Page 12 THE BATTALION
J FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1978
Minnesota defeats Dallas
United Press International
IRVING — How many times
through the years have the Min
nesota Vikings fed on enemy errors
to set up easy touchdowns while
playing flawless football them
selves?
How many times has Fran Tar-
kenton nibbled and chipped away at
the opposition’s defense until total
frustration set in?
How many times has the Vikings
defense, even in years when it was
considered suspect, blotted out a
foe?
Well, how ever many times it has
been up to now, add one more to it,
and label it Minnesota 21, Dallas 10.
All of these things happened one
more time on a clear, crisp Thursday
evening at Texas Stadium — a night
on which the Dallas Cowboys would
much rather have been home watch
ing television instead of being on it.
The only thing different about the
Vikings Thursday night was that
they chose to spread out their for
mation, often using just one running
back, thus surprising the Cowboys
and giving Tarkenton better targets.
That plan worked nicely enough,
but the Cowboys helped the Vikings
along by turning the ball over four
times. The win boosted Minnesota’s
record to 5-4 and kept them in close
pursuit of NFC Central leader
Green Bay. Dallas slumped to 6-3
and fell out of a tie for its division
lead.
“This was the first time we have
used this offense and our offensive
coaches deserve a lot of credit,”
Minnesota Coach Bud Grant said.
“We only had two days to work out
and the guys worked hard.
“It’s a lot like the Cowboys use
except they put (Roger) Staubach
back in the shotgun. With Fran we
don’t have to because he can get
back fast enough. ”
Tarkenton threw 32 times, com
pleted 18 and tossed two touchdown
passes, leaving the Cowboys secon
dary reeling.
“Dallas gives so many different
looks,” said Tarkenton, the 18-year
veteran who has thrown for more
than 45,000 yards worth of passes,
“I thought it would be to our advan
tage to give them a different look.
Our offense was running hard to
night and for the first time this year
the whole team played a real good
game. ”
Dallas’ Larry Brinson fumbled
the opening kickoff and Tony Dor-
sett fumbled the next time the
Cowboys had the ball and Tarken
ton converted both those mistakes
into first quarter touchdowns.
He marched the Vikings 28 yards
after the first fumble, throwing a 4-
yard touchdown pass to Chuck Fore
man, who also rushed for 101 yards
on 23 carries. Minnesota drove 37
yards after the second turnover,
Ricky Young getting the score on a
4-yard run.
Then, with time running out in
the first half, the Vikings moved 60
yards for a third touchdown — Tar
kenton hitting Sammy White for the
last 12 yards with 34 seconds to go.
“Even a good team has a hard
time coming back from a two
touchdown deficit,” Grant said.
Dallas tried to come back. Rafael
Septien kicked a 25-yard field goal
in the second period and Robert
Newhouse ended a 63-yard drive
with a 1-yard touchdown leap in the
third quarter.
But just when it looked as if the
Cowboys might have a chance to get
back in the game the Vikings stop
ped them on a third-and-1 situation
at the Dallas 29 and then, when the
Cowboys regained possession mid
way through the fourth quarter,
Staubach threw the first of his two
interceptions.
The pickoff by Minnesota strong
safety Phil Wise with 7:40 to play
decided the issue.
Dorsett not only fumbled but he
gained just 38 yards in 11 carries (he
has now gained 86 yards in his last
three games) and Staubach had a
poor night throwing the ball as well.
The Vikings were rated 13th in NFC
rushing defense coming into the
game, but the Cowboys gained only
94 ground yards.
“Dallas is a big-play team and we
didn’t let them have one big play,”
Grant said.
Cowboys Coach Tom Landry
sounded a little gloomy afterwards.
“We didn’t stop them on de
fense,” he said, “and it was a hit and
miss situation with our offense. It
was just one of those nights when
we didn’t play well anyplace.
“Everybody is shooting at us and
we haven’t put it together.”
But the pieces looked like they
are starting to fit in place pretty well
for the Minnesota Vikings.
jTHEAIC CLAjfJf BACKING THE AGS! 1
Horns, Coogs highlight action
K
United Press International
The Texas Longhorns and Hous
ton Cougars will be trying to protect
their share of the Southwest Con
ference lead Saturday in the high
light attractions, but for emotional
impact the game in College Station
will be hard to beat.
Texas A&M, playing its first game
in more than six years without
Emory Bellard on the sidelines, will
host the lowly Rice Owls. And just
how the Aggies will react will be one
of the most watched facets of this
weekend’s SWC activity.
While Rice and A&M are going at
it in College Station, the seventh-
ranked Texas Longhorns, unde
feated in three SWC games, will l>e
hosting the pass-minded SMU Mus
tangs.
Houston Cougars — tied
for the conference lead.
The other league gameli
and TCU — both winnersli
but with only three wimlj
them for the year-
Worth.
And a little Liter in the evening
the 11th rated Arkansas Razor backs
must invade the Astrodome to do
battle with the high flying No. 10
Wins by SMU and
Satunla\ certainly noloi
question — would leave ltd
ence race in one ofitsmof
scrambles in years.
I
I
Batt
Pix
Week 8 David
Boggan
GAME
Rice-Texas A&M Texas A&M by 16
SMU-Texas Texas by 6
Baylor-TCU Baylor by 22
Arkansas-Houston Houston by 4
Pittsburgh-Navy Pitt by 13
Arizona St.-Washington Arizona St. by 6
New York Jets-New England New England by 10
Houston-Cincinnati Houston by 12
Miami-Baltimore . Miami by 7
Denver-Seattle Seattle by 9
Last week’s record 4-6
Season’s percentage 714
Mark
Patterson
. .Texas A&M by 35
Texas by 9
Baylor by 24
Arkansas by 7
Navy by 8
Arizona St. 6
New England by 14
Houston by 13
Miami by 6
Seattle by 9
8-2
700
Seal
Petti
.Texas A&Ml |
Teusl
Baylod |
Housta
Pit 1 I
. .Arizona St I
. New EngW
.... Houston!
Mian.
. Seattle!
MONDAY MORNING
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