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Wednesday, October 6, 1999
Cowboys still cautious at 3-0
By Jaime Aron
Associated Press
IRVING - Maybe if the Dallas Cowboys were 6-0 or 10-0 they would be a little excited. Winning their first three games sure hasn't done it.
"I don't sense that anybody is thinking we're world-beaters," owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday. "I don't see anybody feeling it's automatic when we walk out there."
The Cowboys picked a strange time to become humble because they do have things to crow about. A month into the season, Dallas is the only reigning division winner alone in first place and one of three undefeated teams in the NFL.
"But we haven't played any great teams yet," said Deion Sanders, an All-Pro cornerback and normally an all-world talker.
Seeing the Cowboys downplay their success can be added to list of bizarre events this season, joining winless Super Bowl teams and an undefeated team led by a former Arena League quarterback.
The attitude change stems from coach Chan Gailey. Although he's a self-professed eternal optimist, he doesn't believe in I-told-you-sos when things go his way.
"Right now, I believe we're able to keep an even keel about things," Gailey said. "That's part of the process of being able to play a 16-game season. You have to maintain a balance in the way you look at things.
"You're never as good as they say and you're never as bad as they say. We've got enough veteran leaders who understand that."
The credit for Dallas' early winning streak gets spread through the lockerroom. The offense pulled out a 41-35 overtime victory over Washington, then the defense shined in a 24-7 victory over Atlanta.
This past Sunday, the Cowboys had three offensive touchdowns and two from their defense in routing Arizona 35-7.
Next up is winless Philadelphia, providing Dallas a great chance to be 4-0 for the first time since 1995, its last Super Bowl championship season.
A victory over the New York Giants the following Monday night would make Dallas 5-0 for the first time since the 1983 team won its first seven.
"I like the make of this team," running back Emmitt Smith said. "I think the guys we brought in to make plays and the guys we have drafted have great attitudes. But we have to improve every week to keep this roll going."
Dealing with injuries could be the determining factor.
So far, the Cowboys have done fine in two games without fullback Daryl Johnston, who is out the rest of the year with a neck injury, and over the last six quarters without Erik Williams and Everett McIver, their right-side starters on the offensive line.
Williams should be back Sunday, but McIver probably won't. Neither will his top backup, Tony Hutson, who was put on injured reserve Tuesday because of a knee injury. That means Tom Myslinski, who was signed last week, is likely to start.
"We're going to have other injuries, other tough times," Gailey said. "We've got to learn to handle that. The key is to win through those tough times as well and that's what we've been able to do."
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