Cowboys Get Giant Lift From Late Kick : Pro football: Boniol’s fifth field goal as time runs out gives Dallas a 21-20 victory.

Barry Switzer made the correct call this time. Run the clock down so nerveless kicker Chris Boniol can handle the pressure.

Struggling for the third consecutive week, the Cowboys needed Troy Aikman to convert three critical third-down passes and Boniol’s fifth field goal from 35 yards as the game ended Sunday for a 21-20 victory over the New York Giants.

Dallas (11-4) can win the NFC East with a tie or victory on Christmas night against Arizona if Philadelphia defeats Chicago next Sunday. A loss by the Eagles would give the title to the Cowboys.

“I’ve been waiting for one of these kind of games,” the 167-pound Boniol said. “I’ve always been wanting the chance to hit a game winner. I’m glad we decided to set it up for the field goal instead of going for the touchdown.”

Switzer had made two questionable calls in a 20-17 loss to Philadelphia last week on fourth-and-one from his 29 late in the game. This time he knew he had a hot kicker on his hands.

“That was a hell of a job by that Cajun from Louisiana Tech,” Switzer said. “Man, do you have to give him credit!

“We figured we were in his range. He’s been hitting the ball good for a long time so that was the way to go.”

Aikman completed a 10-yard pass to Kevin Williams on third-and-7 from the Dallas 38, hit Michael Irvin for 11 yards on third-and-10 from the Dallas 49, and found Williams again on third-and-10 at the Giant 28.

“Troy made some great throws when we needed and Williams made a great diving catch,” Switzer said. “Boy, I’m relieved. I’m drained.”

“There are a lot of smiles around the locker room,” Williams said. “I think I made the biggest catches of my life on that drive. This is the kind of win we’ve needed. Maybe this will turn on the light switch for a lot of things.”

Dallas worked the ball to the 17, and Boniol, not bothered when the Giants called a timeout to ice him, made the winner for his 22nd consecutive field goal.

“The timeout didn’t bother me,” Boniol said. “I just went to the sidelines, worked on my routine, and got a cold drink of water.”

Boniol had field goals of 27, 32, 23, and 45 yards before his big one, which cleared the crossbar with no time on the clock. The five field goals tied a club record held by Roger Ruzek and Eddie Murray.

Rodney Hampton rushed for a career-high 187 yards, but the Giants still fell to 5-10.

“It’s tough to play as hard as you can and still lose it,” Coach Dan Reeves said. “We took it to them, but we missed key plays. “

Brad Daluiso kicked a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 5:17 to play to before the winning 58-yard drive engineered by Aikman.

“A win is a win the way things have been going for us the last two weeks,” Aikman said. “We’ll take it.”

Dallas, which lost its last two games, got two field goals and a five-yard touchdown run by Emmitt Smith to seize an 18-17 lead with 12:48 to play. But the Giants answered as Hampton gained 55 yards on the drive to Daluiso’s late kick.

New York quarterback Dave Brown scrambled the Cowboys crazy in the first half as he outgained Smith, 47 to 45 yards, with the Giants taking a 14-6 lead. The crowd booed the Cowboys as they left the field.

Brown ran 23 yards to position the Giants for their first touchdown, a one-yard run by Tyrone Wheatley in the first quarter. On the second touchdown, with third down from the five, Brown scored despite losing his right shoe with 14 seconds left in the half.

The Giants had to settle for two field goals in the second half, although Hampton ran up and down the field. A holding call against fullback Charles Way negated a short touchdown run by Wheatley. Way also dropped a sure touchdown pass in the end zone.

“That was a clean block,” Way said. “There was no way I was holding. But I should have caught the pass. It touches me, because I feel responsible for us losing.”

Reeves said: “I didn’t see the holding call, but when you lose you seem to have breaks going against you. All I know is if we get that many calls we could be sitting here 11-0.”

Smith gained 103 yards in 24 carries and tied John Riggins’ NFL record of 24 touchdowns in a season.

“It feels good just to win one game,” Smith said. “It feels like we’ve been 4-10. It feels even better to win the way we did. It tested us.”