Chargers have more wins than last season

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Seldom will you hear an NFL team crow about being 2-0. Then again, it's not too often teams start out with two wins after going 1-15 the previous season.

So it was somewhat understandable after the San Diego Chargers' 32-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday that their locker room was filled with rhythmic chants of "2 and 0! 2 and 0!"

"This is really big for us," coach Mike Riley said. "We have long-standing scars from last season. The only way to get rid of them is to win."

Linebacker Junior Seau, who has been with the team for the highs of the Super Bowl and the low of last season, said simply, "Things are a lot different around here this year."

After starting last season 0-11, San Diego has opened with two impressive wins. This one was tougher than the 30-3 wipeout of Washington in the opener, as a 17-0 lead was trimmed to 20-14 with Dallas driving early in the third quarter.

		Should the Chargers be considered a legitimate playoff contender? If they were in the NFC East, they would be leading the division at 2-0. But they're in a tough division in the AFC West. If they keep playing the defense they're capable of playing, if Doug Flutie keeps making plays and if LaDainian Tomlinson keeps running, they'll have a shot. If they can perform consistently, they have a chance to do well in their division. ESPN.com NFL analyst Vinny Cerrato has served as director of player personnel for the Redskins and 49ers.

But the defense held and the offense answered with another touchdown. The Cowboys (0-2) remained within striking distance until an interception by Ryan McNeil with 2:35 left set up Wade Richey's fourth field goal, a 43-yarder.

San Diego's turnaround is directly linked to a roster turnover. Among the newcomers are Richey, McNeil and Doug Flutie, who threw for 353 yards, with touchdowns on the first two drives.

One of his TD passes went to Curtis Conway. His longest pass, a 78-yarder, went to Tim Dwight, who was acquired in a draft-day trade with Atlanta. Dwight also scored on a 16-yard end-around.

"All of my guys stepped up today," said Flutie, who completed 23 of 38 passes. "That's the thing about this team, we've got a bunch of playmakers."

The Chargers exploited a first-quarter fumble and interception by Dallas quarterback Anthony Wright and scored on four of their first five possessions. They would've blown out the Cowboys if not for drives that stalled at the Cowboys' 4-, 6- and 5-yard lines.

Dallas kept it close by answering each defensive stand with touchdowns passes by Wright: an 80-yarder to Raghib Ismail, an 11-yarder to Wane McGarity and a 7-yarder to Mike Lucky.

Before Ismail's second-quarter touchdown, the Cowboys hadn't gotten into the end zone in 13 quarters and hadn't thrown a TD pass since Thanksgiving, a 21-quarter drought. They finished with their most points in five games.

Wright, starting because of a thumb injury to rookie Quincy Carter, was 12-of-25 for 193 yards. Ismail left with a knee injury that could be severe.

Without a memorable comeback, the Cowboys will have to remember the game for a slice of history: Emmitt Smith passing Barry Sanders for second on the NFL's career rushing list.

Smith, needing 64 yards against a defense that gave up only 44 in the opener, got it with a 12-yard run off left end late in the second quarter. He finished with 85 yards, giving him 15,291 yards. He's 1,435 behind Walter Payton for No. 1.

"It's a great feeling, but at the same time it's kind of dull because we didn't win the game," Smith said.

The game also featured a heartwarming pregame ceremony highlighted by 120 police, firefighters, paramedics and military personnel. They slowly unfurled a flag that covered the entire playing field, goal line to goal line, as "America The Beautiful" was played.

At the end of the national anthem, the flag was shaken, prompting fans to wave the hand flags they were given. The crowd cheered "U-S-A" when the song ended.

Flutie, who beat the Cowboys 15 years ago in his NFL debut, the only other time he played them, had the second-most yards passing of his career in a regular-season game.

Much of Flutie's success came on third down, including touchdown passes of 11 yards to Freddie Jones and seven to Conway. The Chargers kept the Dallas defense on the field for 77 plays on a hot, muggy afternoon.

Rookie LaDainian Tomlinson, playing in his home state in his first road game, had 90 yards on 27 carries.

Game notes
At halftime, former receiving great "Bullet" Bob Hayes became the 11th member of the Cowboys' Ring of Honor. The 1964 Olympic gold medal sprinter revolutionized his position, forcing the creation of zone defenses after his record-setting debut in 1965. ... McNeil has three interceptions in two games with San Diego, one more than he had last season with Dallas. ... Ismail's TD pass was the longest of his career and the first of Wright's. ... Dallas tight end Jackie Harris suffered a strained groin and San Diego right tackle Vaughn Parker sprained his knee.