Know Your Dallas Cowboys: The Blog

Cowboys Open '77 Season with 7-0 Start

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:03:39 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

It took Tony Dorsett a few games before he started providing firepower for the Cowboys' offense, but Dallas still exploded out of the gate to open the 1977 season. The team previously had strong starts, but the Cowboys' 1977 season started better than any other. Midway through the year, the Cowboys remained unbeaten at 7-0.

Week 1: Dallas 16, Minnesota 10 (OT)

Dallas record: 1-0

In a preview of the NFC Championship Game, the Cowboys downed the Minnesota Vikings 16-10 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Preston Pearson had 116 yards in total offense as well as a touchdown in the win. After the Vikings forced the game into overtime, the Cowboys drove deep into Viking territory. From the Minnesota 4, Roger Staubach rolled out. With his receivers covered, Staubach ran it in himself, giving Dallas the win.

In his first NFL game, Tony Dorsett had four carries for 11 yards.

Week 2: Dallas 41, N.Y. Giants 21

Dallas record: 2-0

Dallas ran out to a 31-0 lead in the first half, en route to a 41-21 blowout of the Giants. Tony Dorsett scored two touchdowns, including a 34 yarder late in the game.

Week 3: Dallas 23, Tampa Bay 7

Dallas record: 3-0

Hollywood Henderson returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown, helping Dallas to a 23-7 win over the Buccaneers. The Cowboys held Tampa Bay to 163 total yards, allowing only eight completions.

Week 4: Dallas 30, St. Louis 24

Dallas record: 4-0

The Cowboys fell behind the Cardinals 24-16 after St. Louis defensive lineman Charles Davis returned a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. But the Cowboys struck back with a touchdown run by Tony Dorsett and a 17-yard TD pass from Roger Staubach to Golden Richards. The score came with 13:15 remaining, but neither team managed a score after that.

Dorsett had a total of two TD runs, and both were worth remembering. On a one-yard score, Dorsett bounced into a hole, bounced out, completely rotated around, and outran the defense to score. On an earlier touchdown, Dorsett showed off his amazing speed on a 77-yard touchdown run. Dorsett finished the game with 141 rushing yards.

Week 5: Dallas 34, Washington 16

Dallas record: 5-0

Roger Staubach threw touchdown passes of 50 yards (to Golden Richards) and 59 yards (to Drew Pearson) in a 34-16 blowout win over the Redskins. Dallas sacked Washington quarterbacks Billy Kilmer and Joe Theismann eight times.

Week 6: Dallas 16, Philadelphia 10

Dallas record: 6-0

The Cowboys trailed the Eagles 7-6 with just over 13 minutes left when tight end Jay Saldi burst through the middle of the line to block a punt. Charlie Waters grabbed the ball and ran it in from 17 yards out. From that point, the Cowboys took control and pulled out a 16-10 win. Dorsett had his fifth rushing TD of the season.

Week 7: Dallas 37, Detroit 0

Dallas record: 7-0

Dallas had no trouble downing the Lions in week 7. The names of those who scored for the Cowboys were not your typical bunch, though: Billy Joe DuPree, Scott Laidlaw, Jay Saldi, and Larry Brinson.

Coming Up...

Dallas hits some speed bumps but finishes the season at 12-2.

More References:

Box Scores

DMN Stories

Cowboys Pick Up Two Tonys in the 1977 Draft

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:26:20 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The NFL in 1977 reduced the number of rounds in the draft from 17 to 12. The 1977 draft for the Cowboys is best remembered for the selection of Tony Dorsett with the number two overall pick. The Cowboys also struck gold (or perhaps silver) by taking Stanford wide receiver Tony Hill in the third round.

Round	Name	Pos.	College	Career
1	Tony Dorsett	RB	Pittsburgh	Dallas 1977-1987; Denver 1988
2	Glenn Carano	QB	UNLV	Dallas 1978-1983
3	Tony Hill	WR	Stanford	Dallas 1977-1986
3	Val Belcher	G	Houston	n/a
4	Guy Brown	LB	Houston	Dallas 1977-1982
5	Andy Frederick	T	New Mexico	Dallas 1977-1981; Cleveland 1982; Chicago 1983-1985
6	Jim Cooper	T	Temple	Dallas 1977-1986
7	Dave Stalls	DE	Northern Colorado	Dallas 1977-1979; Tampa Bay 1980-1983; Raiders 1983, 1985
8	Al Cleveland	DE	Pacific	n/a
8	Fred Williams	RB	Arizona State	n/a
9	Mark Cantrell	C	North Carolina	n/a
10	Steve DeBerg	QB	San Jose State	San Francisco 1978-1980; Denver 1981-1983; Tampa Bay 1984-1987; Kansas City 1988-1991; Tampa Bay 1992-1993; Miami 1993; Atlanta 1998
11	Don Wardlow	TE	Washington	n/a
12	Greg Peters	G	California	n/a

Jim Cooper became the starting right tackle for the Cowboys, though he was quite a step down from the likes of Ralph Neely. Carano, Brown, Frederick, and Stalls each served as backups in Dallas.

