PRO FOOTBALL / TODAY’S GAMES : Cowboys, Lions Can Move Up

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are in similar situations today, trying to improve their playoff chances.

Both teams are without their starting quarterbacks, but the Lions have an advantage in running back Barry Sanders.

The Lions (7-5) can move within one game of the NFC Central lead when they play the Chicago Bears (9-3) at Pontiac, Mich. The Cowboys (7-5) can improve their chances for a wild-card berth when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7) at Irving, Tex.

“We control our own destiny again,” said Sanders, who ran for a team-record 220 yards and four touchdowns last Sunday in a victory over Minnesota while the Bears were losing to Miami.

“We’ve been given another opportunity. We have to approach it as a playoff situation. We shouldn’t get intimidated.”

Detroit hasn’t had a winning season since going 9-7 in 1983. A defeat would virtually eliminate the Lions from division title contention and leave them to compete with Atlanta, Dallas, Philadelphia and the New York Giants, all 7-5, for the three NFC wild-card spots.

The Lions lost quarterback Rodney Peete for the season because of an injury, but his replacement, Eric Kramer, has done well. That’s what the Cowboys need from Steve Beuerlein.

Beuerlein stepped in when Troy Aikman suffered a knee injury last week and finished off a 24-21 victory over Washington, handing the Redskins their first defeat of the season. Beuerlein, the former Raider, hasn’t started since 1989.

“This is the chance I’ve been looking for,” said Beuerlein, who has an ankle injury. “Forget the ankle. I’ve dealt with pain before.