Cowboys Can’t Play Catch-Up, or Hurry-Up

Not only are the old men of the Dallas Cowboys sputtering on offense, now they’re giving away games too.

Tito Wooten returned the first of his two interceptions against Troy Aikman 61 yards for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter Sunday, leading the New York Giants to a stunning 20-17 victory over the Cowboys.

The Cowboys, who trailed, 20-9, with 6:18 to play after a three-yard touchdown run by Charles Way, got within three points on a touchdown pass and two-point conversion pass by Aikman with 1:54 to play.

Dallas (3-2) nearly had a chance to tie the score, but veteran tackle Erik Williams could not sprint downfield fast enough and get set before the clock ran out after a 32-yard pass from Aikman to tight end Eric Bjornson gave the Cowboys a first down at the Giant 17.

The play started with 18 seconds to go, and the 6-foot-6, 328-pound Williams was the only Cowboy not at the line when Aikman spiked the ball. The Giants were offsides on the play, but it did not matter because Dallas was not set and had no timeouts left. Under the rules, a team that isn’t set when a ball is spiked in the last two minutes of a half loses 10 seconds off the clock.

It was a fitting end to a frustrating game for the Dallas offense, which outgained New York, 428-166, but again struggled inside the 20, scoring on only one of four opportunities. Dallas was ranked No. 27 in red-zone offense going into the game.

“I am disappointed in the way we played,” Cowboy Coach Barry Switzer said. “Obviously we had more to do with losing than they did in winning it. We beat ourselves today. It was evident in the way we played in the second half.”

Brad Daluiso kicked two field goals as the Giants (3-3) won their second in a row, this one with quarterback Dave Brown sidelined since late in the second quarter with a bruised chest.

Richie Cunningham kicked a 27-yard field goal to give Dallas its final lead at 9-6 with 7:36 left in the third quarter.

The Cowboys were driving again late in the quarter when Wooten, who intercepted two passes in his first three years in the NFL, stepped in front of Michael Irvin on a second-and-1 play from the Giant 43 and ran down the left sidelines for the touchdown with 40 seconds left in the quarter.

“Whenever they put him [Irvin] in the slot, we know they like to go to him, so we had inside and outside coverage on him,” Wooten said. “I had the inside and when he ran that little curl I broke on the ball and I was there.”

A 37-yard punt return by Amani Toomer and a 26-yard pass interference call against Kevin Smith set up Way’s touchdown.

Aikman, 34 of 52 passing for 317 yards, connected with Anthony Miller for a two-yard touchdown and Bjornson for the two-point conversion to make it close with 1:54 left.

David Patten fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and at least two Cowboys failed to recover before the Giants’ Tyrone Wheatley fell on the ball at the 14.

Dallas held and forced the punt, but it just missed getting a chance to tie.

Emmitt Smith had 91 yards in 19 carries but failed to score a touchdown for the fifth consecutive game.