Giants Happy to Pick on Aikman

Troy Aikman is accustomed to setting and tying team records for the Dallas Cowboys, usually for something positive.

Not Sunday.

Aikman had five passes intercepted in a 19-14 loss to the New York Giants.

Ron Dayne rushed for 108 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a three-yard run for the Giants.

Kerry Collins added a short touchdown pass and Brad Daluiso kicked two field goals as the Giants (5-2) won their second consecutive game heading into the bye week.

Aikman tied the team record for interceptions in a game shared Steve Pelluer, Danny White and Eddie LeBaron.

Both of the Giants’ touchdowns were set up by interceptions.

Aikman threw the ball right to linebacker Mike Barrow at the Dallas 38, leading to Dayne’s touchdown early in the fourth quarter. A third interception stopped a second-quarter Dallas drive inside the Giant 20.

“Every great player goes through some form of a slump,” Barrow said. “Their character is revealed by how they come back. If I was a betting person, I wouldn’t bet against Aikman.”

Cowboy Coach Dave Campo said he never considered lifting Aikman, who completed 22 of 42 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown, a one-yard play to fullback Robert Thomas.

The touchdown pass--set up by a 90-yard kickoff return by Jason Tucker--and Emmitt Smith’s three-yard touchdown run on Dallas’ next series gave the Cowboys (2-4) a 14-13 lead going into the fourth quarter.

However, Aikman, who had thrown four interceptions once in his 12-year career, never saw Barrow in throwing his fifth.

Seven plays later, Dayne capped the best day of his rookie season by plowing up the middle for the go-ahead touchdown.

“He’s a great explosive back and all he needs is touches,” Giant tackle Lomas Brown said of Dayne, who had 21 carries.

“I just want to be a member of a winning team,” Dayne said. “I don’t care if I run for four yards, 30 yards or 100.”

The Giants earlier squandered two scoring chances and that almost came back to haunt them. Aikman drove the Cowboys from their 23 to the New York 14, and a roughing-the-quarterback call against Keith Hamilton with 11 seconds left gave Dallas a first down at the 14. But following a sack, Aikman’s last-second toss to the end zone was batted away by Jessie Armstead.

The Giants did not score until Dave Thomas got the third interception at the Dallas 21.

An 11-yard run by Dayne set up a first-and-goal, and Collins capped the drive by finding tight end Pete Mitchell all alone on a fourth-down roll-out from the one midway through the second quarter.

Aikman had a chance to tie the score late in the half, but he underthrew a pass to a wide-open Damon Hodge. Reggie Stephens intercepted in the end zone.

A 47-yard run by Tiki Barber on the opening series of the second half set up the first of two short third-quarter field goals by Daluiso.

The 10-0 advantage didn’t last long as Dallas’ special teams helped set up touchdowns on consecutive possessions.

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How ‘Bout Them Quarterbacks

Troy Aikman threw five interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, tying a Dallas Cowboy record. The Cowboy dishonor roll:

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Player Date Result, Opponent Sea. Rec. Eddie LaBaron Sept. 30, 1960 L, 27-25 to Philadelphia 0-11-1 Eddie LaBaron Nov. 5, 1961 L, 31-17 to St. Louis 4-9-1 Danny White Nov. 9, 1980 L, 38-35 at New York Giants 12-4-0 Steve Pelluer Nov. 9, 1986 L, 17-13 to Los Angeles 7-9-0 Raiders Troy Aikman Oct. 15, 2000 L, 19-14 to New York Giants 2-4-0

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NOTE: The most interceptions Aikman had thrown previously in a game was four in 1989--his rookie season when team went 1-15.