NFL / NFC

Arizona (9-7) at Dallas (10-6) / 1 p.m., Channel 7

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* HEAD TO HEAD: The Cowboys have won 16 of the last 17 meetings, including nine in a row at Texas Stadium. They smashed the Cardinals, 38-10, Sept. 6 at Dallas, outgaining the visitors in total yardage, 439-205, as Troy Aikman passed for 256 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, two passing and two running, and Emmitt Smith rushed for 122 yards. In the rematch Nov. 15 at Tempe, Ariz., the Cowboys won again, 35-28, but not before the Cardinals rallied from a 28-0 deficit as Jake Plummer passed for 465 yards and three touchdowns.

* SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: Led by the last-minute heroics of Plummer, the Cardinals set an NFL record with seven victories in games decided by three points or fewer, losing only once in eight such games and making the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Running back Adrian Murrell enjoyed his third consecutive 1,000-yard season and wide receiver Frank Sanders led the NFC with 89 receptions. The opportunistic Cardinals’ 39 take-aways included 20 interceptions, an NFC-leading eight by safety Kwamie Lassiter. But the Cardinals are still looking for their first victory against a team with a winning record.

* SCOUTING THE COWBOYS: Playoff participants for the 25th time and champions of the NFC East for the sixth time in seven years, the Cowboys were 8-0 against division foes. They led the league in fewest sacks allowed and fewest giveaways. The defense, which gave up an NFC-low 17.2 points a game, limited the Cardinals to 77 yards rushing in two games. The Cowboys, though, aren’t the same without multidimensional Deion Sanders, who is still sidelined because of a toe injury. In the Cowboys’ November victory over the Cardinals, on a day when the Cardinals ended Michael Irvin’s streak of 117 games with a reception, the all-purpose Sanders caught 11 passes for 190 yards.

* NOW YOU KNOW: The Cardinals, then based in Chicago, last won a playoff game Dec. 28, 1947, when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-21, in the NFL championship game.

* THEY SAID IT: Cowboy cornerback Kevin Smith, on the Cowboys’ narrow escape against the Cardinals in November, which included a controversial last-second breakup by Smith in the end zone: “We couldn’t get out of town fast enough.”

* THE LINE: Cowboys by 7

ARIZONA

10 At Dallas 38

14 At Seattle 33

17 Philadelphia 3

20 At St. Louis 17

20 Oakland 23

20 Chicago 7

7 At N.Y. Giants 34

17 Detroit 15

29 Washington 27

28 Dallas 35

45 At Washington 42

24 At Kansas City 34

19 N.Y. Giants 23

20 At Philadelphia (OT) 17

19 New Orleans 17

16 San Diego 13

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DALLAS

38 Arizona 10

23 At Denver 42

31 At N.Y. Giants 7

12 Oakland 13

31 At Washington 10

27 Carolina 20

12 At Chicago 13

34 At Philadelphia 0

16 N.Y. Giants 6

35 At Arizona 28

30 Seattle 22

36 Minnesota 46

3 At New Orleans 22

17 At Kansas City 20

13 Philadelphia 9

23 Washington 7