1963: Big Fourth Down Play Spurs Steelers to Defeat of Cowboys

The Pittsburgh Steelers were fighting to remain in the NFL Eastern Conference race as they faced the Dallas Cowboys on December 8, 1963. Coached by Buddy Parker, the Steelers featured a capable offense led by strong-armed QB Ed Brown (pictured above) throwing primarily to split end Buddy Dial and flanker Gary Ballman and a running game led by FB John Henry Johnson. The defense was particularly strong at linebacker, where MLB Myron Pottios anchored a capable unit. Pittsburgh had gotten off to a 6-3-1 start but was coming off of two straight ties to be at 6-3-3 and in desperate need of a win to have any chance at finishing first in the conference.

Dallas was a struggling fourth-year expansion team under Head Coach Tom Landry.  QB Don Meredith was still in the developmental stage, splitting time with veteran Eddie LeBaron, and other players who would be part of the team’s future success were on the roster. But at 3-9, the Cowboys were not yet a formidable NFL presence.

It was a clear but windy day at the Cotton Bowl with 24,136 fans in attendance. The Cowboys scored the first two times they had the ball. On their first series, QB Eddie LeBaron completed a pass to TE Pettis Norman for 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 45. While a holding penalty hindered the advance, Dallas came away with a 53-yard field goal by Sam Baker (pictured at left), taking advantage of the brisk wind at his back.

The Steelers responded with a promising drive but a fumble by Ed Brown was recovered by DE George Andrie at the Dallas 37. The Cowboys drove 63 yards in ten plays and Don Meredith ran the last two yards for a touchdown. LeBaron fumbled the snap on the extra point attempt, thus causing the kick to be aborted, but the home team was ahead by 9-0.

Four plays into the second quarter, Brown went long for Buddy Dial, who made a leaping catch along the right sideline and eluded two defenders to go the distance for a 55-yard touchdown. Lou Michaels converted and the Dallas lead was cut to 9-7.

Late in the period, the Steelers came through with consecutive long passes to score again. Brown threw to Gary Ballman for 32 yards and then hit TE Preston Carpenter in the right corner of the end zone for a 28-yard TD. Michaels added the point after and the visitors were up by 14-9. The Steelers got one more shot with time running down in the first half as Brown connected with Dial for 48 yards and, with two seconds remaining, that set up a 24-yard Michaels field goal that made the score 17-9 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys got a break when a 15-yard face mask penalty on the Steelers moved them into scoring position. Baker was successful with a field goal from 46 yards to narrow the margin to 17-12. Later in the period, Dallas put together a 76-yard advance in eight plays. The biggest was a Meredith throw to Norman that gained 42 yards to the Pittsburgh five and, two plays later, it was Meredith again carrying around end for a four-yard touchdown. Baker converted and the Cowboys were back in front with a 19-17 lead. As the period was coming to a close, it appeared that the Steelers might score, but CB Don Bishop intercepted a Brown pass at the Dallas two to snuff out the threat.

In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were called for having too many players on the field during a punt by the Steelers, but while the resulting five-yard pickup brought Michaels on to the field to try for a 49-yard field goal, the kick was blocked by Bishop, thus preserving the two-point Dallas lead.

Pittsburgh got the ball back following a punt by the Cowboys, but the situation looked bleak. With the game, and season, on the line, and backed up to his own 16 with four minutes left to play and facing fourth-and-14, Brown passed to end Red Mack (pictured at right) out of punt formation for a gain of 42 yards. Four plays later and facing fourth-and-one, Coach Parker gambled on passing up a field goal attempt and John Henry Johnson picked up the needed yardage. Finally, HB Theron Sapp, in for the injured Dick Hoak, broke away for a 24-yard touchdown with 1:53 remaining. Michaels added the field goal and, in a dramatic turn of events, the visitors were in front by five points.

The Cowboys went to the shotgun formation on the ensuing series but flanker Frank Clarke fumbled after catching a pass from Meredith at the Dallas 34 and SS Clendon Thomas recovered to nail down Pittsburgh’s 24-19 win.

The Steelers led in total yards (426 to 263) and first downs (19 to 15). Their attack was balanced, with 211 yards coming on the ground and 219 through the air. Pittsburgh turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Cowboys. The difference nearly came down to placekicking, as Lou Michaels was one of three on field goals with one blocked and Sam Baker was a perfect two-for-two from long distances.

Ed Brown completed just 8 of 18 passes, but they were good for 219 yards and two touchdowns along with one interception. Theron Sapp, picked up from the Eagles during the season, rushed for 119 yards on 20 carries that included the winning TD while John Henry Johnson contributed 68 yards on 21 attempts. Preston Carpenter had three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown and Buddy Dial caught two passes that were good for 103 yards and a score.

For the Cowboys, Don Meredith saw most of the action at quarterback and was five-of-10 for 105 yards with no TDs or interceptions, and he also ran the ball six times for 18 yards and two touchdowns. HB Amos Bullocks topped the runners with 85 yards on 24 attempts and FB Amos Marsh ran the ball 9 times for 48 yards and had a 35-yard catch. Pettis Norman led the club with two pass receptions for 74 yards.

“We knew it was more important than ever to win this one, but it seemed like we just couldn’t get going,” said Theron Sapp. “The turning point was that pass to Red Mack from punt formation. We found new life from that play.”

Pittsburgh’s win set up a showdown with the New York Giants the following week for the Eastern Conference Title. This was a controversial development because the ties, which were not counted in the won-lost percentage at that time, would potentially allow the 7-3-3 Steelers to finish ahead of the 10-3 Giants. However, it became a moot point when the Giants won handily and Pittsburgh dropped all the way to fourth place at 7-4-3. Dallas finished up fifth with a 4-10 record.

As for the two unlikely heroes in Pittsburgh’s dramatic win at Dallas, Theron Sapp’s 119-yard rushing performance was his career high in what was the most productive of seven NFL seasons. He gained a total of 431 yards in 10 games with the Steelers, giving him 452 on 104 carries on the year when combined with his time with the Eagles. In his remaining two seasons with Pittsburgh, he accumulated a total of just 69 rushing yards. Red Mack also had his best season in 1963, catching 25 passes for 618 yards and three touchdowns. He had caught eight passes apiece in each of his first two years with the Steelers in 1961 and ’62 and, in his remaining three seasons that included stints with Philadelphia, Green Bay, and Atlanta, had a total of 11 more pass receptions.

1966: Cowboys Defeat Browns in Pivotal Thanksgiving Matchup

It was a Thanksgiving showdown for control of the NFL Eastern Conference as the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Cleveland Browns on November 24, 1966.

The Cowboys, meticulously guided by Head Coach Tom Landry since the franchise’s creation in 1960, had a 7-2-1 record and were on the way to their first winning season, with the possibility of also topping the conference. QB Don Meredith (pictured at right) was often maligned but coming into his own and HB Dan Reeves had proven to be effective in tandem with FB Don Perkins. Split end Bob Hayes provided speed on the outside, adding to the explosiveness of the offense. The defense was tough and aggressive, especially on the line anchored by DT Bob Lilly and at linebacker, with Chuck Howley and Dave Edwards on the outside and Lee Roy Jordan in the middle.

Cleveland, at 7-3 under Head Coach Blanton Collier, had topped the Eastern Conference in each of the previous two seasons and won a NFL title in ’64. While the Browns lost star FB Jim Brown to retirement, HB Leroy Kelly had proven to be a more-than-capable replacement and combined effectively with FB Ernie Green. QB Frank Ryan remained a good field general and had fine receivers in flanker Gary Collins and split end Paul Warfield. The Browns had won the previous meeting between the teams in Cleveland but the defense was injury-depleted.

There was a record crowd of 75,504 fans in attendance at the Cotton Bowl. Dallas got the first scoring opportunity following a 38-yard punt return by FS Mel Renfro to the Cleveland 20. But while the Cowboys advanced inside the ten yard line, they had to settle for an 11-yard Danny Villanueva field goal.

