NFL PLAYOFFS / DAILY REPORT : NFC : 49ers Let Smith Do Pretty Much What He Wanted

They appeared to forget about him, and imagine that, overlooking Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s most valuable player.

In the second quarter, however, Smith ran uncovered into the 49ers’ secondary and caught an 11-yard touchdown pass to give the Cowboys a 21-7 lead.

This is the same Emmitt Smith who ran six times and caught a 28-yard pass on the Cowboys’ opening drive, which ended with a five-yard touchdown run--by Smith.

The same Emmitt Smith, who had the ball handed or thrown in his direction on the first four plays of the team’s second drive.

“They just seemed to forget all about me,” said Smith, who ran 23 times for 88 yards and caught seven passes for 85 yards.

Smith, who carried only twice last week against Green Bay in the second half after aggravating an injured shoulder, appeared to run without difficulty against the 49ers.

“The shoulder held up fine . . . I’m still standing,” Smith said.

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Coach Jimmy Johnson explained his reasoning after Sunday’s game on why he predicted a victory earlier in the week.

Johnson said he sensed that his players were tight earlier in the week, “and I did something to loosen them up,” he said.

“I also thought it would be a good way to get the crowd into it. The people were as loud as I have ever heard them here.”

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Johnson said he expects a great Super Bowl. “People talk about last year’s game, but they had nine turnovers and that really made for a big difference in the score.”

The Cowboys defeated the Bills, 52-17, last year, and in his book, “Turning The Thing Around,” Johnson said that he had gone into the prediction business shortly before that game.

“I told our coaches while jogging that we were going to win,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t a big deal, though, because no media was around to hear it.”