Most forget that the Cowboys drafted DeBerg in 1977. He played in San Francisco prior to the arrival of Joe Montana, then he moved to Denver, where he played prior to the arrival of John Elway. His third stop was in Tampa Bay-- prior to the arrival of Vinny Testaverde-- before landing in Kansas City.

My grade: A. For once, I am not going to be harsh about a draft. After the 1977 season, the Cowboys needed a running back and could use another wide receiver. They got both through the draft.

Cowboys Steal Tony Dorsett in 1977

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:30:29 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys played without a lead running back during both the 1975 and 1976 seasons. Although the team had successful seasons, the lack of a consistently effective running game eventually hurt the team.

In the weeks prior to the 1977 draft, Tony Dorsett's agent let the Seattle Seahawks know that Dorsett had no interest in playing in Seattle. Seattle began to shop is number two overall pick around, and the team that became the principal focus of the trade was the Dallas Cowboys. According to a Sports Illustrated article:

Meanwhile, Seattle General Manager John Thompson made two proposals to the Cowboys. The first involved some Dallas draft choices and Linebacker Randy White. "The Cowboys bounced that back faster than we could spit it out," Thompson says. The second was the deal that eventually was made. The Dallas general manager, Tex Schramm, was euphoric about landing Dorsett. "Dorsett is the outstanding back to come out of college since maybe O. J. Simpson," he said. "He doesn't have O.J.'s size, but there's no reason why he shouldn't be as successful as Simpson." Then Schramm talked like a businessman.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held the number one overall pick and took Ricky Bell. With the number two pick, Dallas got Dorsett. Seattle picked up nobody of significance with four Cowboys picks obtained for the number two pick overall.

The trade made the list as one of the Top Ten Draft Trades of all time.

We will cover the 1977 draft shortly.

Rams End Cowboys' 1976 Season

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:52:52 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys had plenty of chances to earn yet another trip to the NFC Championship Game in 1976, but Dallas could not pull out the divisional playoff game against the L.A. Rams. The team's lack of a running game hurt, as the Cowboys managed only 85 rushing yards on 28 carries. But Roger Staubach's performance did not help, either. Staubach completed only 15 of 37 passes for 150 yards with three interceptions.

The hero of the game was Charlie Waters, who blocked two punts and recorded an interception. Waters' second block punt came with just under two minutes left in the game with the Cowboys trailing 14-10. The ball went out of bounds at the Ram 17. Needed a touchdown, the Cowboys could not move the ball. On a 4th-and-10 play with 1:37 left, Staubach hit Billy Joe DuPree with a nine-yard pass, but the big tight end could not manage to get the extra yard for a first down.

L.A. took an intentional safety at the end of the game, but Dallas did not have enough time to get into field goal range. The Cowboys lost, 14-12, while the Rams traveled to Minneapolis to face the Vikings in the NFC title game.

Box Score (P-F-R)

DMN: Cowboys Rammed Out of Playoffs

Cowboys Regain NFC East Title in 1976

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:52:18 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys were once again in a dogfight with the Redskins and Cardinals for the NFC East title in 1976. The Cowboys started at 6-1, while the other two teams began the season at 5-2.

The Cowboys had to open the second half of the season by traveling to Washington. A win there would be important for Dallas to secure its first NFC East title since 1973.

Week 8: Dallas 20, Washington 7

Dallas record: 7-1

The Cowboys held the Redskins to only 146 yards en route to a 20-7 win. Dallas ran the ball 49 times, let by Doug Dennison with 21 carries for 49 yards.

The win marked the first for Dallas at RFK Stadium since 1971.

Week 9: Dallas 9, N.Y. Giants 3

Dallas record: 8-1

The Cowboys could only manage a 3-3 tie at halftime against the winless Giants. However, two Efren Herrera field goals gave Dallas the 9-3 win.

Week 10: Dallas 17, Buffalo 10

Dallas record: 9-1

In the Cowboys' only appearance on Monday Night Football, they beat the Bills, 17-10. Drew Pearson had nine receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown for Dallas. The starting quarterback for the Bills? Gary Marangi, who was subbing for Joe Ferguson.

