Bob Lorenz on Sunday about this week's goings-on in week two of the NFL season on CNN's NFL Preview: Bob Lorenz: Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Troy Aikman was knocked out of the game last week against Philadelphia with the ninth concussion of his career, some think he will miss two to three weeks, Peter what can you tell us about the situation? Peter King: (Saturday) morning I met with Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones for an extended period of time and one of the things he told me was that no decision has made been on Aikman for Week 3 at Washington. But I will tell you this; no one in the Dallas organization that I talked to thinks that Aikman will miss that game. One other point to make here; Troy Aikman was "adamant" in Jerry Jones' words that he wanted to play today, in Phoenix, in this game because he wants to get this team back on track, I think there is no way he misses the Monday nighter at Washington. Josie Karp: Andy Reid is known as a tough disciplinarian with emphasis on the word tough and, Peter, I know you think there is a new addition to the Eagles who fits in perfectly. Peter King: No question about that. Jon Runyan, the right tackle of the Eagles, is going to go down as one of the best free-agent signings of all time and I will tell you why. Last year at right tackle where did the Tennessee Titans like to run; right up Jon Runyan's rear end and this year they are doing the same thing in Philadelphia. They have a little crack-back play where a wide receiver comes in motion and the tight end and Runyan just totally clear out. The Dallas Cowboys, when they were preparing for their game against Philadelphia, knew Runyan was going to be good but after that game they now know think that Runyan is in the same league with Larry Allen as the two best offensive lineman run blocking in the game. Bob Lorenz: How long can the Green Bay Packers afford to be without quarterback Brett Favre? Peter King: Well, probably not very long but here is the way I look at it: If you have a franchise pitcher on your baseball team who comes off the mound in the eighth inning of a game holding his elbow, saying my elbow hurts me, I have tendonitis in my elbow; don't you sit him down and put him on the disabled list for two or three weeks? Yes, you have to, and in this case I think the Packers should put Favre down for three games. They have one of the best back-up quarterbacks in football in Matt Hasselbeck and right now Favre needs to sit so that in October, November and December he can be 100 percent. Bob Lorenz: Last week the Cowboys got spanked by the Eagles at home, today they travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals. How bad has it gotten in Valley Ranch? Peter King: Well, (Saturday) night I was talking to Dave Campo, the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and I asked him what did you say to your team last week after such an embarrassing performance and he said I really didn't have to say very much because the players said it. Emmitt Smith, very uncharacteristic after the game, apologized to the defense and called his teammates out and said hey, we just can't think we are good because we've got the star on our helmets we've got to play better. Two things about this game today, Erik Williams was awful last week at right tackle, showing the effects of his training camp holdout and with Randall Cunningham getting the start at quarterback the Cowboys have reduced the offensive play book because Randall doesn't know it all yet; so it could be dire times for Dallas against Phoenix. Bob Lorenz: The Packers feeling a little beat up, but so are their fans this week. Peter King: Well, this week -- on Tuesday -- the voters in Brown County, where Green Bay is located in Wisconsin, are going to be asked to approve a .5 percent sales-tax increase to fund at $295 million stadium improvement at Lambeau field. The key thing here is that Bob Harlan, president of the Packers, a big CEO of a big company, has been going door-to-door in Green Bay urging voters to vote for this because if they don't it could severely limit what the Packers can do in free agency. Bob Lorenz: And Peter finally, give us an update on the collective bargaining agreement. Peter King: Gene Upshaw the President of the Players Association told me on Friday that he would like to see the labor agreement extended not just one year, which is the talk of the NFL, but two years. Upshaw is going to try to get together with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and get it done for 2005.
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