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.

Highlighted Year: Tony Dorsett, 1978

Running Back, Dallas Cowboys

Age: 24

2^nd season in pro football & with Cowboys

College: Pittsburgh

Height: 5’11” Weight: 192

Prelude:

Dorsett had a brilliant college career, receiving All-American recognition in all four years and culminating in Pitt winning a national championship and the star running back winning the 1976 Heisman Trophy. The Cowboys traded for Seattle’s second overall pick in the first round of the ’77 NFL draft to get Dorsett. He spent most of his rookie season backing up HB Preston Pearson until being inserted into the starting lineup for the last four games and still managed to gain 1007 rushing yards, which included 206 in a contest against the Eagles, and score a total of 13 TDs. Dorsett received numerous Rookie of the Year honors and capped his first season with a touchdown in the Super Bowl win over Denver.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 290 [4]

Most attempts, game – 29 (for 121 yds.) at NY Jets 12/17

Yards – 1325 [3]

Most yards, game – 154 yards (on 21 carries) vs. St. Louis 9/24

Average gain – 4.6 [9]

TDs – 7 [15, tied with seven others]

100-yard rushing games – 6

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 37      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 32 yds.) at LA Rams 9/17

Yards – 378

Most yards, game – 107 (on 3 catches) vs. Baltimore 9/4

Average gain – 10.2

TDs – 2

100-yard receiving games – 1

Passing

Pass attempts – 1

Pass completions – 0

Interceptions – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1703 [4]

Scoring

TDs – 10 [8, tied with six others]

Points – 60

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 47

Most rushing attempts, game – 17 at LA Rams, NFC Championship

Rushing yards – 262

Most rushing yards, game – 101 at LA Rams, NFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 5.6

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 8

Most pass receptions, game – 5 vs. Pittsburgh, Super Bowl

Pass receiving yards – 68

Most pass receiving yards, game – 44 vs. Pittsburgh, Super Bowl

Average yards per reception – 8.5

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Cowboys went 12-4 to finish first in the NFC East while leading the NFL in touchdowns (48) and scoring (384 points) and the conference in total yards (5965) and rushing yards (2783). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Atlanta Falcons (27-20) & NFC Championship over Los Angeles Rams (28-0). Lost Super Bowl to Pittsburgh Steelers (35-31).

Aftermath:

Dorsett went on to compile eight thousand-yard rushing seasons in his initial nine years with the Cowboys (missing out only during the strike-shortened 1982 campaign). He had a career-high of 1646 rushing yards in 1981, when he was a consensus All-NFL selection, and received at least some All-NFL or All-NFC recognition five times and was selected to the Pro Bowl on four occasions. His career highs for pass receiving were 51 catches for 459 yards in 1984.  Dorsett was with the Cowboys for 11 seasons, eventually splitting time with Herschel Walker, and finished his career in 1988 with the Denver Broncos. At the time of his retirement, Dorsett’s 12,739 rushing yards ranked second all-time. He also caught 398 passes for another 3554 yards and scored a total of 91 TDs. In 17 postseason games, he rushed for 1383 yards. Dorsett was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1994. His son Anthony played defensive back for eight years in the NFL.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

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.

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. 

1978: Dallas Defense Dominates Broncos in Super Bowl XII

Super Bowl XII on January 15, 1978 featured two 12-2 teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos, appearing in the first Super Bowl to be held in an indoor venue, the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. There was a crowd of 75,583 fans on hand in addition to a huge television audience.

The Cowboys, coached by Tom Landry, were used to contending, having made it to the postseason for the 11^th time in 12 years in 1977, and were just two years removed from their most recent of three Super Bowl appearances (a loss to the Steelers). 35-year-old QB Roger Staubach led the NFC in passing and All-Pro WR Drew Pearson led a solid group of receivers. Rookie HB Tony Dorsett didn’t move into the starting lineup until halfway through the season yet still rushed for 1007 yards and 12 TDs. The retooled defense was outstanding, particularly on the line that contained pass-rushing ends Harvey Martin, a consensus first-team All-Pro, and Ed “Too Tall” Jones and DT Randy White, successor to the great Bob Lilly and a Pro Bowl selectee in his first year starting. After handily topping the NFC East, the Cowboys defeated the Bears in the Divisional playoff round and Minnesota for the conference championship, outscoring their opponents by a combined 60-13.

