PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : NFC : Switzer Puts His Line on the Defensive

Dallas Coach Barry Switzer criticized his three millionaire defensive linemen for their poor play Sunday in the Cowboys’ 27-23 loss to the Washington Redskins.

Leon Lett, Charles Haley and Tony Tolbert were part of a defense that allowed Terry Allen to gain 121 yards.

“Our three star players didn’t play very good technique,” Switzer said Monday. “We were embarrassed by the way we played. I call it like I see it.

“Our safety [Darren Woodson] had to make 15 tackles. That’s not good when your safety has to make that many tackles.”

Meanwhile, Troy Aikman, his pulled right calf muscle still sore and swollen, said his chance of playing against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday is not very good. Doctors say Aikman should be out two to three weeks. Dallas plays at San Diego on Oct. 15 and then has an open date before playing at Atlanta on Oct. 29.

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John Ayers, who spent 10 years with the San Francisco 49ers and played on two Super Bowl teams, died at his Canyon, Texas home after a long battle with liver cancer, team officials said. He was 42.

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Rookie running back Tyrone Wheatley, who has carried 16 times for 77 yards in three games, will start in place of Rodney Hampton on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Hampton has a broken hand.