Dallas again had the ball in excellent field position shortly thereafter when Leroy Kelly fumbled and Bob Lilly recovered at the Cleveland 24. Once again the home team had to settle for three points, however, and Villanueva again connected, this time from 31 yards.

As the game headed into the second quarter, Cleveland had a shot at getting on the board, but Lou Groza missed wide on a 28-yard field goal attempt. On their next series, the Browns drove 81 yards, and this time didn’t come up empty. Frank Ryan threw to Gary Collins for 21 yards to the Dallas one and from there Kelly plunged into the end zone for a touchdown. Groza’s extra point put Cleveland ahead by 7-6.

The Cowboys put together an 87-yard advance that featured Don Meredith completing passes of 12 yards to Don Perkins, 17 to Dan Reeves, and 14 yards to TE Frank Clarke. Meredith completed the series by throwing a swing pass to Reeves for a six-yard TD on a third down play and, with Villanueva’s point after, the home team was back in front by 13-7.

Cleveland responded with an eight-play, 76-yard series that was helped along by a pass interference penalty on CB Warren Livingston. Ryan lobbed a pass to Ernie Green (pictured at left), who easily outran LB Chuck Howley for a 16-yard touchdown. Groza converted and, with 1:07 remaining in the first half, the visitors were ahead by 14-13.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys moved into scoring position thanks to a long pass interference penalty on CB Mike Howell at the Cleveland 21. Meredith picked up a first down on a 10-yard carry to the nine, but the Browns held and Dallas again turned to Villanueva, who was successful on a 12-yard field goal that put the Cowboys back in front by 16-14.

The Browns failed to put points on the board when Groza’s woes continued as he was again wide on a field goal attempt, this time from 31 yards. The Cowboys again drove into Cleveland territory and once more had to call on Villanueva, who was good on a 13-yard field goal that made the score 19-14 with seven seconds remaining in the period.

The Dallas lead was a tenuous 19-14 as the game headed into the fourth quarter, and the Browns were once again in scoring position. But in a pivotal turn of events, a 20-yard field goal attempt by Groza was blocked by SS Mike Gaechter and the Cowboys proceeded to drive 72 yards in 13 plays. The home team converted three third downs along the way as Meredith connected with Bob Hayes for 19 yards in a third-and-15 situation, ran for five yards on third-and-three, and passed to Reeves for seven yards when facing third-and-four at the Cleveland 16. The series ended with Don Perkins running 10 yards for a touchdown. Villanueva converted and, for all intents, sealed the 26-14 Dallas win.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (321 to 304) although Dallas had more first downs (25 to 18). Cleveland suffered the game’s only turnover and the Cowboys, who were aggressive in their pass rushing, recorded five sacks, to none by the visitors. A key factor was the kicking game as Danny Villanueva was perfect on four field goal attempts while Lou Groza failed three times (at age 42, there was speculation that Groza was at the end of his Hall of Fame career, but he did come back for one final season in 1967).

Don Meredith completed 16 of 24 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Don Perkins (pictured at right) ran for 111 yards on 23 carries that included the game-clinching TD and Dan Reeves contributed 49 yards on 14 attempts as well as four catches for 32 yards and a score. Bob Hayes led the Dallas receivers with 6 catches for 54 yards.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan, who was constantly pressured by the Dallas pass rush, was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 190 yards and a TD and with none intercepted. Leroy Kelly gained 115 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included a touchdown and Ernie Green gained 24 yards on 8 attempts and also scored on his lone pass reception. Gary Collins had 5 pass receptions for 92 yards to top the club.

“Dallas just executed better than we did,” summed up Cleveland’s Coach Collier. “We had field position, we had our chances, but we couldn’t capitalize on them.”

The win gave the Cowboys the upper hand in the Eastern Conference race and they ended up first with a 10-3-1 record, losing a closely-fought NFL Championship game to the Green Bay Packers. Cleveland finished in a tie for second with Philadelphia at 9-5.

As a footnote, the arrival of Dallas as a playoff contender would prove to be lasting as the Cowboys went to the postseason in each of the next seven seasons and 18 of 20 between 1966 and ’85.

1979: Eagles Defeat Cowboys in Monday Night Showdown

The Philadelphia Eagles faced an uphill battle as they took on the Dallas Cowboys in a Monday night game on November 12, 1979. Head Coach Dick Vermeil’s team had gotten off to a 6-1 start but, following three straight losses, was at 6-4 and in danger of falling out of contention in the NFC East. QB Ron Jaworski provided gritty leadership, HB Wilbert Montgomery was highly productive both running and receiving, and WR Harold Carmichael (pictured at right) had set a new NFL record by catching a pass in his 106^th consecutive game the previous week. The defense lost its leader, MLB Bill Bergey, to a knee injury in the third week but was proving to be formidable and the kicking game, which had been a sore spot the previous year, was also much improved with the arrival of the barefoot-kicking rookie Tony Franklin.

The Cowboys were the defending NFC Champions and atop the division with an 8-2 record. In their twentieth season under Head Coach Tom Landry, they remained strong on offense with QB Roger Staubach throwing the ball and HB Tony Dorsett carrying, while the defense had weathered some key losses to retirement and injury to keep the club on track. Moreover, they had not lost to the Eagles at home since 1965 and were nine-point favorites.

There were 62,417 fans in attendance at Texas Stadium as well as a national television audience. The Cowboys had the first possession and, after Tony Dorsett ran for 24 yards on a sweep and FB Scott Laidlaw gained another eight, they came through with a big play when Roger Staubach went long to WR Tony Hill for a 48-yard touchdown. Rafael Septien added the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

Following a short series by the Eagles that resulted in a punt, Dallas was again on the move thanks to the running of Dorsett as well as Staubach but, after catching a second down pass, Dorsett was stripped of the ball by LB Jerry Robinson at the Philadelphia 41. It looked as though the reprieve would be a short one, but helped by a defensive holding call that nullified a third down sack, the Eagles maintained possession and Ron Jaworski passed to Harold Carmichael for 16 yards. A few plays later the drive stalled and, facing fourth-and-six, Tony Franklin was short on a 53-yard field goal attempt, but once again a Dallas penalty intervened and moved the visitors up five yards. Now facing fourth-and-one, the offense returned to the field and took the Cowboys by surprise as Jaworski passed to Carmichael for a 32-yard TD. Franklin added the game-tying point after.

Midway through the second quarter, the Eagles were back in scoring position after DB John Sciarra returned a Dallas punt 32 yards. Jaworski threw to Wilbert Montgomery for 15 yards but the series ultimately came up empty when Franklin was wide to the left on a 45-yard field goal try. With Staubach out due to a thigh injury, QB Danny White entered the game and the Cowboys were forced to punt following a short possession.

The Eagles lost their quarterback as well when Jaworski also had to leave the game due to a wrist injury suffered when he was hit by DE Harvey Martin and they turned to their backup, John Walton. The series ended with a punt but WR Steve Wilson of the Cowboys muffed the kick and LB Frank LeMaster recovered at the Dallas 29 with a minute remaining in the first half. The visitors immediately capitalized when Walton threw to WR Charlie Smith for a 29-yard touchdown and, with Franklin’s conversion, Philadelphia was ahead by 14-7.

However, the Eagles weren’t done as SS Randy Logan intercepted a White pass on the ensuing series at the Dallas 42 that set up a club-record 59-yard field goal by Franklin, giving the Eagles not only a 17-7 halftime lead but a psychological lift.

Both starting quarterbacks were back in the game in the third quarter. In a drive that featured the running of Montgomery and FB Leroy Harris, the Eagles advanced into Dallas territory and scored on a Jaworski pass to Carmichael in the right corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Franklin added the extra point to make it a 24-7 contest.

The Cowboys, now in a deeper hole, responded with a five-play possession that started with Staubach passing to Hill for 36 yards to the Philadelphia 31, but they came up empty when Septien’s field goal attempt from 47 yards was short. Later in the period, the Eagles failed to extend their lead when Franklin missed from 52 yards.

