Cowboys Stay in Playoff Race With 41-10 Win : NFC: Smith ties team-record with four rushing touchdowns against Cardinals as Dallas wins four consecutive games for the first time since 1985.

IRVING, Tex. — The Dallas Cowboys continue their transformation from the NFL’s worst team to respectability.

Rookie Emmitt Smith kept the Cowboys’ wild-card playoff hopes alive by rushing for four touchdowns Sunday in a 41-10 victory over the Phoenix Cardinals. If the Cowboys can win their last two games against Philadelphia and Atlanta, they can reach the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

“We’ve done better than I ever imagined,” said Cowboy Coach Jimmy Johnson, whose team was 1-15 last season. “We knew we had to win this game and the team responded.”

The Cowboys moved into the best position for the remaining NFC wild-card birth. Washington and Philadelphia have clinched NFC wild cards and Dallas’ 7-7 record puts it a full game ahead of Green Bay, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and New Orleans.

“It’s our most important victory by far,” Johnson said. “Now we are in a position to make the playoffs.”

The Cowboys have won four consecutive games for the first time since 1985. With Kansas City’s 27-10 loss to Houston, Dallas has the NFL’s longest winning streak.

The Cardinals, 5-9 after losing for the first time in four games, hadn’t lost to the Cowboys since 1988.

“The Cowboys are vastly improved,” Cardinal Coach Joe Bugel said. “Emmitt Smith is just tremendous. When you’ve got a good quarterback like Troy Aikman and a good running back, you’ve got a chance to win every time you play. I have nothing but praise for them.”

Smith, a first-round draft choice from Florida who missed all of training camp in a contract holdout, gained 103 yards in 24 carries and scored on runs of one, 11, one and six yards. The last touchdown came after he slipped and fell, then got up and regained his footing while the Cardinals (5-9) stood around watching.

“On that last touchdown run I reminded myself I wasn’t in college anymore,” Smith said. “This isn’t college ball.”

Smith tied the team record of four rushing touchdowns set by Calvin Hill in 1971 against Buffalo. Dan Reeves, Bob Hayes, and Duane Thomas also have scored four touchdowns in a game for the Cowboys.

“The record means a lot and I guess I’ve surprised myself this year,” said Smith, who has gained 842 yards. “But I really expect to perform like this every week.”

Smith is only one rushing touchdown short of the Dallas rookie record of 12 set by Tony Dorsett.

The Cowboys, avenging a 20-3 loss to the Cardinals on Oct. 14, built a 13-3 first-quarter lead on two touchdown runs by Smith.

Al Del Greco gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead with a 38-yard field goal before the Cowboys drove 75 yards with Smith scoring from a yard out.

James Washington recovered a fumble by Johnny Johnson at the Phoenix 33, positioning Dallas for Smith’s 11-yard scoring run that made it 13-3.

Aikman and Michael Irvin connected on a 39-yard pass play in the second quarter to set up an eight-yard scoring pass that Irvin caught after outjumping defensive back Cedric Mack in the end zone.

Smith scored twice in the second half, the second touchdown coming after Washington intercepted a pass by Timm Rosenbach.

Johnson, who gained 22 yards in 13 carries, scored the only Phoenix touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.

“It wasn’t our day,” said Rosenbach, who completed 14 of 35 passes for 151 yards. “We had a good early drive, but after that nothing seemed to work.”

Aikman completed 12 of 18 passes for 164 yards.

Irvin caught four passes for 91 yards.

Next week, the Cowboys travel to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia to play the Eagles.

Smith anticipates facing a stronger defense than the one presented by the Cardinals.

“It will be tough,” Smith said. “I know for a fact Philadelphia is much tougher to run against than Phoenix.”