Cowboys Repel a Giant Rally : NFC: Dallas builds 34-point lead, but has to sweat out final minutes of 34-28 victory.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Even the Dallas Cowboys thought it was a mirage.

Perhaps that’s why the Cowboys’ 34-point lead almost went up in smoke Sunday, when they held on for a 34-28 victory over the New York Giants.

“I’m just glad to be out of here,” Dallas running Emmitt Smith said after the Cowboys got off to their first 2-0 start since 1986 and won their seventh consecutive regular-season game. “The way we were playing at the end, it looked like they were going to come back and win.

“When we jumped out to such a big lead, we kept saying, ‘This is not supposed to be happening, this is the Giants.’ ”

Troy Aikman threw for two touchdowns, Smith ran for one and Dallas’ special teams scored one and set up a field goal to make it 34-0 early in the third quarter.

The Cowboys, who were 1-15 three years ago, nearly let the Giants (0-2) out of the hole.

“I hate to think we let up,” said Aikman, who completed 22 of 35 passes for 238 yards with no interceptions. “But I don’t think at least offensively, we felt the same sense of urgency in the second half. But then, we haven’t been in the position of trying to protect big leads too often.”

New York, which had not scored more than 24 points in Ray Handley’s first 17 games as coach and was limited to 53 yards in the first half, scored on four consecutive possessions, drawing to within six points in one of the best comebacks in NFL history.

Phil Simms suddenly started finding his receivers, taking New York on scoring drives of 80, 80, 62 and 55 yards.

A five-yard run by Rodney Hampton got New York on the scoreboard. Simms followed with touchdown passes of one yard to Jarrod Bunch, six yards to Stephen Baker and two yards to Howard Cross, the last with 6:52 left.

It took New York just over 17 minutes to score 28 points.

After an exchange of punts, the Cowboys were able to run out the last 2:07 after Aikman hit Michael Irvin for a first down.

“This week was another lesson,” Irvin said. “We jumped out on them real good and we learned a lesson. Next time we get that far ahead, we won’t let them back.”

Smith, who gained 89 yards in 23 carries, capped a 72-yard opening drive with a five-yard run.

After Ken Norton blocked Sean Landeta’s punt, Robert Williams fell on the ball at the Giants’ three and rolled into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

Kenneth Gant partially blocked Landeta’s second punt four plays later and the ball rolled dead at the New York 49. Lin Elliott kicked a 39-yard field goal eight plays later, and added a 35-yarder on the Cowboys’ next series.

Aikman made it 27-0 just before halftime with a two-yard scoring pass to Jay Novacek.

An interception by James Washington on the first play of the second half gave Dallas the ball at the Giants’ 29. Two plays later Aikman connected with Irvin for a 27-yard pass for a score.

Simms completed 25 of 42 passes for 273 yards and became the 13th player to throw for more than 30,000. He has 30,008 yards.