Denver, on the other hand, had never been to the playoffs previously. Under first-year Head Coach Red Miller, the Broncos benefited from the strong “Orange Crush” defense that featured DE Lyle Alzado, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, CB Louis Wright, and SS Bill Thompson. The offense was conservative. QB Craig Morton, a 13^th-year veteran who spent his first nine full seasons with Dallas, had joined the team in ’77 and provided steady guidance, if not statistical brilliance. The group of running backs was unspectacular while TE Riley Odoms led the club with 37 receptions and WR Haven Moses was the leading deep threat. After beating out the Raiders in the AFC West, the Broncos defeated Pittsburgh in their Divisional game and narrowly defeated Oakland for the AFC title.   

Dallas had the game’s first possession and punted, narrowly averting disaster on the first play from scrimmage when Tony Dorsett and WR Butch Johnson muffed an exchange on an attempted reverse, but Denver was unable to recover the loose ball. On their first series, the Broncos converted a third-and-12 play when Craig Morton completed a pass to Haven Moses for 21 yards to the Dallas 34. But following a short carry by HB Otis Armstrong, Morton’s next pass was batted down and he was then sacked for a loss of 11 yards by Randy White (pictured at right) to force a punt.

The Cowboys, who were pinned back at their one after WR Tony Hill muffed Denver’s punt and fell on the ball, were no more proficient on offense and again had to punt, but three plays later a poorly-thrown pass by Morton, who was trying to avoid being sacked, was intercepted by safety Randy Hughes to give Dallas the ball at the Denver 25. Staubach threw a swing pass to TE Billy Joe Dupree for 13 yards and, following a two-yard carry by FB Robert Newhouse, Dorsett ran the ball three straight times, the last for a three-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera added the extra point and the Cowboys held a 7-0 lead.

On the second play of Denver’s next possession, Morton threw another interception. The pass was tipped by LB Bob Breunig and CB Aaron Kyle grabbed the ball and returned 19 yards to the Broncos’ 35. A nine-yard run by Newhouse was followed by Dorsett picking up 18 yards around end. The series bogged down at that point and Lyle Alzado’s sack of Staubach on third down forced the Cowboys to settle for a 35-yard Herrera field goal. Dallas took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.

Denver again had to punt after a short series capped by DE “Too Tall” Jones tossing FB Lonnie Perrin for a seven-yard loss after catching a screen pass. Starting from their 43, the Cowboys advanced 32 yards in seven plays. Staubach threw to HB Preston Pearson on a screen pass for 11 yards and to DuPree for 19. Herrera kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it a 13-0 game.

Dallas again got the ball back in short order when Morton’s underthrown pass intended for Moses was picked off by CB Benny Barnes. A penalty and a sack moved the Cowboys back and they punted, but WR John Schultz muffed the kick and LB Bruce Huther recovered for Dallas at the Denver 40. Dorsett gained 19 yards on a sweep, but the Broncos stiffened on defense and Staubach’s throw into the end zone was batted away by Louis Wright. The Cowboys came up empty when Herrera tried for a 43-yard field goal and was wide to the left.

Once again the Broncos turned the ball over when Morton completed a pass to WR Jack Dolbin for 15 yards, but the receiver fumbled and Hughes recovered, returning it 19 yards to the Denver 27. Dorsett ran for eight yards and Newhouse for 10 to the nine yard line, but a swing pass to Newhouse lost seven yards at the two-minute warning and two more throws netted a gain of a yard. Herrera missed another try for a field goal, this time from 32 yards.

The teams exchanged back-to-back turnovers on first-play fumbles by the tight ends and, with time running out in the first half, Morton threw another interception that CB Mark Washington returned 27 yards to the Denver 35. A short pass from Staubach to Preston Pearson set up a 44-yard field goal attempt by Herrera, but it was wide to the left and the score remained unchanged heading into halftime. Dallas failed to generate further points on turnovers by the Broncos while controlling the ball nearly twice as long in the first thirty minutes.

