Taylor Has Another Big Game; Giants Win, 28-7

Lawrence Taylor continues to make a mockery of the value of training camp.

The New York Giants’ veteran linebacker, who played a dominant role against Philadelphia last week after missing training camp because of a contract dispute, had another outstanding game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Taylor batted a pass from Troy Aikman into the air, caught it, and sprinted 11 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown that sealed the Giants’ 28-7 victory over the Cowboys in a game played in 104-degree heat.

“Aikman was looking right at where he was going to throw it and I had a wide open field,” said Taylor, who ended a 45-day holdout on Sept. 6 by signing a three-year deal worth a reported $1.6 million a year.

“That’s always fun to score one. A lot of fun. I tipped it, caught it, and away I went.”

It was the fifth consecutive victory by the Giants over the Cowboys, longest in the history of the 55-game series.

It was 96 degrees at kickoff but a Texas Stadium field thermometer registered 104 degrees. Several Cowboy players left the game with heat-related problems.

“It was a mismatch,” said Dallas Coach Jimmy Johnson, whose team had ended a 14-game home losing streak last week against San Diego. “We didn’t do enough decent things to stay close to a team like the Giants.”

Giant quarterback Phil Simms completed 16 of 21 passes for 208 yards, including a four-yard scoring pass to tight end Mark Bavaro. Simms also scored a touchdown on on a four-yard run.

Aikman completed 10 of 18 passes for 109 yards and was intercepted twice.

Rookie Alexander Wright scored for the Cowboys (1-1) on a 90-yard kickoff return in the second quarter after the Giants (2-0) had taken a 14-0 lead on Simms’ touchdown and a one-yard scoring run by Ottis Anderson.

“We had good effort but the Giants are just better,” Johnson said.