DATE: Tuesday, October 14, 1997             TAG: 9710140473

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: LANDOVER, MD.                     LENGTH:   57 lines

SKINS WIN TO TAKE LEAD IN NFC EAST STEPHEN DAVIS, SUBBING FOR INJURED TERRY ALLEN, RUNS FOR 2 TOUCHDOWNS

Running back and apparent goat-to-be Brian Mitchell was going bonkers behind the Washington Redskins' bench, waving his arms, shaking his helmet, screaming at the top of his lungs for an already overheated crowd at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium to crank up the volume just one more time.

The Dallas Cowboys, trailing by five points, faced fourth-and-12 from the Redskins' 40 in the last of what seemed a never-ending series of attempts at wresting the lead - and possession of first place in the NFC East - from the Redskins. Troy Aikman dropped to pass, and Anthony Miller ran toward Darrell Green on a deep pattern.

Aikman's pass fell incomplete, Mitchell threw his arms in the air in grateful celebration and the Redskins held off the Cowboys in the first Monday Night Football encounter at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

Mitchell was especially happy that Aikman's pass fell incomplete. It was his fumble late in the third quarter that turned what had been a comfortable Redskins lead into a contest far closer than it should have been.

Washington already had a 21-3 lead on a pair of touchdown runs by Stephen Davis, a brute-force fill-in for Terry Allen, who injured his knee early in the first quarter, and a pass to tight end James Jenkins.

Mitchell tried sweeping left end and was hit head-on by cornerback Kevin Smith. The ball popped out and into Dexter Coakley's hands. Coakley galloped 16 yards into the end zone and, although the Cowboys missed the two-point conversion, Washington's momentum was gone.

The Redskins would spend the rest of the night trying to eat up as much time off the clock as they could, their defense doggedly stopping Dallas drive after Dallas drive, except for one.

That one ended with 9:40 to go in the game, when Aikman rolled right to buy time and found Michael Irvin on a crossing pattern in front of safety Jesse Campbell. The touchdown drew Dallas, a 2 1/2-point favorite, as close as it would come.

The victory lifts the Redskins into sole possession of first at 4-2. Dallas drops into third at 3-3, behind the New York Giants (4-3).

Allen injured his left knee on a 15-yard pass from Gus Frerotte on Washington's first series of the game. His knee buckled as he was dragged down by the jersey by linebacker Fred Strickland.

Later, the Redskins lost receiver Michael Westbrook to a knee injury on a 15-yard catch on Washington's second possession. Although the Redskins' passing attack wasn't the same after Westbrook exited, Washington's running game was sufficient to keep the Redskins ahead of the game.

Davis rushed 22 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Frerotte hit just 12 of 23 passes for 155 yards. His only critical completion of the second half came on a third-and-10 throw for Leslie Shepherd that gained 12 yards and enabled the Redskins to run out the clock and remain unbeaten at their new home. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Emmitt Smith...

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