THE SIDELINES : Aikman Has Surgery, Is Sidelined

Doctors operated on $11 million rookie quarterback Troy Aikman’s non-passing hand today, inserting four screws into a broken finger and putting on a cast that will sideline him at least a month.

Aikman, who suffered a broken index finger on his left hand in the first period of the winless Dallas Cowboys’ 30-13 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday, will wear the cast for three weeks.

The Cowboys estimate that the earliest Aikman could return is four weeks and that six weeks is more likely.