IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman's back is
hurting again.
Aikman's back was feeling better than it had in years after a
series of injections just a week ago. Then he was knocked out of
Sunday's 23-17 overtime loss to Jacksonville after taking a much
harder and more physical shot from Tony Brackens.
Aikman didn't immediately leave the game, but soon after the hit
in the first quarter from the defensive end, he began having back
spasms that made it painful to take snaps.
"We've been able to pinpoint what my problem is, but when my
back goes into spasms, I don't think there's anything they can
do," Aikman said.
Brackens leveled Aikman just after he released a pass on the
fourth play of Dallas' opening drive. The quarterback stayed in,
and six plays later hit Jackie Harris for a 13-yard touchdown with
his third straight completion.
Aikman started the second drive, but walked to the sideline
after handing the ball off three times in a row. He went to the
locker room and was replaced by Randall Cunningham.
"It was from a blow. He hit the ground and had some spasms,"
Cowboys coach Dave Campo said. "It's not related to anything
before."
Maybe not directly.
Aikman, in his 12th NFL season, herniated a disc in the lower
left side of his back while lifting weights in 1993. He had an
operation then to prevent serious damage, but fragments left behind
occasionally have bothered him.
He has been bothered recently by back pain, so much so that he
took an injection before the previous game against Arizona. Then
last Monday, for the first time ever, he took a series of six shots
that left him feeling much better.
That good feeling was gone soon into Sunday's game.
After going to the locker room, when he had yet another
injection in an effort to ease the pain, he didn't come back to the
field until the end of the third quarter. He took some snaps on the
sideline, but it never played another down.
Aikman finished 4-of-5 for 43 yards, his only incompletion
coming on the play he was hit by Brackens.
Cunningham was 13-of-20 for 177 yards and scored on a 1-yard run
with 1:07 left in regulation to force overtime. He also had an
interception and a fumble, the two turnovers leading to 10
Jacksonville points.
Aikman missed two games earlier this season after his ninth
career concussion. Will he be ready to play next Sunday at
Philadelphia?
"I'm hoping so," Aikman said, "but I couldn't definitively
say."
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VIDEO
  Dave Campo talks about the Troy Aikman's injured back. RealVideo: 28.8  Dave Campo updates Troy Aikman's injury status. wav: 279 kRealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 |