Week 11: Atlanta 17, Dallas 10

Dallas record: 9-2

The Cowboys allowed 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, as the Falcons pulled out a come-from-behind win over Dallas. Several defensive penalties hurt the Cowboys, who held on to a one-game lead over St. Louis despite the loss. Scott Laidlaw had 15 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Week 12: Dallas 19, St. Louis 14

Dallas record: 10-2

The Cowboys held a 19-7 lead in the fourth quarter, but the "Cardiac Cardinals" were known for their comebacks in 1976. With 48 seconds left, St. Louis had the ball at the Dallas 13 and only trailed the Cowboys 19-14. However, the Dallas defense held strong, and when Jim Hart's pass thrown in the direction of Mel Gray flew over the receiver's head, the Cowboys had their tenth win of the season.

Hollywood Henderson recorded a safety by blocking a punt out of the end zone.

Week 13: Dallas 26, Philadelphia 7

Dallas record: 11-2

The Cowboys scored a safety in consecutive games when Aaron Kyle blocked a punt out of the back of the end zone. Roger Staubach completed 23 of 40 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown in the 26-7 win for Dallas. By beating the Eagles, the Cowboys secured the NFC East title.

Week 14: Washington 27, Dallas 14

Dallas record: 11-3

In a meaningless game for Dallas, the Cowboys looked sloppy against the Redskins. Roger Staubach only completed five of 22 passes for 91 yards. Still, Dallas led 14-13 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys watched the Redskins scored 14 unanswered points in the final quarter.

Coming Up...

The Cowboys face the Rams in the opening round of the playoffs.

More Resources

Box Scores (Pro-Football-Reference)

DMN Stories

'76 Cowboys Open with Five Straight Wins

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:25:32 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The 1975 Cowboys had entered the season with few expectation beyond mediocrity. They ended up in the Super Bowl. The 1976 Cowboys, by comparison, were expected to compete for the title. Complete with their red, white, and blue helmet stripes (shown on Larry Cole's helmet above), the Cowboys had the makings of a Super Bowl contender.

Except at running back. Preston Pearson, Doug Dennison, and Robert Newhouse shared the backfield duties, but none of the three rushed for as many as 600 yards in 1976. This weakness really hurt in the playoffs.

This was certainly not a problem during the regular season, though, as the Cowboys won their first five en route to a 6-1 record midway through the regular season.

Week 1: Dallas 27, Philadelphia 7

Dallas record: 1-0

The Cowboys roared out to a 27-0 lead on two Roger Staubach passes to Drew Pearson and Golden Richards, along with a run by Doug Dennison. The Eagles, led by the immortal Mike Boryla, turned the ball over five times.

The win marked the first appearance by backup Danny White, who completed five of seven passes for 25 yards.

Week 2: Dallas 24, New Orleans 6

Dallas record: 2-0

Scott Laidlaw rushed for two touchdowns as the Cowboys bombed in the Saints. New Orleans managed only 163 yards in total offense.

Week 3: Dallas 30, Baltimore 27

Dallas record: 3-0

In a seesaw matchup against a good Colts team, Efren Herrera's field goal with three seconds left was the difference in the game. Golden Richards caught two touchdowns in the win, with one of the touchdown throws coming from Drew Pearson. Baltimore held a 24-20 lead in the fourth quarter until Roger Staubach hit Billy Joe Dupree on a 38-yard TD pass with 3:27 left. Baltimore tied the game, but the Cowboys drove 53 yards in the final 23 seconds, thanks to a Baltimore pass interference penalty, setting up Herrera's game-winning field goal.

Week 4: Dallas 28, Seattle 13

Dallas record: 4-0

The Cowboys faced the expansion Seattle Seahawks, who featured a former Cowboy castoff at quarterback named Jim Zorn. Zorn threw two first-half touchdowns to give the Seahawks a surprising 13-0 lead, but it didn't last. Roger Staubach threw two touchdowns to give the Cowboys a 14-13 lead at the half, and touchdown runs by Robert Newhouse and Charley Young put the game away for Dallas.

Week 5: Dallas 24, New York Giants 14

Dallas record: 5-0

Giant quarterback Craig Morton continued to struggle against his former team. The Cowboys jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first half, and despite a minor Giant comeback in the second half, Dallas held on for its fifth straight.

Week 6: St. Louis 21, Dallas 17

Dallas record: 5-1

Big plays for the Cardinals killed the Cowboys in week 6. Jim Hart hit Mel Gray on two touchdown passes, including a 17-yarder in the fourth quarter that gave St. Louis a 21-10 lead. Dallas forced four turnovers, but the big plays were too much to overcome.

Week 7: Dallas 31, Chicago 21

Dallas record: 6-1

The Cowboys held rookie Walter Payton to 41 yards on 17 carries in a 31-21 Dallas win. Roger Staubach injured his finger in the win, meaning that Danny White got to see extended action. White threw two touchdowns in relief, including a six-yard TD to Preston Pearson in the fourth quarter.