The Broncos had the ball first in the third quarter and, while Armstrong gained 18 yards on a sweep, the drive stalled at the Denver 41. A fake punt failed when Bucky Dilts was sacked for a four-yard loss, but the Cowboys were penalized for having twelve players on the field to nevertheless keep the series alive. After reaching the Dallas 30, Jim Turner kicked a 47-yard field goal and the Dallas lead was narrowed to 13-3.

The teams exchanged punts before the Cowboys advanced 58 yards in five plays. Staubach completed a pass to Drew Pearson for 13 yards on a second-and-ten play and, following a run for no gain and an incomplete pass, Staubach threw long for Butch Johnson, who made a diving catch for a 45-yard touchdown (pictured below). Herrera added the point after and Dallas was up by 20-3.

The Broncos got a break when WR Rick Upchurch returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Dallas 26. Morton nearly threw another interception on first down and backup QB Norris Weese, who was more mobile, came into the game. HB Rob Lytle ran for four yards, Weese threw to FB Jim Jensen for five, and on fourth-and-one, Jensen ran for 16 yards. Lytle ran for the last yard and a TD and Turner converted to again make it a ten-point contest.

The Cowboys finished out the period with a time-consuming drive. Staubach completed all five of his passes, the longest to DuPree for 18 yards, but on the second play of the fourth quarter he fumbled when sacked by LB Tom Jackson and NT Rubin Carter recovered at the Denver 45.

A facemask penalty on the Cowboys negated a loss and gave the Broncos another first down, Weese threw to Upchurch for nine yards, and Armstrong ran for three to reach the Dallas 46. But that was as far as Denver could get. Weese’s next three passes were incomplete and the Broncos punted.

Staubach was sidelined with a broken finger on his throwing hand and Danny White came in at quarterback for Dallas. The backup completed a pass and gained 13 yards on a draw play. While Staubach returned before the series was over, the Cowboys had to punt. Three plays later, a sack by Harvey Martin (pictured at top) forced Weese to fumble and Kyle recovered at the Denver 29. On the next play, Newhouse threw an option pass that WR Golden Richards caught in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown. Herrera added the point after and, with seven minutes to play, the Cowboys had an insurmountable 17-point lead.

Denver had the ball once more and reached the Dallas 24 before Weese’s incomplete pass on a fourth-and-23 play effectively ended the season for the Broncos. Dallas won by a final score of 27-10.    

The Cowboys easily outgained Denver (325 yards to 156) and had more first downs (17 to 11). The Broncos managed just 35 net passing yards and turned the ball over eight times, four apiece by interceptions and fumbles. While the Cowboys stifled Denver on defense, the offense wasn’t as dominating, fumbling six times but losing just two of them, their only turnovers of the game. Dallas also missed three field goals and set a Super Bowl record by being penalized 12 times (tied by Carolina in Super Bowl XXXVIII), to eight flags thrown on the Broncos.

Roger Staubach completed 17 of 25 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Tony Dorsett (pictured below), who left the game in the third quarter with a twisted knee, ran for 66 yards on 15 carries that included a TD and Robert Newhouse added 55 yards on 14 attempts in addition to throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass. Preston Pearson had five catches for 37 yards while Billy Joe DuPree gained 66 yards on his four pass receptions. On defense, Harvey Martin was unofficially credited with two sacks and shared MVP honors with Randy White, who had one in addition to helping to apply tremendous pressure on the Broncos.

For the Broncos, Craig Morton was successful on just four of 15 throws, giving up four interceptions, and Norris Weese was four-of-10 for 22 yards but was not picked off. Weese also ran for 26 yards on three carries. Rob Lytle led the club with 35 yards on 10 rushing attempts that included the only Denver touchdown. Jack Dolbin and Riley Odoms caught two passes apiece, for 24 and 9 yards, respectively. Haven Moses gained 21 yards on his only reception, which came early in the contest.

“The number one plan was to pressure Craig Morton,” said Coach Tom Landry. “The front four played great. We just rushed the heck out of him.”

“They took away everything we had,” said Morton in defeat. “We tried to get something started, but…We’ve come a long way. Nobody expected us to be here.”