With six minutes left to play, Dallas finally got on the board again in electrifying fashion when Staubach threw long again to Hill (pictured at left) for a 75-yard touchdown. Getting the ball back with 2:48 remaining on the clock, the Cowboys advanced 72 yards in nine plays that concluded with another Staubach scoring pass, this time to TE Billy Joe DuPree from five yards out. Septien successfully converted after each TD and the margin was thus narrowed further to 24-21 with 1:19 to play. But any hopes of a stunning comeback were dashed when, on the following series and facing a crucial third down, the Eagles sealed the win as Montgomery broke away for a 37-yard TD. Franklin’s point after capped the 31-21 victory.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (408 to 328) while the teams were even with 17 first downs apiece. However, Dallas turned the ball over five times, to none by the Eagles, and Philadelphia recorded five sacks, to three by the home team.

Ron Jaworski completed just 12 of 29 passes for 145 yards, but two were for touchdowns and there were no interceptions. John Walton was two-of-six for 41 yards and a TD in his relief appearance. Wilbert Montgomery rushed for 127 yards on 25 carries that included a touchdown. Harold Carmichael had four catches for 69 yards and two TDs and Charlie Smith contributed four receptions for 54 yards and a score. John Sciarra had an outstanding night averaging 13.8 yards on six punt returns. Tony Franklin made good on only one of his four field goal attempts, but it was a big one.

For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 308 yards and three TDs with none intercepted. Tony Hill (pictured at left) had a big night in defeat, catching 7 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Tony Dorsett gained 53 yards on 13 rushing attempts and had 7 catches for 64 more yards.

The Eagles climbed to a game behind Dallas with the win. It was the first of four straight and five in the last six games, but Philadelphia lost the rematch with the Cowboys and, while both clubs finished at 11-5, it was Dallas winning the division and the Eagles placing second, although reaching the postseason as a Wild Card. They defeated the Bears in the first round but lost to Tampa Bay at the Divisional level. Dallas also fell in the Divisional round, losing to the Rams.

Both Harold Carmichael and Wilbert Montgomery had Pro Bowl seasons, with Carmichael catching 52 passes for 872 yards (16.8 avg.) and 11 touchdowns and Montgomery gaining 2006 yards from scrimmage (1512 on 338 rushing attempts, 494 on 41 pass receptions) and compiling 14 TDs.

Tony Franklin (pictured at right) ended up kicking 23 field goals out of 31 attempts, with three of them coming from over 50 yards. Prone to inconsistency, his 74.2 percentage was the best of his five years in Philadelphia, although he would go on to better years in New England. The 59-yard field goal against the Cowboys remained his career high by far.

Tony Hill ended up with 60 catches for 1062 yards (17.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns, and received Pro Bowl honors for the second year. His 213-yard pass receiving total against the Eagles remained his career best.

1978: Cowboys Overcome Missed Opportunities to Defeat Cards in OT

It appeared to be a classic mismatch on October 15, 1978 as the Dallas Cowboys, with a 4-2 record, faced the winless St. Louis Cardinals, who were 0-6 and, going back to the previous season, had lost a total of ten straight contests.

Coached by Tom Landry for the 19th season, the Cowboys were the defending NFL Champions and, while off to a somewhat slow start, they remained formidable. QB Roger Staubach (pictured above) directed an offense that could run the ball effectively with HB Tony Dorsett or strike from the air to wide receivers Drew Pearson and Tony Hill. The defense was strong, with the line anchored by DE Harvey Martin and DT Randy White and containing an excellent secondary.

St. Louis had fallen on hard times after winning two division titles under Don Coryell in 1974 and ‘75. Coryell had departed following a 7-7 record in ’77 and Bud Wilkinson, a legendary college coach who had nevertheless been away from the sidelines for many years, was in his place. While the Cardinals had an able quarterback in Jim Hart and a good line, they lacked outside speed at running back. The club had yet to score more than 17 points in a game and the defense had difficulty against the run, giving up 216 yards on the ground in a loss at Dallas three weeks earlier.

There were 48,991 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. In the first quarter and following a fumble by Roger Staubach that was recovered by NT Mike Dawson, the Cardinals advanced 47 yards in seven plays. FB Jim Otis ran for the last two and a touchdown, followed by Jim Bakken’s extra point.

Dallas missed an opportunity a few plays later when SS Charlie Waters nearly intercepted a Hart pass with a clear field in front of him, but dropped the ball. Later, however, and following a punt that had the Cowboys starting from their one yard line, the visitors drove 99 yards in 11 plays. Drew Pearson gained 28 yards on a reverse and Staubach completed passes to Tony Hill for 17 yards and TE Billy Joe DuPree for 20 along the way, and capped the series with a six-yard TD throw to FB Robert Newhouse. Rafael Septien tied the score at 7-7.

The Cards put together their own long drive, covering 87 yards, and Otis again capped it with another touchdown, this time from a yard out. Bakken’s point after put the home team back in front by 14-7. In the last minute of the first half, CB Roger Wehrli intercepted a Staubach pass and Jim Hart connected with HB Steve Jones for a 38-yard gain, but he lost his grip on the ball just short of the goal line and, while WR Pat Tilley nearly recovered in the end zone, CB Aaron Kyle recovered instead for the Cowboys. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

Still up by seven points in the third quarter and with a fourth down at their 37, the Cards were forced to punt. However, punter Steve Little dropped the snap and, while he recovered, was unable to run past the line of scrimmage. Dallas quickly capitalized on the next play, utilizing trickery. Tony Dorsett took a handoff, gave the ball to Drew Pearson coming around on an apparent reverse, and the wide receiver then flipped it back to Staubach, who threw long to Tony Hill in the corner of the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown. Septien added the game-tying extra point.

Two minutes later, and following Harvey Martin’s sack of Hart that had Little punting from his own end zone, WR Butch Johnson returned the line-drive kick 23 yards to the St. Louis 15. Helped along by a pass interference penalty, the Cowboys scored when Staubach connected with Hill for another TD, this time from six yards out. Septien’s conversion had the Cowboys in front by 21-14 with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter.

St. Louis came back with a nine-play, 68-yard series that stretched into the fourth quarter.  Hart threw to WR Mel Gray for gains of 30 and 19 yards and finished the possession off with a one-yard toss to HB Wayne Morris for a touchdown. Bakken’s conversion knotted the score again at 21-21.

Later in the period, the Cards drove from their 17 to the Dallas 16, but with 2:54 left in regulation, Bakken missed a 33-yard field goal attempt that struck the left upright, one of several instances in which both teams missed opportunities to win in regulation.

As the clock counted down to less than a minute to play, the Cards lost Hart, who was sacked again by Martin and had to leave the game due to a shoulder injury. With rookie QB Steve Pisarkiewicz now behind center, the Cards punted shortly thereafter and another good return by Johnson gave Dallas excellent field position at the St. Louis 32. Staubach passed to Pearson for 15 yards and, with the ball at the St. Louis 16, it appeared that the Cowboys were on the verge of putting the game away. Newhouse fumbled on the next play, however, and LB Steve Neils recovered for St. Louis. Pisarkiewicz then threw long for Gray, but it was intercepted by FS Cliff Harris. Staubach connected with Pearson to pick up 25 yards and, once again, Dallas had a shot to win. But with the clock down to one second, Septien’s 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DE John Zook and, following an eventful final minute of regulation, the game headed into overtime.

The Cowboys won the toss to start the extra period and, taking possession at their 23 after the kickoff, Staubach started off with two completions before he had to leave due to injury. It didn’t deter Dallas as Newhouse carried for 13 yards, Dorsett for six, and Septien kicked a 47-yard field goal at 3:28 into the extra period. The Cowboys came away with a hard-fought 24-21 victory.