Coming Up...

The Cowboys roll to the NFC East title.

More Resources

Box Scores (Pro-Football-Reference)

DMN Stories

1976 Draft Features Mostly Misses for the Cowboys

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:08:23 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys had a few needs they wanted to fill with the 1976 draft. For the first time in the team's history, Dallas did not have a feature back (if one considers Don Perkins to be a featured back). With Terry Bradshaw's bombs to Lynn Swann fresh in everyone's mind, the Cowboys also had a need for help in the defensive backfield.

Here are the Cowboys' picks for 1976:

Round	Name	Pos.	College	Career
1	Aaron Kyle	DB	Wyoming	Dallas 1976-1979; Denver, 1980- 1982
2	Jim D. Jensen	RB	Iowa	Dallas 1976; Denver, 1977, 1979- 1980; Green Bay 1981-1982
2	Jim Eidsen	G	Mississippi St.	Dallas 1976
3	Duke Fergerson	WR	San Diego St.	Seattle 1977-1979; Buffalo 1980
3	John Smith	RB	Boise State	n/a
3	Butch Johnson	WR	Cal.-Riverside	Dallas 1976-1983; Denver 1984- 1985
4	Tom Rafferty	C	Penn State	Dallas 1976-1989
5	Wally Pesuit	G	Kentucky	Atlanta 1976; Miami 1977-1978; Detroit 1979-1980
6	Greg McGuire	T	Indiana	n/a
7	Greg Schaum	DE	Michigan State	Dallas 1976; New England 1978
7	Dave Williams	RB	Colorado	San Francisco 1977-1978; Chicago 1979-1981
8	Henry Laws	DB	South Carolina	n/a
9	Beasley Reece	DB	North Texas	Dallas 1976; New York Giants 1977-1983; Tampa Bay 1983-1984
10	Leroy Cook	DE	Alabama	n/a
11	Cornelius Greene	QB	Ohio State	n/a
12	Charles McShane	LB	Cal. Lutheran	Seattle 1977-1979
13	Mark Driscoll	QB	Colorado State	n/a
14	Larry Mushinskie	TE	Nebraska	n/a
15	Dale Curry	LB	UCLA	n/a
16	Rick Costanzo	T	Nebraska	n/a
17	Stan Woodfill	K	Oregon	n/a

Butch Johnson is probably the best-remembered player on this list, but the best pick in the 1976 draft was Tom Rafferty. The fourth-round pick started at guard for four seasons before moving over to play center during the entire decade of the 1980s.

Johnson made some memorable plays (including the famous diving catch in Super Bowl XII), and he also invented the California Quake.

Kyle became a starter, but most remember him best for missing a tackle on Pittsburgh receiver John Stallworth in Super Bowl XIII.

Beasley Reece (grew up in Waco and attended North Texas State University; sort of my life story, backwards) became a starter for the Giants and later became a reporter with NBC.

My grade: C.

The Cowboys stockpiled several high draft picks for the 1976 draft but came away with few hits. Dallas missed on several players in this draft: tight end Bennie Cunningham (Pittsburgh, 1st), running back Tony Galbreath (New Orleans, 2nd), guard Randy Cross (San Francisco, 2nd), receiver Sammy White (Minnesota, 2nd), tackle Jackie Slater (L.A., 3rd), Harry Carson (N.Y. Giants, 4th), and Steve Largent (Houston, 4th).

Steelers' Fourth-Quarter Rally Kills Cowboys in Super Bowl X

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:20:41 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys have not only been to eight Super Bowls, they have also held a lead in every Super Bowl in which they have played. Against the Steelers in Super Bowl X, the Cowboys held a 10-7 lead heading into fourth quarter. Roy Gerela missed two field goals, including one on a drive that featured Lynn Swann's most famous catch, a 53-yarder featured in the shot below.

Everyone for the Cowboys began to unravel in the fourth quarter. With 11:28 left in the game, Reggie Harrison blocked Mitch Hoopes' punt out of the back of the end zone, giving the Steelers a safety. Gerela hit two field goals, giving Pittsburgh a 15-10 lead.

With 3:02 left in the game, Pittsburgh hit on its biggest play of the game when Terry Bradshaw hit Swann on a 64-yard bomb for a touchdown. It marked Swann's fourth catch of the game.

Trailing 21-10 (thanks to Gerela missing an extra point), Staubach went back to work. He moved the Cowboys 80 yards in just five plays and hit backup Percy Howard (a one-hit wonder-- literally-- who caught the only pass of his career in the Super Bowl). When Chuck Noll elected to run the ball instead of punt with 1:28 left in the game and the ball at the Dallas 41, the Cowboys got a chance.

