Cowboys Defeat Chargers, 24-21, Despite 12 Sacks

It was a day of rebirth for the Dallas Cowboys, for the guy who used to be the National Football League’s finest tight end, and--get this--for the game’s most ridiculed defense.

Dallas quarterback Steve Pelluer survived a dozen sacks Sunday, five of them by rookie Leslie O’Neal, who hopes people will stop laughing and pay a little attention to one of the most improved pass rushes in pro football.

The Cowboys also survived a last-minute fumble by Tony Dorsett and a last-second 55-yard field goal attempt by Rolf Benirschke to defeat the Chargers, 24-21, in front of 55,622 in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

“We were born again today, but it almost ended up a nightmare,” Dallas Coach Tom Landry said after his team overcame a 21-10 fourth-quarter deficit.

“Our season was based on today,” he added.

The Cowboys (7-4) snapped a two-game losing streak to remain in playoff contention.

Dorsett’s fumble gave the Chargers (2-9) a chance to send the game into overtime.

“I thought I was down,” he said. “My momentum was stopped. I was stationary. I thought the ref would blow the whistle. Something happened. My arm popped up, and all hell broke loose.”

Charger defensive back Donald Brown picked up the ball and tried to advance, but the officials ruled the ball dead.

There were 42 seconds left as the Chargers took over at their own 10-yard line. Quarterback Dan Fouts, making his first start in a month after recovering from a concussion, threw a 33-yard pass to Charlie Joiner and a 15-yarder to Gary Anderson.

With seven seconds left, Coach Al Saunders called upon Benirschke for a 55-yard field goal attempt.

“It was a low-percentage kick, no question, but I felt comfortable and capable, and I thought I hit it well enough to go,” Benirschke said. “It didn’t have great rotation on it. It just slid by.”

The Chargers had taken an 11-point fourth-quarter lead thanks in no small measure to the revival of tight end Kellen Winslow, who made two touchdown catches, his best total in three years.

“I got so excited by our pass rush, I wanted to go out there and try to get a sack myself,” said Winslow, who played the finest game of what is now a two-year comeback from a knee injury. “I had some bruised ribs and I thought of taking myself out, but the defense played so hard it was contagious, so I didn’t come out.”

Winslow criticized himself for not making a couple of fourth-quarter receptions but, overall, he seemed satisfied with his production.

“I knew there was a lot left in me, and I know I’ve come a mighty long way,” Winslow said. “The day Al Saunders took over from Don Coryell two weeks ago, he said in front of the whole team that Kellen Winslow is still the best tight end in football and should play like it.

“I didn’t mind him saying that. It was time to start. I never really had doubts I could still play.”

If there were any questions about O’Neal, they were emphatically cleared up as the Charger defensive end staked a claim for rookie of the year.

“It would mean a lot to me (to receive the honor) because it would help give confidence to a young defense,” O’Neal said. “People around the country don’t feel we have professionals on this defense or that we have any elite players. I think we showed we have some of the greatest in the league.”

He didn’t get much of an argument from Pelluer, who hit 18 of 33 passes for 246 yards when he was allowed to keep his feet.

“They put tremendous pressure on us, which took us out of our game plan,” he said. “We were calling plays just to get the ball off. I don’t think we’ll see that kind of pass rush again this year. This is the most I’ve ever been hit, including college ball.”

There were numerous statistical notables in the game:

--The Chargers’ 12 sacks tied a NFL record held by four other teams and set a club record. O’Neal set a club record with his five sacks, breaking Gary Johnson’s mark of four.

--The dozen sacks allowed by the Cowboys was a Dallas club record, as was the yardage on sacks, 92.

--Dorsett moved past John Riggins into fourth place on the all-time rushing list with 11,359 yards. He now trails only Walter Payton, Jim Brown and Franco Harris.

--Fouts moved by Jim Hart in career pass attempts. His total, third in NFL history, now is 5,113. He was 22 for 41, giving him 3,015 career completions.

--San Diego wide receiver Wes Chandler punted twice after Ralf Mojsiejenko was hurt on a blocked kick in the fourth quarter. Chandler had never punted before in a professional game.

The Cowboys took the lead with 1:37 left to play on a two-yard keeper by Pelluer. The Cowboys needed only four plays to go 61 yards and win the game.

Earlier in the quarter, the Cowboys’ Michael Downs blocked a Mojsiejenko punt to set up a one-yard touchdown run by Herschel Walker.

The Cowboys grabbed a 10-0, first-quarter lead on a 33-yard Rafael Septien field goal and a 68-yard Pelluer to Mike Sherrard touchdown pass.

The Cowboys were quick to attack Charger safety Donald Brown after he replaced Vencie Glenn, who suffered cuts on his mouth. On the long pass to Sherrard, Brown made a diving attempt to stop the Cowboy receiver and a flag was dropped, but Sherrard kept his feet and scored.

After the Chargers scored on a seven-yard run by Tim Spencer to make it 10-7, the San Diego defense asserted itself. It sacked Pelluer five times--three of them by O’Neal--and stopped the Cowboys the rest of the first half. Winslow put the Chargers ahead with a 28-yard scoring catch in the third period. He broke two tackles after taking a screen pass from Fouts.

Winslow made it 21-10 by catching a four-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.

For the Chargers, who must regroup to face the Raiders in a Thursday night game, it was another intense but fruitless effort.

“I wish it would have ended with a win instead of a loss, but we made progress and I hope that continues in terms of intensity,” Saunders said. “If we don’t play with emotion and intensity, we don’t have a chance.”

He’s right, of course, but the day is getting nearer when the Chargers can win with defense, and that is one of the more intriguing reversals in recent pro football history.