“I thought we were still in the game when it was 20-10,” said Coach Red Miller. “Then Norris (Weese) fumbled and they scored on that halfback pass, and that was it.”

“We played well defensively, but we had too many turnovers,” added Lyle Alzado. “I’m giving Dallas credit. When we make mistakes, the other team should capitalize. I’m a bit embarrassed.”

The Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl in 1978, losing a close contest to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They would not win another until the 1992 season. Denver again topped the AFC West in ’78 but lost in the Divisional playoff round. The Broncos next appeared in the Super Bowl following the 1986 season.

1980: Giants Upset Cowboys with Help of Flea-Flicker to Friede

The New York Giants won their opening game of the 1980 NFL season, but by the time they hosted the Dallas Cowboy s on November 9 they had lost eight straight contests. In their second year under Head Coach Ray Perkins, injuries had decimated the team on both sides of the ball. Third-year QB Phil Simms was a work in progress and had a productive receiver to throw to in WR Earnest Gray, but with injuries badly affecting the rest of the offense, in particular the running game, the Giants had difficulty scoring – they were averaging just 10 points per contest. Likewise, the defense was a patchwork outfit, especially at linebacker. Outstanding players like Brad Van Pelt and Harry Carson were standouts in a patchwork unit.

The Cowboys, perennial contenders under Head Coach Tom Landry, came into the game at 7-2 and had won their previous two contests. Despite concerns following the retirement of star QB Roger Staubach after the ’79 season, former backup QB Danny White was playing well in his place. Wide receivers Drew Pearson and Tony Hill were outstanding, and RB Tony Dorsett was one of the NFL’s best. The defense was solid up front, helped by the return of DE Ed “Too Tall” Jones, who briefly retired in 1979 to try his hand at boxing, making up for inexperience in the backfield.

There were 68,343 fans present at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. In the first quarter, the home team got the initial break of the game when LB Brad Van Pelt intercepted a Danny White pass.  The resulting drive was helped along by a personal foul penalty called on CB Benny Barnes that added 15 yards to a 22-yard pass from Simms to Earnest Gray. Simms connected with Gray for a 25-yard touchdown and, with Joe Danelo’s extra point, a 7-0 lead.

Less than three minutes later, the Cowboys came back with a one-yard touchdown carry by Tony Dorsett that was set up by a pass interference call on CB Mark Haynes. Rafael Septien added the PAT and the score remained tied after a quarter of action.

Early in the second quarter, New York CB Mike Dennis picked off a White pass and the Giants drove 22 yards to a one-yard touchdown carry by RB Larry Heater. The next Dallas series was highlighted by a 56-yard Dorsett run that set up a one-yard scoring carry by FB Robert Newhouse. The score was knotted at 14-14.

Van Pelt intercepted another pass and the Giants used four plays to score again. Simms threw to Heater for a 29-yard gain and ended the series with a four-yard throw to George Martin, normally a defensive end but lined up as a tight end in short-yardage situations on offense (it was the only catch of his 14-year career with the Giants). Again the Cowboys gave up an interception, this time by FS Gary Woolford. The ensuing possession led to another one-yard touchdown carry by FB Leon Perry, a rookie starting his first game, and, with all of the PATs successful, the Giants were ahead by 28-14.

Dallas narrowed the margin before the first half ended with another big play as White threw a screen pass to FB Ron Springs that resulted in a 58-yard touchdown. Still, the halftime score was a surprising 28-21 in favor of the home team.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys seemed to take control as they scored another touchdown on a 29-yard run by Newhouse.  With the score tied at 28-28, the Giants missed an opportunity when an apparent Simms scoring pass to Gray was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty on Perry. Dallas proceeded to take the lead as Dorsett ran for a TD from 13 yards out and the Cowboys were up by 35-28 heading into the final period.

In the fourth quarter, the Giants rebounded with Simms throwing to TE Tom Mullady for a 20-yard TD. The Cowboys fought back as time ran down, but in a key defensive play, Van Pelt (pictured at left) stopped Newhouse short on a fourth-and-one carry at the Dallas 47 and the Giants took over with 2:22 left on the clock.

