NFL Notes: Cowboys ruin day for Jimmy

Monday, Oct. 28, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

For one day, at least, Jimmy Johnson wished he never drafted Troy Aikman for the Dallas Cowboys.

Aikman had a spectacular day at quarterback Sunday, completing 33 of 41 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns as the Cowboys won 29-10 in the "Battle of the Egos" game against Miami.

Much of the focus of the long-anticipated matchup between the two teams was on Dallas owner Jerry Jones and Johnson, the Dolphins coach who was fired by Jones after two Super Bowl victories.

Jones and Johnson themselves downplayed the reunion, but few doubted how much they wanted to win.

It was really no contest, especially after halftime, as Dallas outscored the Dolphins 20-0 in the last two periods.

"We got beat by a better team," said Johnson, who took only a few questions at his postgame news conference. "We played well for a half, but couldn't hold on for the second half."

Dallas' Deion Sanders, despite never playing for Johnson, predicted that heads would roll today.

"I'd be scared if I was in that other locker room," Sanders said. "There's no telling who's going to get cut or fired tomorrow. If I was over there, I wouldn't be able to sleep."

Jones tried to get coach Barry Switzer to score a rub-it-in touchdown as time ran out, but Switzer convinced him it wasn't worth it. Outgaining the Dolphins 482 yards to 221 was domination enough.

"This was a big win, and it was a little nicer because it was the Miami Dolphins and Jimmy Johnson," Jones said. "... This felt like a Super Bowl from my perspective."

Twelve of Aikman's completions, for 186 yards, went to Michael Irvin, who tied his career high for receptions.

"It was an emotional game for a lot of guys on the team," Irvin said.

* 49ERS 10, OILERS 9: Steve Young got a concussion on the third play of the game and was replaced by Jeff Brohm, who completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens with 4:27 left. Defensive end Chris Doleman and the rest of the 49ers' defense kept them in the game until Brohm came through. Doleman had a third-down sack and an interception on the Oilers' final offensive play. The Oilers (5-3) led 9-3 on Al Del Greco's field goals of 38, 56 and 39 yards until Brohm finally got the 49ers (6-2) going with a 49-yard completion to running back Terry Kirby, setting up the go-ahead score. Brohm connected with Owens on a third-and-7 from the Houston 20. "I think Jeff Brohm showed what a great system and personnel they have," Oilers coach Jeff Fisher said. "Our defense played hard, but the 49ers made two big plays to beat us." Brohm, a free-agent signee who had attempted just four passes this season, was forced into the game because Elvis Grbac, the 49ers' backup quarterback, was inactive with a shoulder injury.

* PACKERS 13, BUCCANEERS 7: Green Bay, already without top receivers Sterling Sharpe and Robert Brooks, had to rely on its ground game against Tampa Bay after Antonio Freeman broke his left forearm, an injury that will sideline him 4-6 weeks. Brett Favre, who leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes, didn't throw for a touchdown for the first time in 17 games, including the playoffs. He was just 19-of-31 for 178 yards and an interception, but Edgar Bennett rushed 20 times for 93 yards for the Packers (7-1). The Buccaneers (1-7) closed to 13-7 when Trent Dilfer hit tight end Dave Moore with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 5:28 to play.

* BRONCOS 34, CHIEFS 7: John Elway threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns, two to Shannon Sharpe, as Denver (7-1) took command of the AFC West against division rival Kansas City (5-3). The Chiefs' lone score came on Tamarick Vanover's 97-yard kickoff return in the first quarter.

* JETS 31, CARDINALS 21: Adrian Murrell rushed for 191 yards, including a 78-yarder to the 2 that set up the clinching touchdown as New York won for the first time in nine tries this season and snapped a 12-game losing streak overall. The Jets also got a strong game from rookie Keyshawn Johnson, who had seven catches, including a 34-yard scoring reception. Arizona fell to 3-5.

* EAGLES 20, PANTHERS 9: Ty Detmer passed for a career-high 342 yards and a touchdown, while Irving Fryar, who caught eight passes for 116 yards and four touchdowns last week, had seven receptions for 143 yards for Philadelphia (6-2). Ricky Watters, averaging 107 rushing yards per game, was limited to 33 by Carolina (5-3). But he did score the Eagles' other touchdown on a 3-yard run.

* REDSKINS 31, COLTS 16: Terry Allen rushed for 124 yards and had his second consecutive three-touchdown game, and Brian Mitchell returned a punt 71 yards for Washington (7-1), extending its winning streak to seven. Indianapolis (5-3), a loser of three of four after a 4-0 start, had 185 yards and 13 points at halftime, but only 113 yards and a field goal in the second half.

* RAVENS 37, RAMS 31: Baltimore avoided the first NFL tie in seven years when Vinny Testaverde threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jackson with 10 seconds left in overtime. The Ravens (3-5) won despite committing four turnovers and missing two field goals and a conversion. The Rams (2-6) also had four turnovers, blew a 14-point lead in the second half and botched a field-goal try in overtime.

* GIANTS 35, LIONS 7: New York snapped Detroit's 10-game home winning streak by forcing six turnovers. The Giants secondary picked off five passes and helped hold Barry Sanders of Detroit (4-4) to 47 yards on 16 carries. The Giants (3-5) also recovered one fumble and blocked a punt for a safety.

* STEELERS 20, FALCONS 17: For the second straight week, Atlanta came close to knocking off one of the best teams in the NFL, only to fall short in the fourth quarter. Norm Johnson kicked a 20-yard field as time ran out, giving Pittsburgh (6-2) the victory and sending the winless Falcons to their eighth straight loss.

* BENGALS 28, JAGUARS 21: Jeff Blake threw a touchdown pass, and Ki-Jana Carter ran for two scores in Bruce Coslet's coaching debut for Cincinnati. The Bengals (2-6) broke their season-long pattern of folding at the end, scoring 21 fourth-quarter points in Coslet's first game since replacing Dave Shula. Jacksonville (3-6) tied its franchise record with five sacks of Blake.

* SEAHAWKS 32, CHARGERS 13: Seattle, which forced eight turnovers in the first seven games, intercepted four passes from Sean Salisbury and recovered a fumble. The five turnovers resulted in 23 points for the Seahawks (3-5), who won for the first time in four home games. San Diego (4-4) played without injured stars Junior Seau and Stan Humphries.