European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 01, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday february 1. 1994 sports the stars and stripes Page 37 suffering Smith puts some Hurt on Buffalo  the los Angeles times Atlanta he ignored the pain but it was gain ing on Emmitt Smith sunday. He separated his shoulder weeks ago Bohnstead of allowing it to heal the National football league s most valuable player and Rushing Champion had chosen to play on against the new York giants Green Bay pack ers san Francisco 49ers and finally the Buffalo Bills. Hit after hit and As he had to admit after sunday s 30 13 Victory in super bowl xxviii the pain had become too much to Bear. There is a possibility i have worsened the injury said Smith who was selected the game s mos valuable player after running 30 times for 132 Yards. Smith ran for 108 Yards on 22 carries in last year s super bowl Victory and became the first running Back since Larry Csonka in super bowls Vii and Viii to run for More than 100 Yards in consecutive super bowls. I thought safety James Washington had the a Ftp sewed up Smith said. I mean he had a great game. I wish it could have been  Washington had a Brilliant game but Smith s heroics have almost become super human during Post season play. Smith was forced from super bowl xxviii be cause of the pain but then it became apparent As it has All season that the cowboys needed him. Dallas opened the season without the unsigned Smith and fell twice. Smith signed and the cowboys went on a winning Binge. Dallas Leon Lett leaps Over players while Fumble by Buffalo s Thurman Thomas. Dropped  Atlanta a As he sat on the sidelines with his head in his hands one thought ran through Thurman Thomas mind Why did i pick this time to have one of my worst games but this time was t any different from the last two times for Thomas whose once promising super bowl career has been marked Over the past three years by dropped opportunities. Thomas said the second of his two fumbles was the turning Point in the Buffalo Bills fourth straight super bowl de feat 30-13 to Dallas sunday. To me that was the biggest play of a chasing a at halftime sunday while the Bills enjoyed a 13-6 advantage the cowboys went to their locker room and talked about running the Ball More in the third Quarter. We had gotten away from it quarterback Troy Aik Man said. We had become too  while the cowboys offence waited to take the Fieldin the third Quarter safety Washington turned the momentum in Dallas direction with a 46-Yard Fumble re covery for a touchdown. What came next after a Buffalo punt was the punishment Smith right for nine. Smith right for three. Smith right for nine. Smith left for seven. Smith right for 14. Smith right for four. Aikman three Yard pass to Daryl Johnston. Smith right for 15 and a touchdown. Smith who announced after the game that he will ski the pro bowl because of his sore shoulder gave Way to Lincoln Colem an late in the third Quarter. I had taken some shots and i was t sure 1 could even get up Smith said. I have taken a couple of shots Over the past few weeks and it has t been  the outcome however remained in doubt at the Start of the fourth Quarter. Washington intercepted a Jim Kelly pass at the Buffalo 46-Yard line and return edit into Smith territory at the Buffalo 34. I talked to offensive coordinator Norv Turner Smith said. I said get me the Ball get me the Ball " the cowboys got Smith the Ball seven times on Anine play scoring drive to finish off the Bills. Super bowl map Emmitt Smith kisses the Lombard trophy As he indicates two straight championships. After we scored 1 Aid coach coach you be got to find someone else to get the Ball  decision to go for it on fourth Down turned out to be an easy one with Smith ready to strike. "1 to Demmitt when we went for it on fourth Down i believe in you and you re going to put it in the end zone coach Jimmy Johnson said. That was  wipes out misery by Steve Wilstein Atlanta a it s time for Leon Lett to Stop hiding Stop breaking into a cold sweat when someone recognizes him Stop worrying about hate letters an Rotten hot dogs showing up in his Mailbox. His super bowl misery is Over. His Bowhead reputation is history. Leon Lett is a hero at last Lett turned the super bowl around for the Dallas cowboys on sunday forcing a Fumble by Thurman Thomas Atam dment when the Buffalo Bills were up Bya touchdown and driving for one More at the Start of the third  Washington picked up tha Moose Ball and rambled 46 Yards for a to that tied the game and kicked off a cowboys surge to a second straight championship 30-13.when Washington crossed the goal line Lett  Long awaited redemption. And at the end of the game Lett slapped hands with his teammates in an unabashed Snow of Relief. And told us i owe you one. I owe you one just a few Days ago Lett could t Stop sweating when he came out on this same Field for team interviews. He s a 6-foot-6, 285-Pound giant vet he was scared fall the people around him afraid of their questions sick of the memories they would conjure up. The superbowl Blooper last year. The mental mistake in the loss to Miami on thanksgiving Day this  Lett can laugh about what happened to him distance himself not Only with time but with an earned sense of Triumph. Yet after sunday s Victory Over Buffalo Lett was nowhere to be found. A year ago Lett wanted to cry even in Victory. He wished no one knew who he was rather be known for one of the biggest blunders in super bowl  s super Blooper turned a potential touchdown into a most embarrassing Fumble. He was making the longest Fumble return in super bowl history 64 Yards then slowed Down around the 15-Vard line and began celebrating too soon. Don be be had pursued him relentlessly Down Field then came from behind on his Blind Side and poked the Ball Loose. Sometimes i wish i had never picked up that Ball Lett would say later. That play will follow me. It was a stupid mistake. We All know it was a mistake. I could have scored  who lost Money sent me the Sheet from their office pools showing How much they would have  lets Only Consolation was that the cowboys were up 52-17 when he fumbled. In fact he claimed the score led to his recklessness. If those Points were important i would have kept running he  Nightmare was revisited in slightly different form on thanksgiving Day against  that Day Lett added to his inglorious legend zealously and foolishly pursuing a blocked Field goal Only to touch a live Ball while his teammates yelled at him to get away he did t listen. Miami recovered and went on to kick a Field goal and win 16-14."why me Lett said to his brother Carlos after dressing in the Trainer s room to escape  does t Haven t to ask those questions anymore. Nor does he have to answer them. Cities in bowl haunt Thomas the game he said. I can sit up and take the blame because i did change the momentum of the  the second Fumble was the most costly for the Bills coming on Buffalo s first series of the second half. With the Bills up 13-6, Thomas took a Handoff and Tan into the Middle of the Dallas line. Just after he got there dal Las Leon Lett came Down on Thomas Arm popping the Ball Loose. Kent Hull was telling me in the Shower that he had a Good Block on him let but he got one hand free and knocked the Ball out Thomas said. I thought i had a Good handle on  the Ball stayed on the ground for Sev eral seconds before the Cowboy James Washington picked it up at the Buffalo 46. He waved his Way through traffic finally cutting into the end zone for the score that tied the game at 13-13. The Fumble that was returned for a touchdown was the turning Point Bills special teams Star Steve Tasker said. Even though it Only evened the game up it was a big momentum  Thomas first Fumble came on the first play of Buffalo s second offensive series and led to a Field goal. A shuffle pass from Jim Kelly was a Little behind Thomas but he caught the Ball and headed into the Middle of the Dallas line. He dashed for seven Yards before he was hit by cowboys safety Washington and dropped the Ball. Darren Woodson fell on it giving dal Las the Ball at Midfield. Eddie Murray turned that mistake into a 24-Yard Field goal that put Dallas up 6-3. The Ball was a Little behind me but i had enough time to gather it Thomas said. The bigger problem was the Active Dallas defense that was aggressively try ing to Knock the Ball Loose. They were going for the Ball on every  Thomas left the game after his second Fumble but both he and coach Marv Levy said he was t benched. Both said Thom As had cramps in his calves that would t allow him to play