With Peete, Cowboys Don’t Miss Beat : NFC:Aikman still out, but Smith and Irvin help fill void in victory over Eagles that clinches East.

Even without Troy Aikman, the Dallas Cowboys had more than enough firepower to clinch their third consecutive NFC East title.

Start with Emmitt Smith, who carried 25 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys over the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-19, Sunday.

Toss in Michael Irvin, who had four receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown, and it’s not difficult to understand why the Cowboys (11-2) were able to hand the Eagles their fourth consecutive loss. It was Dallas’ 14th successive NFC East victory.

“A lot of us expect to win it. When you expect things and it happens, it is no big deal,” said safety Darren Woodson, who made the biggest play for the Cowboys.

He turned the momentum dramatically in Dallas’ favor with a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown after Philadelphia got within 24-19 in the fourth quarter.

“I don’t think he (Cunningham) saw me coming out to the flat,” Woodson said. “I jumped on the route.”

A 49-yard punt return by Jeff Sydner gave the Eagles the ball on the Cowboys’ 12 before Woodson stepped in front of Randall Cunningham’s pass intended for James Joseph. He sidestepped a diving Cunningham at the Dallas 30 and ran down the left sideline untouched for the score.

Woodson said the Dallas defense sensed that Sydner’s punt return put Philadelphia back in the game and wanted to do something about it.

“We thought the game was starting to turn and we need- ed to make a big play,” he said.

Rodney Peete, replacing the injured Aikman (sprained knee), completed 10 of 17 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown in his first start for the Cowboys.

“The thing I didn’t want to do was go out and do everything myself, because there’s too many great players on this team,” the former USC quarterback said.

The Cowboys scored 42 points in their last game with third-stringer Jason Garrett at quarterback. Smith said Peete’s performance adds that much more confidence.

“It’s nice to be able to show that we can win with three quarterbacks,” Smith said. “It’s a great feeling knowing you can count on every quarterback you have on the roster.”

Cunningham, who finished 29 of 46 for 327 yards, took the blame for Woodson’s clinching touchdown.

“It was just terrible,” he said of the pass. “Put it on me. I threw the interception, don’t blame my teammates.”

Despite the losing streak, Cunningham said he saw signs the Eagles (7-6) aren’t completely lost.

“I think if we had flat out got beaten badly, it would have hurt,” he said. “We know what we’re capable of doing now.”

Cunningham completed 10 consecutive passes during the third and fourth quarters. The 10th went five yards to Maurice Johnson to cut the Dallas lead to 24-19.

Dallas increased its 14-6 halftime lead early in the third quarter.

Smith had a 17-yard run and a 23-yard catch before going in untouched on a three-yard run.

Trailing, 21-6, the Eagles put together their first touchdown drive midway through the third quarter. Cunningham capped it with a 25-yard pass to Fred Barnett, who finished with seven catches for 99 yards.

A 37-yard pass to Irvin set up the Cowboys’ fourth score, a 19-yard field goal by Chris Boniol on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys took the lead late in the first quarter following a 49-yard drive that ended with Irvin crossing underneath the zone, taking a pass from Peete and sprinting into the end zone for the 19-yard touchdown.

Philadelphia responded with an interception by linebacker William Thomas, who grabbed a pass tipped by Andy Harmon and returned it to the Dallas 33.