IRVING, Texas (AP) -- The Atlanta Falcons aren't doing a good job of convincing people they're for real.

The team that beat Minnesota to win the NFC championship was trampled by Denver in the Super Bowl and played sloppily in a season-opening loss at home to the Vikings.

Atlanta goes into Monday night's game against Dallas unsure if quarterback Chris Chandler's ailing hamstring will allow him to play. Should the Falcons start 0-2, they would be living down to the low expectations of those who thought last season a fluke.

"After last week, I can see why we haven't gotten any more respect," coach Dan Reeves said. "We've got to do the things we did last year for us to get back on track."

For the Dirty Birds to be treated like NFC champions, they'll have to defy critics and team history. The Falcons have never had consecutive winning seasons or back-to-back playoff trips.

"The sentiment is maybe we should've achieved a little more respect, but it's one of those situations where if you want people to respect you, you have to go out and earn it," running back Jamal Anderson said. "That's what we did last year."

The Cowboys (1-0) also seem to be battling public opinion.

These days, the biggest knock on them is that they're a bunch of has-beens. They have one playoff victory in the three years since ending their streak of three Super Bowls in four seasons.

"Do teams respect us the way they used to respect us? I don't know that," receiver Michael Irvin said. "If we win the Super Bowl, people should respect us again. Until then, they shouldn't, and I really can't blame them if they don't."

Running back Emmitt Smith said the attitude toward Dallas now is similar to when the team began its championship run.

"It's not like we've been successful for such a long time that we can't see ourselves being the underdog," Smith said. "It doesn't matter. You play both sides of the spectrum. Right now, we're just on the bottom side.

"Being the underdog is being on the bottom, but there's a lot of fight in a dog that's going to bark a lot."

The Cowboys seemed to roll over and play dead last Sunday against Washington when they gave up 32 consecutive points. But old-timers Irvin, Smith and Troy Aikman rallied Dallas to 27 straight points and a 41-35 overtime victory.

Against the Vikings, Atlanta lost three fumbles and committed two long pass interference penalties to help Minnesota take a 17-0 lead. The Falcons came back, too, but not far enough, losing 17-13.

"We just never established a rhythm of the things we like to do," said Anderson, who had 50 yards on 16 carries. "We never got comfortable and in the flow of running our offense properly."

Chandler's strained right hamstring prevented him from taking any snaps in practice this week, although he did some light work Friday. Reeves said he'd wait to the last minute to decide whether his Pro Bowler can play.

If he can't, Atlanta would start Tony Garziani, a third-year backup who has been pulled at halftime in both his career starts.

"Tony has worked extremely hard the last two years getting stronger," Reeves said. "He has a lot more velocity now than when he came here. He can scramble, but he can also throw well in the pocket."

The big injury question for Dallas is whether Deion "Prime Time" Sanders will play in prime time.

Probably not. Sanders wants to play cornerback and return punts, and his left big toe hurt Friday after practicing at both spots Thursday. The Cowboys are off next week and the extra rest probably will help him.

"I'm closer, but still far," Sanders said. "It doesn't look good."

The Cowboys know they'll be without fullback Daryl Johnston, whose season -- and possibly career -- is over because of a neck injury. Tim Lester was signed Thursday and will start as Smith's lead blocker.

The game marks the first coaching duel between Reeves and Dallas' Chan Gailey, both of whom grew up in Americus, Ga. When Gailey was 10, Reeves was his Little League coach. Reeves also gave Gailey his first job in the NFL as an assistant in Denver in 1985.

"Knowing the people in Americus, they're going to be tuned in," Reeves said. "I don't know who they're going to be pulling for because I think Chan and I both have an awful lot of fans there.

"They'd probably like to see us play five quarters and tie."

ATLANTA Season schedule and results

DALLAS Season schedule and results

September 12 Minnesota L 14-17 September 20 @Dallas 9:00pm ET September 26 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET October 3 Baltimore 1:00pm ET October 10 @New Orleans 1:00pm ET October 17 St. Louis 1:00pm ET October 25 @Pittsburgh 9:00pm ET October 31 Carolina 1:00pm ET November 7 Jacksonville 1:00pm ET November 21 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm ET November 28 @Carolina 8:20pm ET December 5 New Orleans 1:00pm ET December 12 @San Francisco 4:15pm ET December 19 @Tennessee 1:00pm ET December 26 Arizona 1:00pm ET January 3 San Francisco 9:00pm ET

September 12 @Washington W 41-35 September 20 Atlanta 9:00pm ET October 3 Arizona 1:00pm ET October 10 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET October 18 @NY Giants 9:00pm ET October 24 Washington 1:00pm ET October 31 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 8 @Minnesota 9:00pm ET November 14 Green Bay 4:15pm ET November 21 @Arizona 4:15pm ET November 25 Miami 4:15pm ET December 5 @New England 8:20pm ET December 12 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 19 NY Jets 4:15pm ET December 24 @New Orleans 3:05pm ET January 2 NY Giants 4:05pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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