Irvin, Cowboys Catch Buccaneers, 17-13 : NFC: Receiver scores with 23 seconds left on a 28-yard pass from Aikman to give Dallas its second victory over Tampa Bay in three weeks.

Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Michael Irvin missed the final 10 weeks of the 1989 season and the first four weeks of this season because he was recovering from knee surgery.

The third-year pro from Miami got his first reception of 1990 in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He also caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Troy Aikman with 23 seconds left to give the Cowboys a 17-13 victory.

“That’s where I get my nickname, ‘The Playmaker,’ ” Irvin said. “It was just a chance to make a play.”

Aikman, who completed 13 of 29 passes for 159 yards, scrambled 20 yards to the Buccaneers’ 28 to set up the go-ahead points.

Two weeks ago, Aikman directed a 14-10 victory over Tampa Bay (4-3) but didn’t think the Cowboys (3-4) earned the respect they deserved.

“All week long (the Buccaneers) were saying we were just lucky to win, and that they were a much better team,” Aikman said. “They weren’t giving us any credit, and that was on our minds.”

Irvin’s touchdown catch came less than two minutes after a 32-yard field goal by Steve Christie appeared to thwart the Cowboys’ effort to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit.

Issiac Holt of the Cowboys intercepted two passes thrown by Tampa Bay quarterback Vinny Testaverde, returning one 64 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to tie the score, 10-10.

“After (Holt) made that play, I said, ‘This gives me a chance to really do something--to get out there and win the game in two minutes,’ ” Irvin said. “That’s what football is all about. It’s a wide receiver’s dream.”

Irvin’s first reception came on a 14-yard pass from Aikman, who also connected with Jay Novacek on an 18-yard pass play before his 20-yard run gave Dallas a first down at the Buccaneer 28 with 31 seconds left.

After a timeout, Irvin ran past cornerback Rodney Rice to the left corner of the end zone where he made his touchdown catch just beyond the reach of safety Mark Robinson.

“I just said, ‘Get it to me. get it to me,’ and he did,” Irvin said. “Troy made a perfect pass.”

Bill Bates intercepted a pass by Chris Chandler with six seconds left, securing the victory for the Cowboys, who sacked Testaverde five times and Chandler once to remain one of eight teams that have never lost to the Buccaneers in a regular season or playoff game.

“This team has gone through some difficult times and we’re trying to fight through it,” said Dallas Coach Jimmy Johnson, who watched his team generate only 100 yards of total offense in a 20-3 loss to the Phoenix Cardinals last week. “We had a very disappointing game a week ago and it’s really good to see them bounce back the way they did.”

Testaverde completed 21 of 32 passes for 271 yards and one touchdown before leaving the game with a toe injury on the drive that produced Christie’s field goal and a 13-10 lead with 1:56 left.

The loss prevented Tampa Bay, which is off to its best start since 1982, from moving to within one game of first-place Chicago (5-1) in the NFC Central Division.

The Buccaneers took a 3-0 lead on a 23-yard field goal by Christie. Testaverde, whose streak of 97 consecutive passes without an interception was stopped by Holt on Tampa Bay’s first possession, made it 10-0 with a three-yard touchdown pass to Danny Peebles.