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© St. Petersburg Times, published September 23, 2002
PHILADELPHIA -- Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith broke Walter Payton's league record for career rushing attempts in the second quarter Sunday in a 44-13 loss to the Eagles.
Smith entered 414 yards short of Payton's rushing record of 16,726. Smith took a handoff, ran off left tackle and gained 2 yards for his 3,849th carry. For the game Smith ran 11 times for 52 yards, moving within 362 yards of Payton for first on the career rushing list.
"How can I be happy after a butt-whipping like that," Smith said. "It's like asking your kid to smile at you when you just had to spank him."
Smith, in his 13th season out of Florida, has 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, is the career leader in rushing touchdowns with 148 and, with 159 overall touchdowns, is second to Jerry Rice.
BEARS: Defensive back Bobby Gray dislocated his right wrist and tight end Fred Baxter sprained his left ankle.
BROWNS: Linebacker Brent Boyer hurt his left leg when teammate Orpheus Roye rolled over him. X-rays showed no serious injury.
CARDINALS: Cornerback Duane Starks went out with a groin injury in the first quarter.
CHARGERS: Linebacker Junior Seau had to be helped off late. Coach Marty Schottenheimer said it was a mild ankle sprain. ... Center Cory Raymer left with an injured left Achilles' tendon in the first quarter.
DOLPHINS: Defensive end Jason Taylor sprained his left knee in the first half but returned. Cornerback Patrick Surtain was inactive with a bruised left knee. It was the first game he has missed in his five-year career. ... Ricky Williams became the first to gain 100 yards in three consecutive games in franchise history.
49ERS: Starting linebackers Jamie Winborn (sprained left knee) and Julian Peterson (right knee and hip) left in the second half.
GIANTS: Darnell Dinkins, a former fourth-string quarterback who made the squad on special teams, broke his left foot. He will miss 4-6 weeks.
JETS: Safety Damien Robinson, a former Buc, was inactive because of a groin injury.
LIONS: Travis Kirschke (left leg), Brian Walker (toe) and Brian Williams (right ankle) left the game.
PACKERS: Running back Ahman Green was out with a quadriceps injury. He strained a tendon last week against New Orleans. Coach Mike Sherman said he expects Green to practice Wednesday. ... David Martin (concussion), Javon Walker (quad bruise) and William Henderson (left knee sprain) left.
PANTHERS: Muhsin Muhammad, the team's top receiver, hurt his hamstring in the third quarter. He caught a pass and twisted his leg awkwardly on the turf as he was tackled by Minnesota's Tyrone Carter. ... Kicker Jon Hilbert, a free agent signed last week when John Kasay went on injured reserve after hernia surgery, missed two field goals.
SAINTS: Linebacker James Allen sprained a knee ligament.
SEAHAWKS: Shawn Springs left the game against the Giants in the second half with a sprained foot.
TEXANS: Kick returner Jermaine Lewis left with a sprained right shoulder against the Colts. He fielded a punt around the Texans 5-yard line in the first quarter and was tackled at the 9 and was slow getting up. He returned for the second quarter but left in the third when the injury continued to bother him.
VIKINGS: Linebacker Henri Crockett sprained his elbow in the third and didn't return.
SIMMONS ACCIDENT: Former linebacker Wayne Simmons, who died last month at 32 in a one-car accident, had a blood alcohol level more than twice Missouri's legal limit at the time of the crash. The Jackson County medical examiner said Simmons had a blood alcohol level of .19 percent when he died Aug. 23 in an accident on Interstate 70 near Independence. Missouri's legal limit is .08 percent. Simmons played for the Packers, Chiefs and Bills.