European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 9, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 the stars and stripes sports j saturday january 9,1993 of match takes twist Apelle Confidence returns to eagles Randall Cunningham. By Denne h. Freeman Irving Texas apr just when the Dallas cowboys were feeling Good about their super bowl chances along conies okie of their tormentors of old to put a Damper on the proceedings. The cowboys thought they had rid themselves of Randall Cunningham on nov. 1. He a Back. Cunningham completed three of eight passes for 15 Yards in the first half and the cowboys beat the Philadelphia eagles 20-10. Cunningham watched from the Bench in the second half. But he worked his Way Back into the lineup and is in control of the offence again. Quot he has his Confidence Back and you can see it a Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson said tuesday. Quot he a doing things on the move Tike the old Cunningham. He a less of a pure drop Back passer  Johnson took note of the retrenchment of the entire Engle offence. Quot with Heath Sherman seeing More duty at running Back and the move of Keith Byars to offence the eagles offence is much improved Johnson said. Quot earlier in the year they were giving the Ball to Herschel Walker a Bunch. The offence is different and its  the cowboys figure they have to give Cunningham a hard time sunday. A the looks like he did last season a said defensive line coach Butch Davis. Quot in the game at Texas stadium in november he looked like he might be giving tip on his receivers routes too soon. He a staying with them. Well have to put some heat on  Eagle coach Rich Kotite said Cunningham a injury induced year away from the game Hurt him More thai most people realized. ,. A not enough was said about his year off a Kotite said. Quot he had a serious operation and became inconsistent. Now his Confidence is  Johnson said the eagles present a threat because of their maturity. Quot they have tremendous leaders like Reggie White and Seth Joyner and Are a very mature club a Johnson said. Quot a team with less leadership would have folded when it fell behind against new Orleans.�?�. V it i a Troy Alk Many a Quot looking Forward to playoff Start. Kapihe Irving Texas a Troy Aikman has been knocked Down and knocked out by the Philadelphia eagles. He a been taunted intercepted and sacked. But he finally beat his pfc East tormentors in november and gets a Chance to do it again in his first nil playoff Start on sunday in Texas stadium. The Dallas Cowboy quarterback did no to Start two playoff games last year because of an injury inflicted by the eagles. Dal Las Defeated Chicago in the first game and lost to Detroit in the second with Aikman getting Popup duty after taking Over for Steve Beuerlein. Questions abound whether Aikman has the experience needed to handle playoff pressure. Aikman says he docs. Coach Jimmy Johnson says he docs. Aikman the third rated quarterback in the nil said he knows what some critics Are thinking. A Quot the talk of the week will be that the last time we beat Mem was a Fluke a Aik Man said Quot it also will be about Aikman a first playoff Start. I Don t feel i have anything to prove against the eagles. In a looking Forward to it. In a not All froze up because its just a playoff  said Aikman will be unfazed by his first playoff Start. Quot Troy can to be intimidated one Iota a Johnson said. Quot if you think otherwise you done to know Troy  Johnson added Quot playoff experience is overrated. We be been in a lot of crucial games. We play in the pfc East and we be been in the big  Aikman agreed. A a in be stayed healthy this year for the first time a Aikman said. Quot that a a big plus going into sundays game. I feel rested and ready. This is also my second year in Norv Turners system Ana 1 think in a a better quarterback. Our Confidence is As High As it gets. Quot and so is  nuts and bolts at Texas stadium compiled by Gregg Stein Philadelphia 11-5 at Dallas 13-3 an to and radio 6 30 . Get sunday line Dallas by m record is. Spread Philadelphia 10-7-0 Dallas 11-5-0. Series record a cowboys Lead 38-26 in regular season but eagles won Only playoff meeting in i960. Last time met a in week nine at Dallas cowboys avenged loss at Philadelphia four weeks earlier with 20-10 Victory As Emmitt Smith rushed for 163 Yards and Troy Aikman threw two ads. Last game a eagles scored 26 Points in fourth Quarter to rally for 36-20 Victory at new Orleans and first playoff win since 1980 cowboys set franchise record for regular season victories by beating Chicago 27-14 at Dallas two weeks ago. Eagle offence Rush no. 2pass no. 23overall no 7 a Fly a second rated running game continued to produce As Heath Sherman who gained 5.2 Yards per carry during regular season replaced Hershel Walker As featured re and rushed for 105 Yards against saints. Randall Cunningham completed 19 of 35 passes for 219 Yards with two ads and or Fred Barnett who gained 1,083 Yards during regular season caught four passes for 102 Yards. Cowboy offence Rush no. 5pass no. 5overall no. 4 averaged 25.5 Points per game during regular season second Only to san Francisco Smith won second consecutive nil Rushing title with 1,713 Yards on 373 carries and also led league with 18 ads. Aikman finished season with 63.8 completion percentage and 89.5 passing rating despite having thrown 14 interceptions. Or Michael Irvin had 1,396 Yards on 78 catches and Jay Novacek led nil Tes with 68 catches for 630 Yards. Eagle defense Rush no. 5pass no. 12overall no. 6 a keyed second half comeback against new Orleans with three interceptions two by cd Eric Allen along with safety by de Reggie White. La Byron Evans had 10 tackles after leading team in regular season with 152 stops. Is Andre Waters last season s leading Tacker May return after missing second half of this season with leg injury. Cowboy defense Rush no. 1pass no 5overall no. 1 4 a Fly Stop rated defense held opponents to 77.8 Rushing Yards per game and Only 50 of 148 third Down conversions. La Ken Norton led club with 120 tackles while Des Jim Jeffcoat 10visacks and Charles Haley 42 a a hurries led improved pass Rush. Special teams a Philadelphia a Vai Sika Hema ranked third in nil during regular season with. 12.6-Yard average on punt returns. P Jeff Feagles averaged just 42.2 Yards per attempt for season but had five punts for 51-Yard average against saints. Kelvin Martin ranked second in league with 12.7-Yard average on punt returns including two ads. Rookie k Lin Elliott made Only 8 of 15 Fig attempts in first half of season but improved to 16 of 20 in second half. Key quotes a Quot we wanted a third game with the cowboys. We done to like Mem. They done to Tike  -Sherman,.,. Quot its an intense rivalry. Its As intense As you want to have  a cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson streaks stats and notes t Philadelphia has allowed average of 21.3 Points per game on Road this season compared to 9,1 per game at Home. Smiths 163-Yard Rushing game against Philadelphia this season was Only 100-Yard game allowed by eagles in last 63 games. Cunningham has 8-2 career record against cowboys and has thrown 12 ads and five interceptions in those games. In his last game against Dallas however Cunningham completed just 3 of 8 passes and was benched in favor of backup Jim Mcmahon. Smith is first player to Lead nil in Rushing for consecutive seasons since Eric Dickerson in 1983 84. Cowboys Are 18-1 when Smith rushes for 100 or More Yards. Dallas has appeared in 38 postseason games More than any other team and is tied with Washington with 21 postseason victories