Dallas led in total yards (418 to 372) and first downs (24 to 21). The Cowboys also recorded three sacks, to one by St. Louis. However, the visitors turned the ball over four times, to three by the Cards, and amassed 12 penalties at a cost of 109 yards while St. Louis was flagged four times.

Roger Staubach completed 23 of 40 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Drew Pearson had 7 catches for 101 yards and carried the ball twice for 34 yards while Tony Hill contributed three receptions for 60 yards and two TDs. Tony Dorsett was held to 24 yards on 12 carries and Robert Newhouse topped the Dallas runners with 47 yards on 12 attempts against a surprisingly stiff St. Louis defense. Butch Johnson averaged 15.8 yards on four punt returns.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart (pictured at right) was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 264 yards and a TD while being picked off once. Jim Otis gained 88 yards on 28 rushing attempts that included two touchdowns and Wayne Morris added 30 yards on 13 carries and had a TD among his four pass receptions for 26 yards. Mel Gray gained a team-leading 89 yards on his four catches.

Roger Staubach missed no time with his injury, which was minor, and while it was initially projected that Jim Hart would be out for at least three weeks, he missed just one. The Cowboys won their next game, lost two, and didn’t lose again as they finished atop the NFC East with a 12-4 record. They again reached the Super Bowl before losing to Pittsburgh. The Cardinals fell to 0-8 before turning around and winning six of their last eight contests. St. Louis ended up with a 6-10 tally and placed fourth in the division.

1974: Vikings Thwart Dallas Rally with Last-Second Field Goal

Two perennial contenders, the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, faced off on October 6, 1974, but the teams were in very different places as they headed into the fourth week of the NFL season. The Vikings, coached by Bud Grant for the eighth year, were the defending NFC Champions and off to a 3-0 start. Dallas had been to the playoffs in each of the previous eight years under Head Coach Tom Landry, but was 1-2 and had scored only 16 points combined in the previous two games.

There were 57,847 fans in attendance at Texas Stadium, and the Cowboys struck first four minutes into the contest with a big play when QB Roger Staubach threw to WR Golden Richards for a 58-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. Before the opening period was over, the Vikings narrowed the margin to 7-3 with a 48-yard Fred Cox field goal.

Early in the second quarter, the Cowboys reached the Minnesota 38 but a Staubach pass was intercepted by LB Amos Martin. Three plays later, QB Fran Tarkenton (pictured at top) threw down the middle to FB Chuck Foreman, who was isolated on LB D.D. Lewis, and it was complete for a 66-yard TD. Cox added the point after and the visitors were in front by 10-7.

Minnesota continued to thwart the Cowboys, and Staubach, whose slump had contributed to the club’s offensive woes, was the principal victim. He was picked off a second time, by CB Nate Wright at the Dallas 21, but while the Vikings got more points, they were forced to settle for a 30-yard Cox field goal and took a 13-7 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, Wright intercepted Staubach again, on this occasion grabbing the ball away from WR Drew Pearson at the Minnesota 36. The Vikings advanced 64 yards in eight plays, the last a toss to Foreman (pictured at left), who made a leaping grab over Lewis in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Cox’s point after gave Minnesota an extended lead of 20-7.

A fourth interception of a Staubach pass, this time by DB Terry Brown at the Dallas 31, had the restless home crowd booing. However, the defense pushed the Vikings back and the tide began to turn in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys put together a 39-yard drive featuring a Staubach completion to HB Calvin Hill for 22 yards and two runs by Hill for six yards apiece. The series culminated in Staubach throwing to FB Walt Garrison for a five yard touchdown and Herrera’s kick narrowed the score to 20-14.

With 8:26 left in regulation, a poor punt by Minnesota’s Mike Eischeid traveled only 11 yards and gave the Cowboys the ball at their 40. Dallas took advantage, driving 60 yards in eight plays. At one point, Hill fumbled on a third-and-three play at the Minnesota 22 but the Cowboys still ended up with five yards and a first down when WR Bob Hayes recovered. Three plays later, Hill ran for an eight-year touchdown and, with Herrera adding the extra point, the Cowboys were ahead by 21-20 with 2:26 remaining to play.

In response, the Vikings advanced 68 yards, with Tarkenton connecting with RB Ed Marinaro for a key first down. The breaks now began to go Minnesota’s way again. First, Tarkenton appeared to fumble when hit by CB Benny Barnes on a blitz, but the officials ruled that the play was dead before the quarterback lost the ball.  Then, passing in a third-and-12 situation, Foreman gained 17 yards but fumbled, still managing to recover amid a crowd of defenders.  Tarkenton followed up with another throw to Marinaro for 20 yards and that set up a 27-yard Fred Cox field goal attempt with one second left on the clock. While the officials were slow to signal as the kick passed near the right upright, it was successful. The Cowboys disputed the call but Minnesota was the winner by a final score of 23-21.

The Vikings led in total yards (376 to 273) and first downs (18 to 16). Dallas outrushed Minnesota (144 to 111) but the Vikings had far more net passing yards (265 to 129) and the Cowboys turned the ball over four times, all on interceptions, to none by Minnesota.

Fran Tarkenton completed 17 of 27 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Chuck Foreman accumulated 203 yards from scrimmage, gaining 72 yards on 23 rushing attempts and 121 on five pass receptions that included two TDs.

For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach had a rough performance as he succeeded on just 9 of 20 throws for 144 yards and two TDs, giving up four interceptions. Calvin Hill (pictured at right) ran for 95 yards and a TD on 21 carries and was one of three Dallas players with a team-leading two pass receptions. Golden Richards, with his one long scoring catch at the beginning of the game, led the club with 58 receiving yards.

“Tarkenton is a gifted quarterback,” said Coach Tom Landry in defeat. “He’s been playing this game for 15 years and he has picked up a lot of knowledge.”

Minnesota reached 5-0 before losing two straight, but breezed to the NFC Central title with a 10-4 record. The Vikings again won the conference championship but lost to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys dropped to 1-4 the following week before reeling off four straight wins and seven in their last nine games, and they managed to lead the NFL in total yards (4983). The poor start doomed them, however, as they finished at 8-6 and third in the NFC East, missing the postseason for the first time since 1965.

Fran Tarkenton, in his 14^th year, passed for an NFC-leading 2598 yards and was chosen to the Pro Bowl as well as being a second-team All-NFC selection by UPI. Chuck Foreman continued to be productive both running and catching the ball, with 777 yards on 199 rushing attempts, 586 yards on 53 pass receptions, and a total of 15 touchdowns. He was also a consensus second-team All-NFL and first-team All-NFC selection and was named to the Pro Bowl for the second year.

Things ultimately got better for Roger Staubach, but as it was he still had his poorest season as a starting quarterback. His completion percentage (52.8), yards per attempt (7.1), and passer rating (68.4) were all career lows and he threw more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (11).  But it proved to be an aberration in his Hall of Fame career; he would never again miss selection to the Pro Bowl in his five remaining years with the Cowboys.

1982: Third Quarter Surge Lifts Steelers to Win Against Cowboys

With the threat of an impending players’ strike looming, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys met in a first-week Monday night game on September 13, 1982. There were streaks on the line as the Steelers had beaten Dallas four straight times, including twice in Super Bowl meetings, while the Cowboys had won 18 consecutive season-opening games.

Pittsburgh was entering its 14^th season under Head Coach Chuck Noll, and four of those campaigns had ended with NFL Championships. However, the Steelers missed the postseason the previous two years, including 1981 when they broke even at 8-8. Many of the aging stalwarts of the title-winning years were still on the roster, including QB Terry Bradshaw, FB Franco Harris, WR John Stallworth (pictured above), LB Jack Ham, and CB Mel Blount.  But DT “Mean Joe” Greene had retired and MLB Jack Lambert was injured and would be replaced by David Little, one of several rookies debuting on defense.

