Cowboys Cut Down Cardinals : NFC: Aikman passes for 237 yards as Dallas bounces back from its loss to the Rams.

The Phoenix Cardinals did a good job containing Dallas running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin.

But the Cowboys have a lot more in their arsenal, as they proved Sunday in a 16-10 victory.

With Irvin shut down and Smith limited to 35 yards rushing through three quarters, quarterback Troy Aikman went with short passes to Smith and tight end Jay Novacek.

Aikman completed 25 of 36 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns before a crowd of 72,439--the largest ever to watch a Cardinal home game--more than half of which was wearing Dallas blue and silver.

“We didn’t get the job done running the ball, and we felt that they would try to take away Irvin, and that Alvin (Harper) could have a big day,” Aikman said.

Aikman’s seven-yard scoring pass to tight end Novacek put the Cowboys ahead, 10-7, at halftime, and his 37-yard touchdown pass to Harper provided insurance. Harper had five receptions for 88 yards.

Lin Elliott had a 28-yard field goal for the Cowboys (9-2), who have their best record since 1983.

The Cardinals, however, nearly came back after losing quarterback Chris Chandler in the first quarter.

Greg Davis’ 20-yard field goal pulled the Cardinals to within 16-10, and Phoenix forced the Cowboys into a third-and-six at the Dallas 44. Robert Massey knocked the ball loose from Irvin, but officials called interference on Massey, giving Dallas a first down with 2:42 to play.

“It was a critical call,” Cardinal Coach Joe Bugel said. “You have to let the players play in a situation like that.

“It should be like the NBA, where you let the players play at the end of the game.”

The Cardinals also lost an apparent touchdown when Aeneas Williams’ interception return was nullified by a ruling the Phoenix cornerback was down by contact.

It was the sixth loss for the Cardinals (3-8) before a crowd of 50,000 or larger since they moved from St. Louis five years ago.

The Cardinals lost both starting outside linebackers because of knee injuries a week ago and opened with a four-man line to offset the loss of their pass rush. The strategy also seemed to work against the running game.

Smith, the NFC’s top rusher with 1,043 yards coming into the game, finished with 84 after running for 49 in the final quarter.

Irvin, who caught eight passes for 210 yards in a 31-20 Dallas victory over Phoenix in September, functioned as a decoy Sunday and did not have a reception.

Chandler, whose two-yard touchdown pass to Larry Centers gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead, suffered bruised ribs while trying to scramble with 30 seconds left in the first quarter.