PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Making Contact With Cowboys

The Raiders and Dallas Cowboys expected things to get physical when their joint practice opened Tuesday at Austin, Tex., and no one was disappointed.

Dallas defensive tackle Russell Maryland and Raider guard Tom Wisniewski got into a shoving match during a pass-blocking drill and players from both teams rushed to the scene, drawing cheers from the crowd of 1,800. The players were separated by their teammates.

“It was like two roosters getting after each other,” Raider Coach Art Shell said. “As long as it doesn’t get out of hand, it’s OK.”

During the afternoon practice, Dallas defensive tackle Danny Noonan and rookie Raider guard Tony Rowell scuffled.

Before practice, Shell spent some time with the Cowboys’ Steve Beuerlein, former Raider backup quarterback. The coach said he was pleased that Beuerlein has played well since being traded to Dallas last year.

Beuerlein was 5-1 as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback after regular starter Troy Aikman was sidelined because of an injury. After spending the 1990 season on the Raiders’ bench after a contract dispute, Beuerlein was traded to the Cowboys.

Beuerlein joked that he might have a confrontation with Raider owner Al Davis if they meet this week.

“He’d better be wearing a helmet,” Beuerlein said, smiling. “If he isn’t, I’m going to hit him with a 15-yard crossing pattern.”

When Davis passed hundreds of autograph seekers after the afternoon practice, he obliged only those wearing Raider caps or T-shirts. Fans wearing Cowboy garb were left out.