The Cowboys were coached by Tom Landry, as they had been since 1960, and coming off back-to-back 12-4 seasons that had concluded with losses in the NFC title game. QB Danny White was solid, if not spectacular, and there were dependable targets in wide receivers Tony Hill and Drew Pearson plus tight ends Billy Joe DuPree and Doug Cosbie. RB Tony Dorsett was coming off of a 1646-yard rushing season that nearly topped the NFL. The defense remained tough from front to back, even with the retirements of SS Charlie Waters and OLB D.D. Lewis.

There were 63,431 fans in attendance for the nationally-televised contest at Texas Stadium with the game-time temperature at 85 degrees. On the opening kickoff, DB Fred Bohannon of the Steelers fumbled after returning it 33 yards and the Cowboys recovered at the Pittsburgh 41. However, after driving to the 15, they turned the ball over when an errant handoff was recovered by David Little.

The Steelers struck back, gaining 26 yards on three plays before Terry Bradshaw threw to John Stallworth for a 48-yard pickup to the Dallas six yard line. A running play lost yardage, but Bradshaw again connected with Stallworth, this time in the corner of the end zone where he outmaneuvered CB Dennis Thurman for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt failed when rookie holder Rick Woods muffed the snap, but the visitors held the early lead.

The Cowboys advanced 66 yards in eight plays that featured Danny White falling at one point but recovering to throw to Doug Cosbie for a 30-yard gain. The drive ended with White passing to Drew Pearson for a four-yard TD and, with Rafael Septien successfully converting, the home team was up by 7-6.

Pittsburgh responded with a nine-play, 61-yard series that stretched into the second quarter. It concluded with Bradshaw firing a pass to WR Jim Smith, who made a diving catch in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown. Gary Anderson, appearing in his first regular season game, was successful on the point after this time and the visitors were back on top by 13-7.

Dallas came back with an 80-yard drive in 10 plays. Facing third-and-two at the Pittsburgh 12, a scrambling White connected with Cosbie in the end zone for a TD. Septien booted the extra point and the Cowboys led by 14-13. Each club had a chance to add three points before the end of the half, but Septien missed wide on a 52-yard field goal attempt and Anderson’s 35-yard try for the Steelers was blocked by DT John Dutton. Dallas maintained a one-point edge at halftime.

On the first possession of the third quarter, the Cowboys were forced to punt from their 16. DE Keith Willis charged in from the left side to block Danny White’s kick and Pittsburgh took possession at the 19. Five plays later, Thurman was called for pass interference at the goal line and RB Frank Pollard powered in from the one for a touchdown. Anderson added the extra point and the visitors were in front by 20-14.

On the next Dallas possession, a third down pass by White was deflected and intercepted by Rick Woods, playing at safety, who returned it 12 yards to the Dallas 35. The Steelers took five plays to reach the end zone as Franco Harris started off with an eight-yard carry and Pollard ran 11 yards around end. Bradshaw threw to Jim Smith for a 15-yard TD and Anderson converted to extend the lead to 27-14.

Three plays into the next Cowboy series, White was again picked off, this time by Jack Ham. Bradshaw threw to Stallworth for a gain of 21 yards but the Pittsburgh drive was halted short of a touchdown this time, although Anderson booted a 26-yard field goal. Down by a point at the half, the Steelers were now ahead by 30-14.

The Cowboys went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and punted from their 21. Taking over at the Dallas 48, Pittsburgh advanced 22 yards and, early in the fourth quarter, Anderson added a 43-yard field goal to expand the lead to 33-14.

Now in a deep hole, the Cowboys fought back on a five-play, 76-yard drive that concluded with White throwing long for Tony Hill (pictured at left) and a 45-yard touchdown. Septien converted to make the score 33-21.

The Cowboys regained possession at their 32 and White connected with Cosbie for a 26-yard gain and, on a trick play, White tossed the ball to Pearson who fired long to Hill for 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. A pass by White to Hill in the end zone was dropped but the Steelers were penalized for illegal contact. Now with a first down at the Pittsburgh 10, an offside penalty moved the ball five yards further and White tossed another scoring pass, this time to Billy Joe DuPree. The Pittsburgh lead was narrowed to 33-28 with 5:47 remaining in regulation.

The Steelers, needing to run the clock down, put together a long drive of 49 yards in 10 plays that featured Bradshaw connecting with RB/WR Greg Hawthorne for 22 yards on a first-and-20 play following a holding penalty and with TE Bennie Cunningham for a three-yard completion to convert a third-and-three situation at the Dallas 36. After three running plays, Anderson came in kick a 40-yard field goal that clinched the 36-28 win for Pittsburgh.

Dallas accumulated more total yards (436 to 388) and first downs (28 to 23). However, the Cowboys also turned the ball over four times, to one by the Steelers, and in the crucial third quarter that was the key to Pittsburgh building a big lead. The Steelers also recorded three sacks, to one for Dallas, but were penalized eight times while three flags were thrown on the Cowboys.

Terry Bradshaw (pictured at right) completed 17 of 28 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. John Stallworth had a big night with 7 catches for 137 yards and a TD. Jim Smith caught two passes for 22 yards and both were good for touchdowns. Franco Harris rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries, the fortieth hundred-yard game of his career, and also had three pass receptions for 29 yards.

For the Cowboys, Danny White was successful on 25 of 36 throws for 347 yards and four TDs while being intercepted twice. Two receivers reached the hundred yard threshold with Tony Hill pulling in 6 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown and Doug Cosbie caught 5 for 102 yards and a score. Tony Dorsett topped the club with 30 yards on 11 rushing attempts and also had 5 receptions for 44 yards.

“We lost it in the third quarter,” said Coach Tom Landry in defeat. “You can’t expect to give a team what we gave them and expect to beat them. You can’t expect to give a team like that five turnovers and do anything. The whole game was the third quarter.”

Both teams won the following week, after which the players’ strike materialized and wiped out the next two months. When they returned to action in November, each went on to finish at 6-3 in the abbreviated season. With divisions eliminated for the year, for Pittsburgh that meant a fourth-place ranking in the AFC. The Steelers lost to San Diego in the first round of the resulting postseason tournament. Dallas was second in the NFC and again reached the NFC Championship game, losing to the Washington Redskins.

1965: Cowboys Rally in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Steelers

On November 14, 1965 the struggling Dallas Cowboys hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had beaten them two weeks previously. In their sixth season under Head Coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys had started the season with two big wins before dropping five consecutive games, finally breaking the streak with a win over the 49ers the previous week to be at 3-5. At the center of the storm was QB Don Meredith (pictured above), who had a bad elbow and delivered uneven performances, and was challenged by backups Jerry Rhome and Craig Morton. The running game lacked outside speed but rookie split end Bob Hayes provided plenty of that for the passing game and was one of several promising young players on the roster.

Pittsburgh’s season had gotten off to a bad start two weeks before it started when Head Coach Buddy Parker abruptly quit. Mike Nixon took his place and the team lost its first five games. Veteran FB John Henry Johnson went down with a knee injury, 37-year-old QB Ed Brown was ineffectual, and his young replacement, QB Bill Nelsen, was hampered by a bad knee. While the Steelers won two straight games, they were coming off of a loss the previous week and had a 2-6 record coming into Dallas.

A big crowd of 57,923 was in attendance at the Cotton Bowl on a warm afternoon. The fans booed Don Meredith during pregame introductions and he was a target of disaffection for much of the contest. The Steelers got the first break when safety Willie Daniel intercepted a Meredith pass and returned it nine yards to the Dallas 44. In a drive that took seven plays, HB Dick Hoak carried for the last three, gaining eight and five yards before scoring on a three-yard touchdown. Mike Clark added the extra point.

Bob Hayes returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to the Dallas 43 and the Cowboys took eight plays to advance the remaining distance. Meredith rolled out and threw to split end Frank Clarke in the left corner of the end zone for a one-yard TD and Danny Villanueva’s kick tied the game at 7-7.

