Morris Runs Cowboys Ragged in 17-14 Victory : Danny White Is Sacked by Giants and Is Out for Four to Six Weeks

The New York Giants have a defense laden with All-Pros and potential All-Pros. But give the credit for their 17-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday to a 5-foot-7 running back named Joe Morris, who these days is almost their entire offense.

In New York’s second crucial NFC East game in six days, Morris duplicated Monday night’s effort against the Washington Redskins with 181 yards rushing, just about three-quarters of New York’s offensive total of 245.

He also accounted for both touchdowns--on runs of 8 and 6 yards--against a defense that had little else to worry about.

“Joe Morris--he’s their offense,” Dallas Coach Tom Landry said.

The win, which gave the Giants a 7-2 record and dropped the Cowboys to 6-3, came just six days after a 27-20 victory over the Redskins. As a result of Sunday’s victory, the Giants are tied with the Redskins for the NFC East lead, one game ahead of the Cowboys, who also lost starting quarterback Danny White with a fractured right wrist.

White suffered the injury when he was sacked by Carl Banks on the Cowboys’ second possession. He fumbled on the play, and New York’s Jim Burt recovered. White’s passing wrist was placed in a cast and he is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks.

Dallas then lost Tony Dorsett with a sprained right knee on the final drive.

Morris gained more than 100 yards for the 12th time of his five-year career, breaking the Giants’ record of 11 held by Eddie Price. Morris has four 100-yard games this season.

“He’s a great little running back,” defensive tackle Randy White said. “He just has a great feel for the holes and he beat us even when we were looking for him. We just couldn’t stop him.”

But it wasn’t the most artistic game.

Each teamed turned the ball over six times, and the Cowboys were called for 9 penalties totaling 103 yards. Five came on their last drive of the game, when Rafael Septien’s desperation 63-yard field-goal attempt fell short with 13 seconds left.

The most critical were a holding call on tackle Phil Pozderac that negated a play that carried to the Giants six, and a motion call on Pozderac that canceled a screen pass from Steve Pelluer to Tim Newsome that carried it to the 10.

Pozderac also allowed a sack by New York defensive end George Martin that pushed the Cowboys virtually out of field-goal range.

But, in the end, it was Morris who carried the burden, 29 times, including runs of 28, 22, 16, 13 and 10 yards. Quarterback Phil Simms, playing without two of his best wide receivers, was just 6 of 18 for 46 yards.

“I don’t think I’m the whole Giants’ offense,” Morris said. “It was part of our game plan. We wanted to dominate them at the line of scrimmage, and I think we did.”

Morris’ effort ruined an outstanding game by Pelluer, who took over for White 10 minutes into the game. Pelluer completed 28 of 38 for 339 yards. “It’s a great character builder,” he said.

Herschel Walker caught 9 of Pelluer’s passes for 48 yards.

The New York defense, led by outside linebackers Carl Banks and Lawrence Taylor, didn’t shut down Dallas. But it sacked White and Pelluer six times and made the key plays when it had to, including a 14-yard sack by George Martin that took Dallas out of field-goal range in the final minute.