Staubach went to work with 1:22 left in the game. Here is a clip of those final 82 seconds:

You will probably notice the low snaps from center John Fitzgerald. This was the first season that Dallas used the shotgun, and the low snaps were a problem against both the Vikings and the Steelers in the playoffs.

Dallas ran a total of five plays in the final 1:22, with Staubach's final pass intercepted by Glen Edwards in the end zone.

Of the Cowboys eight Super Bowl appearances, this one was the least expected. And the Cowboys were just 38 yards from pulling it out, which would have given Dallas the advantage for the title of team of the decade.

More References:

Box Score

Play-by-Play (USA Today)

Wikipedia

Slipper Didn't Quite Fit Size, 21-17 (Dallas Morning News)

Classic Super Bowl X Documentary

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:14:03 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

A little bit less than a year ago, I discovered a video clip yesterday showing a documentary of Super Bowl X, played in 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Here is the description:

A behind-the-scenes documentary about the events and personalities surrounding Superbowl X in Miami between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys. Features intimate portraits of the players and the CBS personnel who broadcast the events of Superbowl week. Produced with multiple lightweight video cameras in TVTV style, it is both informative and revealing of the extremes surrounding football culture and hype.

I posted these clips before, but I think it is appropriate to repost these as part of the 50 Seasons Series.

1. Tight End Jean Fugett Interviews Several Players

Here, you can see Jean Fugett interview Rayfield Wright, Too Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, and Billy Joe Dupree.

2. John Fitzgerald Interview

This clip features an interview with center John Fitzgerald, who discusses playing with injuries.

3. Ralph Neely Interview

This interview with Ralph Neely is especially interesting. He discusses his business life, which was quite separate from his football life.

At the end of the video, you can also see a short interview with Larry Cole.

Cowboys Demolish the Rams on the Way to Super Bowl X

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:52:56 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys headed into the 1975 NFC Championship Game trying to become the first wildcard team to make the Super Bowl. It turned out to be no contest.

The Rams had gone 12-2 in 1975 and bowled over the Cardinals in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Cowboys made it to the NFC title game thanks to some very good fortune.

By the time the first half was over, the Cowboys had built a 21-0 lead on three Roger Staubach touchdown passes. Staubach threw a fourth-- his third to Preston Pearson-- to extend the lead to 28-0 in the third quarter. The Rams did not manage a score until the fourth quarter, and that was due largely to a questionable pass interference call on cornerback Mark Washington.

Here is a video clip of the introduction to the game [there is no sound for the first few seconds]

With the win, the Cowboys were set to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers at the Orange Bowl in Miami on January 18, 1976.

More References

Box Score

DMN: Dallas Paints LA in Cowboy Blue

'75 Playoff Win Was Most Improbable

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:10:57 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys played the Minnesota Vikings tough during the 1975 divisional playoffs. Dallas led 10-7 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Vikings began to drive the ball. With 5:11 left in the game, running back Brent McClanahan bowled off left tackle to score a touchdown from one-yard out, giving the Vikings a 14-10 lead.

The Cowboys' next drive was ugly. They began on the their own 26, but a sack and a penalty for delay of game backed the team up. Facing a 3rd-and-18, John Fitzgerald snapped the ball low (for a second time on the drive), and Staubach had to try to scramble. Dallas had to punt, giving the Vikings a chance to ice the game.

Minnesota faced a 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 47 with just over two minutes left. Fran Tarkenton rolled left on a run-pass option. It looked for a second as of Tarkenton may have a hole, but Charlie Waters grabbed Tarkenton's jersey and pulled Tarkenton down at midfield. Minnesota had to punt at the two-minute warning.

Golden Richards took the punt at the Dallas 15 with 1:51 left. Dallas had to drive 85 yards for a touchdown to win. On first down, Staubach hit Drew Pearson for a nine-yard gain. It was Pearson's first catch of the game. On the next play, Staubach missed a pass to Golden Richards, setting up a third down and short.

Fitzgerald's snap was low, but Staubach fielded it. Carl Eller nearly trapped Staubach, but Roger found a way to roll to his left. He hit Pearson at the 31 to keep the drive alive.

On first down, Fitzgerald once again snapped the ball low. Staubach had to fall on the ball for a seven-yard loss, leading Staubach to pound the ball into the ground. On second down, with just under a minute left, Staubach threw the ball away after being hit by Alan Page. On third down, Staubach could not find anyone open and tried to loft a pass to Jean Fugett. The pass was incomplete, leading to a 4th-and-17 play.

Rookie Kyle Davis replaced Fitzgerald at center. Staubach took the snap on the fourth-down play with 44 seconds left. Staubach launched a ball towards the sideline in the direction of Pearson, who caught the ball but was shoved out of bounds. The referee immediately ruled that Pearson would have come down in bounds but for Nate Wright hitting Pearson in the back. 25 yards on the play, and the Cowboys had new life with 37 seconds left.

