Aikman To Sit Out Another Week

Injured Troy Aikman will miss his target return game on Sunday.

The way quarterback Jason Garrett played against Washington, the Dallas Cowboys can afford to be patient.

Aikman, who went down with a broken collarbone against Denver in the second week of the season, had aimed for the Oct. 11 game against Carolina.

But coach Chan Gailey said Monday, "It would take a major miracle for him to return, not a minor one."

The coach said he isn't about to gamble with Aikman's injury.

"My preference is to play a healthy Troy Aikman when that happens," Gailey said. "We're not going to jeopardize Troy or this team any sooner than we have to. That's just not right."

X-rays showed on Monday that Aikman's collarbone hasn't totally healed.

"Troy knows how he feels and we're going to make a good, smart decision for our team and X-rays showed he's not ready," Gailey said.

Garrett is 2-1 as a starter since Aikman was injured including a 31-10 victory over the Redskins in which he hit 14-of-17 passes for 169 yards including a 43-yard scoring pass to Ernie Mills.

"Jason played a very smart game," Gailey said. "The team has a lot of confidence in him."

Aikman said on Monday that he probably won't play until Nov. 2 at Philadelphia. The Cowboys are at Chicago on Oct. 18, and have a bye week after that.

"I would guess that the game after the bye week against Philadelphia would be a more realistic goal," Aikman said. "I don't want to try to come back too early and jeopardize the rest of the season.

"Until it feels better I just don't want to risk it. It's a matter of can I take a hit and not rebreak it again."

Aikan said he couldn't have played this week even if Dallas had lost on Sunday.

"It's disappointing and frustrating that I've missed so many games," he said. "I thought I'd be back in four weeks, but the collarbone just isn't ready.

"It will make me feel better when I get back knowing we are still in the race. The team has done a great job while I've been gone."

Aikman threw some passes last week and it hurt to do so.

"I just don't want to be careless," he said.

Gailey said the Cowboys suffered a loss in their offensive line. Right guard Everett McIver, a free agent signed in the offseason, will miss six to eight weeks because a sprained ligament in his right knee.

McIver was involved in the "Scissors Gate" incident in training camp in which wide receiver Michael Irvin cut him with a pair of scissors.

Flozell Adams, a second-round pick from Michigan State, will replace McIver.

Dallas is 3-2, with all its victories coming against NFC East foes. The Cowboys host winless Carolina on Sunday at Texas Stadium.

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