In the second quarter, a promising Dallas series ended with an interception by DB Bob Sherman. The Steelers had to punt, with Frank Lambert’s kick sailing into the end zone for a touchback, and this time the Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over. Meredith completed passes to Hayes, FB Don Perkins, and rookie HB Dan Reeves to reach the Pittsburgh 13, but the advance stalled there and the home team settled for a 33-yard field goal by Villanueva to move ahead by 10-7.

The teams settled into a stalemate until late in the period. Bill Nelsen threw deep to split end Roy Jefferson for a gain of 45 yards and he nearly went farther before being tripped up by safety Obert Logan at the Dallas 21. Nelsen followed up with another completion, this time to flanker Gary Ballman at the two. Rolling to his left on the next play, the quarterback overthrew FB Mike Lind, who was open in the end zone, but the Cowboys were called for an offside penalty and the ball was placed at the one. Nelsen twice tried to sneak across the goal line but was stopped, and on fourth down Hoak was held to no gain.

Dallas was forced to punt on the ensuing series and safety Clendon Thomas, calling for a fair catch, muffed the kick and DB Don Bishop recovered for the Cowboys at the Pittsburgh 41. But the score remained unchanged at halftime when Villanueva’s 46-yard field goal attempt sailed to the right.

Pittsburgh had the first possession in the third quarter and drove to a 32-yard field goal by Clark that tied the score at 10-10. Late in the period, the Steelers’ punt return unit made a big play when Hayes fumbled a kick by Lambert and TE Lee Folkins, an ex-Cowboy, grabbed the bouncing ball and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. Clark added the PAT and the Steelers were ahead by 17-10.

In the fourth quarter, a Nelsen pass was picked off by CB Cornell Green at the Dallas 49. The Cowboys advanced 51 yards in five plays, the biggest a Meredith pass to Reeves that gained 47 yards. Reeves ran the last two yards for a TD and Villanueva knotted the score once again at 17-17.

Another interception of a Nelsen pass, this time by safety Mel Renfro, gave the Cowboys the ball once more near midfield, but Meredith fumbled when hit from behind and Pittsburgh LB John Campbell picked up the loose ball and ran to the Dallas 28. Helped by a penalty on the defense, the Steelers moved to the 17 with Ed Brown now in the game at quarterback. But Brown, throwing toward Jefferson near the goal line, gave up an interception to Logan instead.

The Steelers got another shot with less than three minutes remaining to play, and the result was yet another interception, this time by LB Dave Edwards. After HB Perry Lee Dunn ran for four yards to the Pittsburgh 28 just prior to the two-minute warning, Meredith connected with Hayes, who caught the ball at the 12 and broke away from CB Brady Keys for a 28-yard touchdown. Villanueva converted and the Cowboys won by a final score of 24-17.

Dallas had the lead in total yards (341 to 197) and first downs (15 to 12). The Steelers, who gained just 50 yards on the ground, hurt themselves with six turnovers, five of which were interceptions, although the Cowboys turned the ball over five times. Both teams recorded four sacks apiece.

Don Meredith completed 14 of 31 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted twice. Bob Hayes (pictured below) accounted for 5 catches for 95 yards and the game-winning TD. Perry Lee Dunn led the club with 47 rushing yards on 13 carries and added another 26 on two pass receptions. Dan Reeves ran for just 10 yards on 6 carries but gained 73 yards on three catches.

For the Steelers, Bill Nelsen was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 172 yards with no TDs and two were picked off. Ed Brown had no completions in four attempts, three of which were intercepted. Roy Jefferson had a big performance by catching four passes for 108 yards. Mike Lind led the rushers with 26 yards on 9 attempts and had four pass receptions for 25 yards.

The win put the Cowboys in a tie for third in the Eastern Conference at 4-5 and, while they lost their next two games, they finished strong with three victories to tie for second with the Giants in the Eastern Conference at 7-7, their first non-losing record. It set the stage for a first place showing in ’66. As for the Steelers, they failed to win again the rest of the way, typically being blown out as they ended up in the conference’s basement after compiling a 2-12 tally.

Don Meredith completed only 46.2 percent of his passes due to his slow start, but ended up throwing for 2415 yards and 22 touchdowns as adjustments to the offense allowed him to utilize his mobility to better effect. Bob Hayes had 46 catches for 1003 yards (21.8 avg.) and scored 12 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl.

1981: White Rallies Cowboys in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Dolphins

The Dallas Cowboys were at 5-2 and seeking to keep pace in the NFC East as they hosted the Miami Dolphins on October 25, 1981. Under the direction of Head Coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys were perennial contenders that had reached the NFC Championship game the previous year, and even amidst retooling remained a powerful team. QB Danny White (pictured above) was an able passer with a fine stable of receivers and RB Tony Dorsett an outstanding ground gainer. The defensive backfield had been a question mark early on but was benefiting from the play of cornerbacks Everson Walls, an undrafted rookie, and Dennis Thurman, formerly a safety, as well as first-year FS Michael Downs.

Miami, coached by Don Shula, came into the game at 5-1-1. Second-year QB David Woodley directed the talented offense that contained RB Tony Nathan, a productive all-purpose back, and a fine group of receivers led by WR Duriel Harris. The defense was strongest up front.

There were 64,221 fans in attendance at Texas Stadium. The Dolphins had the game’s first possession and punted. Tony Dorsett ran for 16 yards on first down, but two plays later he fumbled after gaining 19 yards on a screen pass from Danny White and CB Gerald Small recovered for Miami. It took just three plays for the Cowboys to regain possession thanks to an interception by Everson Walls, giving them the ball at the Dallas 38. White threw to WR Butch Johnson for 25 yards, Dorsett ran for 11 more on a second-and-seven play, and White connected with TE Jay Saldi for another 13 yards. FB Ron Springs plowed into the end zone from five yards out and Rafael Septien added the extra point. In response, the Dolphins methodically advanced to the Dallas 30, but a run by Tony Nathan to try and convert a fourth-and-inches situation was stopped short by LB Bob Breunig.

In the second quarter, and following an exchange of punts, Miami put together an 87-yard drive in eight plays. Woodley (pictured at left) completed passes to WR Jimmy Cefalo for 31 yards and Duriel Harris for 30 and his five-yard toss to Nathan was good for a TD. However, the extra point attempt failed when Uwe van Schamann, who had been successful on 70 straight, hit the right upright. The Cowboys maintained a 7-6 lead.

The Cowboys drove 80 yards in ten plays to another score with Dorsett carrying for 12, 9, and 18 yards and White throwing to WR Drew Pearson for a gain of 23 yards to the Miami 25 in a second-and-24 situation following a sack. Three plays later, and after converting a fourth down, Johnson got beyond CB Gerald Small and caught a pass from White for a 21-yard touchdown. Septien converted to make the score 14-6 with 55 seconds left in the first half, and that remained the tally at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, following a punt by the Cowboys, David Woodley threw long to Cefalo who went 69 yards for a touchdown. Van Schamann added the point after this time and the visitors were again behind by a point at 14-13.

The teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the period. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Dolphins were in Dallas territory and threatening, but Woodley threw a pass that was intercepted by Dennis Thurman. The Cowboys lost 13 yards in three plays, however, and White punted to give the Dolphins possession at the Dallas 42. Woodley passed to Cefalo for 32 yards to set up a 10-yard throw to Nathan for a TD. Van Schamann converted and the Dolphins were in front by 20-14.

Passes by White to WR Tony Hill that gained 21 and 24 yards had Dallas in Miami territory, but an interception by LB Earnest Rhone appeared to sink the Cowboys when, eight plays later and after Woodley threw to Harris for a 45-yard gain, he rolled out and tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to TE Joe Rose. Van Schamann’s kick extended the visitors’ lead to 27-14 with 5:16 remaining in regulation.

Dallas responded with a five-play, 79-yard drive. White threw to Hill for a pickup of 38 yards and, with 3:48 remaining to play, he connected with TE Doug Cosbie for a five-yard touchdown. Septien’s point after made it a six-point game at 27-21.