On first down, Preston Pearson dropped a ball in the flat, stopping the clock. On second down, Staubach and Pearson made history:

Here is what the announcers Gary Bender and John Unitas said as the play was happening:

Bender: So now we go to a second and 10. 32 seconds left.

[Staubach launches the ball]

Bender: He is going for broke...Drew Pearson...He got it! Touchdown!

[Pearson throws the ball into the stands]

Bender: I didn't know he had it for a while. [inaudible] I don't believe it!

Bender: [Describes Pearson throwing the ball over the scoreboard]

Unitas: I don't believe it. The ball was thrown short, and the defender was not watching as Pearson came back to make the catch.

Bender: He caught that ball on his hip.

Unitas: [inaudible] It was a much better catch than it was a throw.

With the improbable win, the Cowboys were scheduled to travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams.

More References

Box Score

Dallas Morning News Coverage

Cowboys Take the NFC Wildcard in 1975 with a 10-4 Record

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:34:29 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The 1975 Cowboys had a chance to regain the team's hold in the NFC East, but a late-season loss to St. Louis killed that idea. Dallas rebounded by beating Washington and winning the wildcard.

Incidentally, 1975 marked the first time since 1966 that the Cowboys did not host a game on Thanksgiving Day. The league moved the game to St. Louis in 1975 and 1977.

Week 8: Kansas City 34, Dallas 31

Dallas record: 5-3

There is a famous NFL Films clip of Roger Staubach throwing a pass into the end zone at Texas Stadium in a game against the Chiefs. Golden Richards tipped the ball straight up in the air, then came down with the ball for a touchdown. Richards caught two touchdowns that game, but the Cowboys could not pull out the win over Kansas City on Monday Night Football. The Cowboys lost five fumbles, which didn't help.

Here is the intro to the game, showing some highlights from 1975.

Week 9: Dallas 34, New England 31

Dallas record: 6-3

The Cowboys jumped out to a 34-17 lead, thanks to three touchdown passes by Roger Staubach. Jim Plunkett helped the Patriots mount a comeback by hitting Darryl Stingley twice in the fourth quarter. Dallas held on for the win, though.

Staubach was injured in the game and was replaced by Clint Longley, hero of the 1974 Thanksgiving Day game. The result: 1 of 6 for 8 yards. It was one of only four appearances by Longley during the 1975 season.

Week 10: Dallas 27, Philadelphia 17

Dallas record: 7-3

The Cowboys stormed out to a 20-3 lead and held on to beat the Eagles, 27-17. Running back Preston Pearson caught four passes for 109 yards in the win.

Week 11: Dallas 14, New York Giants 3

Dallas record: 8-3

Dallas scored all of its points in the first quarter, then shut Craig Morton and the Giants down for the rest of the game.

Week 12: St. Louis 31, Dallas 17

Dallas record: 8-4

The 8-3 Cowboys faced the 8-3 Cardinals for all the marbles on December 7, 1975. Had the Cowboys won, they would have had a one-game lead and two wins over the Cardinals, nearly guaranteeing that Dallas would win the East. However, the Cardinals roared [something that didn't happen often] to a 28-3 lead, and Roger Staubach & Co. could not mount a comeback. Staubach completed 26 of 41 passes, but he threw three interceptions.

From the DMN:

Dallas seemed completely bewildered by the Cardinal strategy. You know, the Cardinals did such unusual things as going deep to Mel Gray and getting the ball to Terry Metcalf by whatever means necessary. Who would have known?

St. Louis scored touchdowns the first three times it got the ball, four of the first five times and made points five of its first seven possessions to jump ahead of the listless Cowboys, 28-3, and go on to win 31-17. Do not let the relative closeness of the final score mislead you. The Cardinals seemed quite capable of scoring about anything they wished because the Cowboy defense locked arms early and jumped off the cliff.

"There's no excuse, nothing you can say," noted a very subdued Tom Landry. "We knew the importance of this game, how much it meant to us and we just didn't perform.

Week 13: Dallas 31, Washington 10

Dallas record: 9-4

The Cowboys faced playoff elimination when they hosted the Redskins on December 13. A loss would have eliminated the Cowboys from the playoffs for all practical purposes. With a win, though, Dallas was in no matter what happened in the season finale.

Thanks to two touchdown passes by Roger Staubach and a strong defensive performance, the Cowboys routed Washington. Safety Charlie Waters iced the game by intercepted in a Billy Kilmer and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.

