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San Francisco 31, Dallas 27

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Terrell Owens caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes Sunday, his second an eight-yarder with 12 seconds remaining, as the San Francisco 49ers rallied from a 10-point deficit and clinched the NFC West title with a 31-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

One of the NFL's biggest showboats, Owens made a juggling, three-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter before his eight-yarder in the waning seconds completed the 49ers' rally.

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Sparked by Owens' big day, one in which he caught 12 passes for 123 yards, San Francisco (9-4) captured their first division title since 1997 and 14th overall since 1980.

"I love playing everywhere but it's special here," Owens said. " said to the guys that we would have the last laugh."

"We are excited about winning the NFC West but we have some more work ahead of us," 49ers Coach Steve Mariucci said. "You want to make the playoffs and now we have one game. Next we have to secure more home games for the entire playoffs."

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Emmitt Smith rushed for two touchdowns for Dallas (5-8), which failed in its bid to win three straight games for the first time since the beginning of the 1999 season.

"Those are the kinds of games young teams have to find a way to win," Cowboys Coach Dave Campo said. "When you go into the fourth with that kind of lead, you have to find a way to win."

The 49ers were able to win their latest divisional title despite a dismal day on special team that included two missed field goals, a fumbled kickoff, a blocked punt and a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Rookie Woodrow Dantzler's electrifying 84-yard kickoff return down the right sideline, in which he fended off kicker Jeff Chandler and hopped off balance on one leg along the sideline before regaining his balance, gave Dallas a 20-17 advantage with 4:26 remaining in the third quarter.

"Things just happen out there," Dantzler said. "I saw something open up and I went for it. The return was supposed to go to the left but I saw their guys cut off all the run lanes and I cut back the other way. Then I just concentrated on staying inbounds."

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Moments before Dantzler's return, Garcia found Owens, who made a leaping one-handed catch in the back of the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass to give San Francisco a 17-13 lead.

It looked as if the Cowboys would have their first three-game winning streak in over three years after Smith capped a five-play, 80-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown, extending the Cowboys' lead to 27-17 with 6:56 remaining in the contest.

Smith, the NFL's all-time leading rusher, carried 19 times for 66 yards. He is 100 yards shy of his 12th straight 1,000-yard season.

"We'll deal with it the same way we have all year," Smith said. "We'll go back to the drawing board and try to correct our mistakes. I defintely think we're headed in the right direction. We have lots to improve on."

Stagnant for virtually the entire afternoon, the 49ers finally got their offense going after Smith's run.

Jamal Robertson returned the ensuing kickoff 42 yards to midfield and Jeff Garcia had completions of 16 and 14 yards to Owens, moving the ball to the Dallas 20.

Garcia capped the drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Tai Streets in the right corner of the end zone, pulling the 49ers within 27-24 with 5:26 to play.

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Dallas had a chance to extend its lead, but rookie Billy Cundiff pushed a 47-yard field goal to the right with 2:21 remaining. Campo chose to let Cundiff try to the field goal rather than go for it on fourth and one from the San Francisco 30 when a first down would have clinched the game.

That left enough time for Garcia, who led the game-winning 13-play, 63-yard drive.

Garcia kept the march alive with a three-yard run on third and two inside his own territory and he also had a pair of completions to backup running back Paul Smith, the second 11-yards to the Dallas 30.

Owens also made his presence felt with an 11-yard reception on third and 10 to the Dallas eight.

On the next play, Garcia found his star wide receiver over the middle for a touchdown, giving the Niners the lead.

"Avoiding the sack was first and foremost," Garcia said. "It's difficult to kill the clock if I get sacked. Next was to throw the ball away if I got into trouble. T.O. just snuck across the back of the end zone and it opened up for us like it did for us on the first touchdown.

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"The offensive line gave me time to throw and we made the play. It was an amazing finish for this team.It was a struggle."

With running back Garrison Hearst going down in the second quarter with a hyperextended right knee, Garcia took to the air 55 times, completing 36 for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a score.

"He (Garcia) was sharp, poised, accurate and confident," Mariucci said of Garcia. "It's not easy to beat them. They're a good defense and they knocked him around, but he was great."

San Francisco, which already is without Kevan Barlow due to a knee injury, turned to the untested Smith, who carried 13 times for 40 yards.

The offensive fireworks in the fourth quarter had to be a surprise after each team failed to move the ball without much success in the first half.

Cundiff kicked field goals of 23 and 37 yards in the first quarter. The second field goal came after rookie safety Roy Williams forced and recovered a fumble by Jimmy Williams on a kickoff.

Garcia scored on a 21-yard run with 6:05 left in the first half, giving the 49ers a 7-6 lead. Chandler extended the lead early in the third quarter with a 47-yard field goal.

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With rookie Chad Hutchinson struggling, the Cowboys took advantage of another special teams gift when punter Bill LaFleur could not handle a low snap.

Markus Steele busted through the line and blocked the kick and a 49er batted the ball bacwards into his own territory, giving Dalllas possession at the San Francisco 13

Two plays later, Smith ran around left end for a five-yard touchdown to give Dallas a 13-10 lead.

Hutchinson finished just 11 of 28 for 147 yards and two interceptions, both by safety Tony Parrish, who was playing with a cast on his right arm.

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