No sooner had the Dolphins gone back on offense when, with Coach Shula choosing to go to the air rather than keeping the ball on the ground, Woodley threw a pass that was intercepted by Thurman, who returned it 12 yards. White immediately threw to Springs, who had beaten LB Bob Brudzinski, for a 32-yard TD. Septien added the all-important PAT and the second scoring pass in 31 seconds moved the Cowboys in front by a single point.

The Dolphins weren’t out of it yet and they drove deep into Dallas territory, the big play a Woodley throw to Harris for 41 yards to the Dallas 28, but two plays later, with the clock now down to 58 seconds, Walls (pictured below) intercepted a Woodley pass at the four yard line. The Cowboys ran three plays and, coming up a yard short of a first down, were forced to punt from their 31. Woodley threw to Rose for 12 yards but, in the final seconds, Michael Downs intercepted a pass at the Dallas 42 to finally secure the 28-27 win for the Cowboys.

The teams combined for 1006 yards, with Miami having the most (529 to 466) and also the edge in first downs (25 to 23). However, the Dolphins also turned the ball over five times, to two by Dallas. The Cowboys were credited with three sacks, to two by Miami. Ultimately, the contest came down to the missed extra point in the first half.

Danny White completed 22 of 32 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns, two of them leading Dallas from behind in the final minutes, and gave up one interception. Tony Dorsett rushed for 122 yards on 24 carries and caught three passes for 31 more yards. Ron Springs had 6 pass receptions for 93 yards and a TD and Tony Hill gained 106 yards on his five catches. Butch Johnson contributed three receptions for 68 yards and a score. On defense, Dennis Thurman and Everson Walls accounted for two interceptions apiece that proved critical.

For the Dolphins, David Woodley was successful on 21 of 37 throws for a then-team-record 408 yards and three TDs, although he gave up five interceptions. Four of the pickoffs came in the fourth quarter and three in the last four minutes of play. Duriel Harris caught 6 passes for 165 yards and Jimmy Cefalo (pictured at right) gained 164 yards on five receptions that included the long touchdown. Tony Nathan led the club in rushing with 76 yards on 16 attempts with one TD.

“We knew we weren’t dead with five minutes to play,” said Danny White. “We’ve made up two touchdowns in shorter time than that before.”

“We were in great shape to win the football game and we made some big, big mistakes offensively,” said Don Shula from the Miami perspective. “Defensively, we couldn’t stop them when we had to stop them at the end. It could have been one of our great wins. Instead, it turns out to be a bitter defeat.”

The win kept the Cowboys a game behind the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles, who they defeated the following week, and they ended up topping the NFC East with a 12-4 record. They overwhelmed Tampa Bay in the Divisional round before being edged by the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. Miami went 6-2 the rest of the way to finish first in the AFC East at 11-4-1. They lost an epic Divisional playoff game to San Diego in overtime.

Danny White ranked second in NFC passing (87.5 rating) and yards per attempt (7.9) while throwing for 3098 yards and 22 touchdowns. Tony Dorsett was second in NFL rushing (1646 yards) and was a first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection. Everson Walls intercepted a league-high 11 passes, also garnering Pro Bowl honors, and Dennis Thurman was close behind with 9.

David Woodley’s 408 passing yards against the Cowboys remained his career high (by far). He threw for  2470 yards and 12 TDs, against 13 interceptions, in what was his most productive year as a NFL quarterback. Likewise, the 164 receiving yards remained Jimmy Cefalo’s career best (and his only hundred-yard performance). He had 29 catches in ’81 for 631 yards (21.8 avg.) and three touchdowns.

1950: Giants Erupt for 16 Points in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Steelers

The New York Giants were a refurbished club as they commenced a new NFL season against the Steelers at Pittsburgh on September 17, 1950. Head Coach Steve Owen was back for a 20^th year and the Giants had gone 6-6 in ’49 following two losing records. With the demise of the rival All-America Football Conference, New York had picked up some key players from the AAFC’s Yankees, including DT Arnie Weinmeister (pictured at right) and defensive backs Otto Schnellbacher, Tom Landry, and Harmon Rowe. Rookie FB Eddie Price joined HB Gene “Choo-Choo” Roberts in the backfield while QB Charlie Conerly was back for a third season.

The Steelers were coached by John Michelosen, entering his third year, and remained the NFL’s last holdout in running a single-wing offense. With Joe Geri typically lining up at tailback, Pittsburgh was a low-scoring, ground oriented team, and it was thanks to a strong defense that the Steelers had accumulated a 6-5-1 record in 1949.

There were 24,699 fans at Forbes Field for the season-opening contest, and they saw a scoreless first quarter. While the Steelers couldn’t move offensively, a 74-yard quick kick pinned the Giants back at their 10. Early in the second quarter, the Steelers got their initial first down of the game on a pass by tailback Bob Gage to end Charlie Mehelich. The possession amounted to nothing, and the Giants missed out on a score when Ray Poole’s field goal attempt from 40 yards fell short.

Inside the last two minutes of the first half, a long pass by Charlie Conerly was intercepted by DHB Howard Hartley, running at full stride. He was pushed into the end zone by Gene Roberts, and it was ruled that Hartley had caught the ball on the field of play before crossing the goal line. Thus, the Giants picked up a safety despite giving up an interception.

New York led by 2-0 at halftime as both offenses were stymied. The Steelers, in particular, managed only one first down in the first half.

Pittsburgh started the third quarter off with a promising drive that reached the New York 29 in six plays, but a fumble by FB Fran Rogel was recovered by safety Otto Schnellbacher to snuff out the threat. The Steelers made out better on their next series, advancing 65 yards in seven plays. A short third down pass by tailback Tom “Shorty” McWilliams was caught by Rogel, who gained 63 yards to the New York two. The Giants stiffened on defense and it took four tries before FB Jerry Shipkey (pictured at left) finally penetrated the end zone for a touchdown. Joe Geri added the extra point and the score stood at 7-2 heading into the fourth quarter.

It looked bad for the home team when Gage fumbled and the Giants recovered at the Pittsburgh six. But the Steelers came through with a goal line stand and the visitors came up short at the one foot line, turning the ball over on downs. However McWilliams, back in punt formation from his own end zone during the ensuing series, was supposed to fake the kick and run to his right, but the snap sailed past him and over the end line for another safety. Pittsburgh’s lead was narrowed to 7-4 with 12 minutes remaining to play.

Once again the Steelers turned the ball over as DT Arnie Weinmeister recovered a fumble by HB Jerry Nuzum at the Pittsburgh six. And once again the defense kept the Giants out of the end zone, with the Steelers regaining possession on downs at their one. Once more the home team was forced to punt from its own end zone, with a limping Joe Geri back deep, but he muffed the snap and DT Al DeRogatis recovered for the Giants for a touchdown. Poole kicked the extra point and New York was back on top by a score of 11-7.

The Steelers went to the air in response as tailback Jim Finks completed two first-down passes to end Elbie Nickel. But another pass by Finks was intercepted by DHB Harmon Rowe, who fumbled after returning it 32 yards, and while OT Frank Wydo recovered for the Steelers, he fumbled in turn. DE Ray Poole recovered for the Giants and lateraled to safety Tom Landry (pictured at right), who ran 37-yards for a touchdown to complete the odd sequence. Poole added the point after and, with less than a minute remaining in the contest, the game was clinched for New York, which won by a final score of 18-7.

Total yards were nearly even in the defensive struggle, with the Steelers holding a 198 to 197 edge, and each team accumulated 10 first downs apiece. The Giants were more effective running the ball, with 167 yards to Pittsburgh’s 34, but Charlie Conerly completed only three of 13 passes for 30 yards as he faced a steady rush from Pittsburgh’s defense. New York recorded seven sacks, to none by the Steelers, and Pittsburgh also turned the ball over a staggering nine times, to two suffered by the visitors, with six coming on a total of seven fumbles.

