Cowboys Win but Lose Aikman : NFC: Quarterback suffers sprained knee, out three to four weeks. Backup Peete also hurt in 31-7 victory over Redskins.

The NFL champion Dallas Cowboys, hounded by adversity even when they win, lost two quarterbacks in one game Sunday.

Troy Aikman, playing with a sore passing thumb and a broken nose, went down with a sprained left knee in Sunday’s 31-7 victory over the Washington Redskins and probably will be sidelined three to four weeks.

Aikman had a magnetic resonance imaging test Sunday night that showed a medial collateral sprain, and he was examined by Dr. Robert Vandermeer.

Said Cowboy owner Jerry Jones: “His statement to me was probably three to four weeks.”

If Aikman’s injury wasn’t bad enough, backup Rodney Peete sprained the thumb on his passing hand and was replaced by third-stringer Jason Garrett.

The last time Aikman had a sprained knee, he missed five games in 1991 and Dallas got knocked out of the playoffs by the Detroit Lions.

Peete responded with a touchdown pass and Emmitt Smith ran for two touchdowns as Dallas, coming off a 21-14 loss to San Francisco last week, notched its 13th consecutive NFC East victory. Smith rushed for 85 yards and went over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season. He has 1,074.

Aikman was hurt in the second quarter when he was tackled around the knees by linebacker Ken Harvey. Aikman called timeout, limped to the sidelines, then accompanied Cowboy doctors to the locker room. Wearing a knee brace, Aikman was taken to a hospital for the MRI.

Before he was hurt, Aikman completed eight of 13 passes for 87 yards.

After the injury, Peete threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Harper to give Dallas a 24-7 halftime lead. Kevin Williams then dashed 83 yards on a punt return for a touchdown as Washington’s record dipped to 2-9.

Peete jammed his thumb in the third quarter when hit by defensive end Dexter Nottage. Peete could barely grip the ball after the injury, but X-rays of the thumb were negative.

“I’ll know more about my injury (today),” Peete said. “I’m worried about the ligament. I want to play Thursday. I just hope I can.”

The Cowboys (9-2) also lost guard Derek Kennard with a toe injury and linebacker Godfrey Myles with a knee injury during the game.

“It’s ugly for the Cowboys right now,” said guard Nate Newton, who also was hurt. “It’s an epidemic.”

Washington trickery backfired after Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 66 yards to the Dallas 23. On second down, Mitchell tried a halfback pass, but cornerback Kevin Smith intercepted in the end zone.

The Cowboys drove 80 yards in 10 plays, with Smith scoring on an eight-yard run on which he carried linebacker Andre Collins the last two yards.

After a missed 53-yard field goal, Dallas went 56 yards, with Smith scoring on a three-yard run.

Then James Washington intercepted a Gus Frerotte pass and returned it 15 yards to the Washington 20. Chris Boniol kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 17-0 first-quarter lead.

The Redskins used three quarterbacks--Frerotte, John Friesz and Heath Shuler--meaning six quarterbacks played in the game.