Week 14: Dallas 31, New York Jets 21

The Cowboys wrapped up a 10-4 regular season by beating the Jets at Shea Stadium. Clint Longley started the game, and though he was shaky, the team's rushing offense was enough to lead Dallas to a win. Robert Newhouse finished with 108 yards and a touchdown.

More References

1975 Dallas Cowboys Statistics and Players (including Box Scores)

Dallas Morning News Stories

DallasCowboys.com: 1975

Coming Up...

Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson answer some prayers.

Cowboys Surprise Many in '75 by Opening at 4-0

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:11:24 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The Cowboys entered into the 1975 season with few expectations. The team had lost two starting running backs (Calvin Hill and Walt Garrison), a long-time receiver (Bob Hayes), the face of its franchise (Bob Lilly), a Pro Bowl guard (John Niland), and a great defensive back (Cornell Green). There were a few younger players who might fill some holes, but the team did not look strong during the 1975 preseason. Most expected another 8-6 season or worse.

After four games, the Cowboys stood at 4-0, shocking many. Although the team had a few ups and downs after that, the team had rebuilt itself much more quickly than just about anyone could have expected.

Week 1: Dallas 18, Los Angeles 7

Dallas record: 1-0

Playing against the team the Cowboys would eventually face in the NFC Championship Game, Dallas held the Rams to only four completions and 41 passing yards. Starter James Harris went 1 of 10 for 5 yards with three interceptions. L.A. was supposed to have the league's best offense, but Dallas completely dominated.

Robert Newhouse led the Cowboys on the ground, gaining 88 yards on 22 carries.

Week 2: Dallas 37, St. Louis 31 (OT)

Dallas record: 2-0

Playing against another eventual playoff team, the Cowboys jumped out to a 31-17 fourth quarter lead. Rookie "Hollywood" Henderson, a linebacker (!), helped the team by returning a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. However, Jim Hart threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and it looked as if the Cardinals may win it when they moved into field goal position in overtime. Lee Roy Jordan, though, picked off a Hart pass, and the Cowboys drove down field. When Roger Staubach hit Billy Joe DuPree from the St. Louis 3, it was all over.

By 1975, Roger Staubach had started 42 games as a pro. Until September 28, 1975, though, he had never thrown for more than 300 yards in a game. He finished the game with 307 yards and 3 TDs.

Week 3: Dallas 36, Detroit 10

Dallas record: 3-0

This was a close game until the final quarter. Dallas trailed 10-9 in the third quarter at one point, but Dallas exploded with three fourth quarter touchdowns. Second-year back Charley Young scored twice, and Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson for two other touchdowns. Pearson finished the game with six receptions for 188 yards, which were the most yards he ever had in a single game.

Week 4: Dallas 13, New York 7

Dallas record: 4-0

Playing in swirling winds, the Cowboys did not manage a touchdown until the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Mark Washington picked off Craig Morton and gave the Cowboys great field position. The Cowboys drove in and scored when Staubach hit tight end Jean Fugett from four yards out to give Dallas a 13-7 win.

Week 5: Green Bay 19, Dallas 17

Dallas record: 4-1

Golden Richards fumbled a punt in the fourth quarter with the Cowboys leading 17-12 with just over two minutes left to play. Packer quarterback John Hadl (the longtime former San Diego quarterback) threw a touchdown pass with 1:52 left in the game, giving the Packers the upset win.

Preston Pearson, the former Colt and Steeler who had been acquired just before the regular season began, rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries.

Week 6: Dallas 20, Philadelphia 17

Dallas record: 5-1

Seven different Cowboys had receptions, and Jean Fugett led the group with 7 passes for 93 yards. Roger Staubach had another 300-yard performance, going 27 of 49 for 314 yards with 1 TD and 1 Int.

Still, the Cowboys trailed the Eagles in the fourth quarter. Staubach hit Drew Pearson on a 21-yard pass in the fourth to tie the game, and Toni Fritsch (who had missed two previous attempts) nailed a 42-yarder to give Dallas a 20-17 win.

Week 7: Washington 30, Dallas 24

Dallas record: 5-2

The Cowboys jumped out to a 14-3 lead early, but the Redskins clawed back into it. Washington's Billy Kilmer threw three touchdowns, including a 7-yarder to tight end Jerry Smith that tied the game at 24. Kilmer rushed in from one yard out with six minutes left in overtime to give the Redskins a 30-24 win.

NFC East

The Cowboys could have used a win over Washington in week 7. With the loss, the Cowboys fell into a three-way tie with the Redskins and Cardinals.

1(t). Washington 5-2 (had already beaten St. Louis and Dallas)
1(t). Dallas 5-2 (beat St. Louis but lost to Washington)
1(t). St. Louis 5-2 (lost to Dallas and Washington)
4. N.Y. Giants 3-4
5. Philadelphia 1-6

More References

1975 Dallas Cowboys Statistics and Players (including Box Scores)

Dallas Morning News Stories

DallasCowboys.com: 1975

Coming Up...