The Giants won their next two games before losing to the Steelers in the rematch in New York, but they lost only one more game on the way to a 10-2 record that tied them for first in the American Conference with Cleveland. However, after defeating the Browns twice during the regular season (making them the one team that appeared to have solved the juggernaut that came to the NFL from the AAFC), New York lost in the Divisional playoff.

Pittsburgh continued to have problems putting points on the board and was the league’s lowest-scoring team, although again the rugged defense allowed the club to remain competitive. The Steelers broke even at 6-6 to finish in a third place tie in the conference with Philadelphia.

1983: Redskins Defeat Cowboys for NFC Championship

Two fierce NFC East rivals, the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys, met for the conference championship on January 22, 1983. With divisions set aside due to a 57-day strike by the players that limited the schedule to nine games, Washington topped the NFC with an 8-1 record and the Cowboys ranked second at 6-3. The usual playoff format was set aside for a tournament of the top eight teams in each conference. Washington easily defeated Detroit and Minnesota in the first two rounds to advance to the NFC title game, and the Cowboys got past the Buccaneers and Packers.

Washington had last been in the postseason in 1976 and was appearing for the first time under second-year Head Coach Joe Gibbs. Little had been expected of the Redskins coming into the ’82 season, but things fell into place on both sides of the ball. On offense, the line, known as “the Hogs”, coalesced into the league’s best unit. QB Joe Theismann had a Pro Bowl year and, while WR Art Monk was missing in the postseason with a broken foot, WR Charlie Brown was coming off of a fine year in which he was also selected to the Pro Bowl. Workhorse 33-year-old RB John Riggins (pictured above) was stepping up in the playoffs with hundred-yard performances in the two wins. The defense had improved dramatically since the preceding year and led the league in fewest points allowed in the short season. Mark Moseley received rare MVP plaudits for a placekicker with his 20 field goals in just 21 attempts.

The Cowboys, coached for the 23rd season by Tom Landry, were back in the NFC Championship game for the third consecutive year, and had lost the last two. QB Danny White was capable but had taken criticism for failing to win big games. Still, he was a Pro Bowl performer, as was star RB Tony Dorsett, who led the NFC in the abbreviated season with 745 rushing yards. The receiving corps was a good one that featured WRs Drew Pearson and Tony Hill. The aging defensive line was still formidable, as was the defensive backfield.    

There were 55,045 enthusiastic fans in attendance for the Saturday game at RFK Stadium. The Cowboys had the first possession and drove 75 yards in 10 plays, with Tony Dorsett running effectively and Danny White completing three passes. But after reaching the Washington 15 yard line, the Redskins stiffened on defense. On third down, CB Jeris White knocked a pass out of Drew Pearson’s hands that would have been a touchdown and Dallas settled for a 27-yard Rafael Septien field goal.

The Redskins responded by driving 84 yards, starting off with two carries by John Riggins for 12 yards. Theismann had completions to TE Rick Walker for nine yards, 15 yards to TE Don Warren, and 11 yards to WR Alvin Garrett, and Riggins contributed a 17-yard run. The possession was capped by a pass from Theismann to Charlie Brown for a 19-yard touchdown. Mark Moseley added the extra point and Washington was in front by 7-3.

On their next series, the Redskins converted a fourth-and-one play at the Dallas 40 with a carry by Riggins, but they ultimately came up empty when the drive stalled and Moseley’s 27-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright and was unsuccessful.

The Cowboys were having difficulty on offense, with three straight possessions in which they were unable to get a first down. As the first half wound down, a punt by the Redskins was muffed by Dallas DB Rod Hill and, while LB Monte Coleman recovered in the end zone for Washington, the ball had to come back to the 11. It was a formality as Riggins carried twice for eight yards and, after RB Joe Washington gave the Redskins a first down at the one, Riggins carried again for a touchdown with 3:41 remaining in the first half. Moseley again added the PAT and Washington took a 14-3 lead into halftime.

In the last minute of the half, White was hit hard by DE Dexter Manley and suffered a concussion, knocking him out of the game. He was replaced by third-year backup QB Gary Hogeboom (pictured at left), who had thrown only eight passes all season.

A fumble by Washington DB Mike Nelms returning the second half kickoff gave Dallas the first possession in the third quarter, and Hogeboom directed the Cowboys to a score, finishing the series off with a six-yard touchdown pass to Pearson. Septien’s point after narrowed the Washington lead to 14-10, but Nelms returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards to the Dallas 20. Five plays later, Riggins ran for a four-yard TD, Moseley converted, and the home team was up by eleven points at 21-10.

The Cowboys blitzed linebackers and defensive backs on first down in an effort to shut down Riggins and the relentless Washington running attack. Later in the period, Hogeboom threw to WR Butch Johnson for a 23-yard TD and, with Septien adding the extra point, Dallas was behind by only 21-17.

The tide turned in the fourth quarter. First, LB Mel Kaufman intercepted a low pass by Hogeboom that was intended for WR Tony Hill. That set up a Moseley field goal from 29 yards to make the score 24-17. Then, on the next play from scrimmage, DT Darryl Grant (pictured at right) grabbed a pass tipped by Manley and ran 10 yards for a touchdown. Moseley converted and, with two scores in a span of 17 seconds, Washington was ahead by two touchdowns with 6:55 remaining in the contest. The Redskins got the ball back with 4:26 to play and Riggins ran nine straight times for 43 yards to finish off the Cowboys by a final score of 31-17.

The game had an odd ending when Theismann took a knee on fourth down with 12 seconds left, forgetting that the clock would stop for the change of possession. The Cowboys left the field and had to be called back, returning after five minutes to run the last play with Pearson taking the snap and not attempting to advance. In the meantime, happy Washington fans had already flooded the field and torn down the goal posts.

Dallas led in total yards (340 to 260) and first downs (21 to 18). Only 65 of those yards came on the ground, as opposed to 137 for the Redskins, and the Cowboys also turned the ball over three times, to none by Washington.

John Riggins set a NFL postseason record with his third straight hundred-yard rushing performance (he made it four straight in the Super Bowl) as he gained 140 yards on 36 carries that included two touchdowns. Joe Theismann completed 12 of 20 passes for 150 yards and a TD with no interceptions. Alvin Garrett, performing well in the playoffs as the replacement for Art Monk, had four catches for 46 yards and Charlie Brown gained 54 yards on his three receptions that included a TD.

For the Cowboys, Gary Hogeboom was successful on 14 of 29 throws for 162 yards in relief, but after tossing two TDs he gave up the two interceptions. Prior to leaving the contest, Danny White was 9-of-15 for 113 yards and no TDs, although also with none picked off. Tony Dorsett was held to 57 yards on 15 rushing attempts and he gained 29 yards on two catches. Three Dallas receivers caught five passes apiece, with Butch Johnson gaining the most yards with 73 that included a touchdown, Tony Hill contributing 59 yards, and Drew Pearson accounting for 55 yards and a TD.

“If we are a fluke, you can just put NFC Champion behind it,” exclaimed Joe Theismann. “They say we are lucky, they say we don’t have enough talent, but we did it.”

“It was just a pleasure to be in a game like this,” said John Riggins. “This is the first championship game I’ve been in. To tell you the truth, after the strike, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue the season. I was ready to pack my bags and head for Kansas. Boy, what a mistake that would have been.”

The pleasure continued for the Redskins, who defeated Miami in the Super Bowl. Riggins was again the star as he rushed for 166 yards. They repeated as NFC Champions in 1983. Dallas returned to the playoffs in ‘83, finishing second to Washington in the NFC East, but lost in the Wild Card round. The Cowboys would not appear in another NFC Championship game until the 1992 season.

Gary Hogeboom came up short in his relief performance against the Redskins, but it set the stage for a quarterback controversy that culminated with his getting the starting job ahead of Danny White in 1984. His performance was lackluster, White took back the reigns, and Hogeboom was traded to the Colts in ‘86.