Garrett’s Team Also Loses Its Magic

Jason Garrett finally lost his winning touch.

Garrett, playing at quarterback for the injured Troy Aikman, suffered his first defeat in four career starts Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Oakland Raiders, 13-12.

Trailing 13-10, the Cowboys were driving for the potential winning touchdown, or even a tying field goal, when Garrett was intercepted by Eric Turner in the Oakland end zone with 1:31 left to play.

“When I dropped back I thought we had the coverage we wanted and obviously it was a poor decision,” Garrett said. “I thought I could get the ball over the head of the safety.”

Turner said he was surprised to see the ball up for grabs.

“I was trying to read the play and then the ball came right to me,” Turner said.

The Cowboys (2-2) had a first down on the Oakland 43 when Garrett, who had rallied Dallas from a 10-point deficit, threw downfield in the direction of Michael Irvin. But Turner was waiting in the end zone for the overthrown pass.

“Jason did some good things and some things he wishes and I wish hadn’t happened,” Dallas Coach Chan Gailey said.

Oakland (2-2) ran the clock down and punter Leo Araguz took a safety by running out of the end zone with two seconds left. Deion Sanders took the kickoff and lateraled the ball to no avail as time ran out.

A lucky bounce on a pass helped Oakland score its only touchdown just before halftime.

On third and 12 with time running out, Jeff George threw a long pass in the direction of James Jett. The ball hit cornerback Kevin Smith in the left shoulder pad and bounced into the arms of Jett, who ran 30 yards untouched to complete the 75-yard touchdown play, longest of the season for the Raiders.

The sputtering Dallas offense finally struck with 5:49 left in the game. Garrett beat a blitz to connect with Billy Davis for a 55-yard play and Emmitt Smith had a one-yard touchdown run on the next play to cut Oakland’s lead to 13-10.

Garrett drove Dallas from its 20 on the final drive, completing two third-down passes before Turner’s interception.