Cowboys Top Chiefs to Take First Alone : Interconference: Suddenly a substitute, Horton intercepts pass to stop Chiefs in 17-10 Cowboy victory.

Safety Ray Horton was demoted, but not disheartened. And that’s a good thing, because his interception Sunday put the Dallas Cowboys back into the NFC East lead.

Horton intercepted a pass by Dave Krieg with 3:27 to play to help Dallas turn back a late Chiefs threat, and the Cowboys rode back into first place with a 17-10 victory.

Dallas (5-1), which has won 10 consecutive home games, is in first place alone after Philadelphia lost to the Washington Redskins, 16-12.

Kansas City dropped to 4-3, with losses on the road at Houston, Denver and Dallas.

“We were put to the test today,” Dallas Coach Jimmy Johnson said. “We did what we had to do against a physical football team. Horton made just a great play.”

Horton, who was replaced at starting strong safety by Thomas Everett, stepped in front of J.J. Birden to intercept Krieg’s pass on the Dallas eight. Horton was inserted on the Cowboys’ pass-defense packages.

“I took my demotion like a man,” Horton said. “I accepted it with humility and with a determination I was going to get my job back. I believe you can take things with class and dignity, even though I felt like an outcast.”

It saved the day for a Dallas team that went into a second-half offensive gridlock. The Cowboys could manage only a 39-yard field goal by Lin Elliott. Kansas City got its best chance to tie when rookie defensive back Dale Carter took a pass away from Michael Irvin at the Dallas 47.

Harvey Williams gained 10 yards and Krieg completed an 11-yard pass play to put the Chiefs in position for the tie. But Krieg, under heavy pressure from Charles Haley, threw the ball in Horton’s direction.

“Krieg was looking the other way, and I kind of stepped in there and beat the receiver (Birden) to the ball,” Horton said. “I believe he was trying to throw an out pattern.”

Dallas scored on two of its first three possessions to build a 14-10 halftime lead. Troy Aikman took the Cowboys on drives of 78 and 59 yards after Nick Lowery kicked a 32-yard field goal for the Chiefs.

Aikman completed a series of short passes to his running backs, with the payoff coming on a two-yard pass to fullback Daryl Johnston.

On the next Dallas scoring drive, Aikman completed passes of 22 and eight yards to Irvin and hit Johnston with a four-yarder before Emmitt Smith scored on a two-yard run.

Kansas City burned 9:08 off the clock with a 77-yard drive, which was capped by Barry Word’s two-yard touchdown.

“I think we have a Super Bowl-caliber team,” Johnson said. “We beat Kansas City and they beat Philadelphia.”