Dallas doesn't win the NFC East but gets a wildcard berth.

Another Legend Leaves in 1975: Hayes Shipped to 49ers

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:40:07 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

The labor problems that the league experienced in 1974 continued in 1975. Nearly half the teams in the league reportedly finished in the red in 1974, but the players continued to press for more money. Of the Cowboys, one of the more outspoken Cowboys was future Hall-of-Famer Bob Hayes.

In February 1975, Hayes testified in an antitrust suit brought against the NFL. Although Hayes had claimed that he made only $23,000 between 1968 and 1970, he admitted on cross-examination that he had averaged $87,000 a year between 1971 and 1974.

Hayes' productivity had dropped precipitously since he gained 840 yards in 1971. Heading into the 1975 season, Drew Pearson had emerged as the top receiver, and Golden Richards was developing into a quality #2 receiver. With Hayes about to turn 33 before the 1975 season, Dallas in July traded him to San Francisco for a third-round pick in 1976. He only lasted one season with the 49ers before retiring.

In 10 seasons in Dallas, Hayes caught 365 passes for 7,295 yards and 71 TDs. He still owns the team record for career touchdowns. He ranks fourth on the team's all-time list for receiving yards and seventh on the team's all-time reception list.

* * *

Note: I should have included Hayes in the previous post about the retirement of Bob Lilly, Walt Garrison, and Cornell Green. In fact, the Cowboys traded Hayes before those retirements were announced. The timeline, per dates that the news appeared in the Dallas Morning News:

July 18: Hayes traded.

July 20: Lilly retired.

Aug. 16: Garrison retired.

Sept. 10: Green retired.

* * *

Another player who left during the 1975 offseason was guard John Niland. The team shipped the six-time Pro Bowl selection to Philadelphia, where he played one final season. His replacement at left guard for most of the 1975 season was rookie Burton Lawless.

The Greatest Draft: Dirty Dozen in 1975

Sat, 30 May 2009 23:11:53 +0000

This post is part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Weeks Series.

When we covered the 1964 draft in February, a majority of those who responded indicated that they thought the 1975 was the greatest in team history. The poll also appears below.

This draft was great for a few reasons. The Cowboys filled several holes, especially one right in the middle of their defensive line. Having lost Bob Lilly to retirement, Dallas picked up yet another franchise defensive tackle by taking Randy White of Maryland with the second overall pick. The trade between the Cowboys and Giants for quarterback Craig Morton weighed heavily in the Cowboys' favor, given that Morton only lasted three seasons with the Giants.

With the other first round pick, Dallas picked up Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, who gave the team a replacement for Chuck Howley. The team found a long-term replacement for Lee Roy Jordan by picking up Bob Breunig. Dallas also filled holes on the offensive line, picking up Pat Donovan, Herbert Scott, and Burton Lawless.

Round	Name	Pos.	College	Career
1	Randy White	DT	Maryland	Dallas, 1975-1988
1	Thomas Henderson	LB	Langston	Dallas, 1975-1979; San Francisco, 1980; Houston, 1980
2	Burton Lawless	G	Florida	Dallas, 1975-1979; Detroit, 1979
3	Bob Breunig	LB	Arizona St.	Dallas, 1975-1984
4	Pat Donovan	T	Stanford	Dallas 1975-1983
4	Randy Hughes	DB	Oklahoma	Dallas, 1975-1980
5	Kyle Davis	C	Oklahoma	Dallas, 1975; San Francisco, 1978
6	Rolly Woolsey	DB	Boise State	Dallas, 1975; Seattle, 1976; Cleveland, 1977; St. Louis, 1978
7	Mike Hegman	LB	Tennessee State	Dallas 1976-1987
8	Mitch Hoopes	P	Arizona	Dallas 1975; Houston, 1976; San Diego, 1976; Detroit, 1977
9	Ed Jones	DB	Rutgers	Buffalo, 1975
10	Dennis Booker	RB	Millersville	n/a
11	Greg Krpalek	C	Oregon State	n/a
12	Chuck Bland	DB	Cincinnati	n/a
13	Herbert Scott	G	Virginia Union	Dallas, 1975-1984
14	Scott Laidlaw	RB	Stanford	Dallas, 1975-1979; N.Y. Giants, 1980
15	Willie Hamilton	RB	Arizona	n/a
16	Pete Clark	TE	Colorado State	n/a
17	Jim Testerman	TE	Dayton	n/a

Here is the poll that was first run in February.

Coming up. . .

Strong opening helps Cowboys to a 5-2 start in 1975.