With the rain falling heavily, Simms handed off to Perry, who then flipped the ball back to the quarterback, and he in turn fired deep down the right sideline for WR Mike Friede and a 40-yard gain. CB Steve Wilson slipped and Friede, lunging for the catch, made it to the Dallas seven on the flea-flicker. Three running plays lost two yards and, following a time out, Danelo kicked a 27-yard field goal to put the Giants ahead by three.

There was still time for the Cowboys, and White threw to TE Billy Joe Dupree for 24 yards to the New York 46. He followed up by connecting with WR Butch Johnson for 11 yards and then to Drew Pearson, who gained six yards and got out of bounds to stop the clock, which was now down to 19 seconds.  The Cowboys decided to try another pass to get closer, but White’s throw intended for Tony Hill was intercepted by Woolford when the receiver slipped and fell down. Woolford barely kept his feet in bounds as he made the catch that nailed down the stunning 38-35 win for the Giants.

New York had the edge in total yards (462 to 294) and first downs (26 to 21) despite the Cowboys rolling up 239 yards on the ground. Dallas was hurt by five turnovers, all on interceptions, to two suffered by the Giants, and, in a game with many penalties, the Cowboys were flagged 12 times as opposed to New York’s nine.

Phil Simms completed 18 of 33 passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted. Mike Friede caught 7 of those throws for 137 yards and Earnest Gray contributed four receptions for 68 yards and a TD. Larry Heater ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries and gained another 85 yards on three catches. Brad Van Pelt, who had an outstanding all-around defensive performance, and Gary Woolford each had two interceptions.

For the Cowboys, Tony Dorsett (pictured below) rushed for 183 yards on 24 attempts with two TDs and Robert Newhouse added 52 yards on 10 carries, also scoring twice. However, Danny White completed just 10 of his 23 throws for 155 yards and a TD, giving up five interceptions. Tony Hill and Drew Pearson each had three catches, for 36 and 22 yards, respectively, while Ron Springs, on his one long scoring catch, led the club with 58 receiving yards.

“It’s one of those plays that you put in and hope it works,” said Phil Simms of the crucial flea-flicker that set up the game-winning field goal. “I told Leon if he was in doubt, not to pitch it back.”

“We practiced it all week, but never in a torrential downpour,” added Leon Perry.

“We got ambushed,” said a shrugging Tony Dorsett, summing up the upset. “We were playing a team with a 1-8 record. Emotionally, we were not as high as we would have been against a team with a better record.”

The win by the Giants over Dallas was the first since 1974, a string of 12 straight games that included the first encounter of the year between the clubs five weeks earlier. New York put together another solid performance in a win over the Packers the next week, but lost four of their last five contests to end up at the bottom of the NFC East with a 4-12 record. The Cowboys recovered to win four straight and five of their last six, just barely missing out on winning the division title at 12-4. Settling for a Wild Card playoff spot, they advanced to the NFC Championship game before falling to the division-rival Eagles.

Phil Simms (pictured below) continued his development process until a shoulder injury cost him the last three games of the season. He passed for 2321 yards with 15 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Mike Friede, a rookie cut earlier by Detroit, proved to be a pleasant surprise for the Giants. He caught 21 passes for 350 yards (16.7 avg.) but lasted just one more season.

Tony Dorsett ended up tying for sixth in rushing (with Buffalo’s Joe Cribbs) with 1185 yards – the fourth straight thousand-yard rushing season to start his career. He carried 278 times and had 11 touchdowns.

1979: Cowboys Beat Eagles in NFC East Showdown with TD on Deflected Pass

The Philadelphia Eagles had secured a postseason berth and were looking to win a division title for the first time since 1960 as they hosted the Dallas Cowboys on December 8, 1979. Head Coach Dick Vermeil’s team had a 10-4 record, putting them a game ahead of the 9-5 Cowboys and Washington Redskins.

The Cowboys, under Head Coach Tom Landry, had lost to the Eagles at home and were looking to return the favor. The offense was fundamentally sound with QB Roger Staubach, running backs Tony Dorsett and Robert Newhouse, and wide receivers Drew Pearson and Tony Hill. But while the defensive line was formidable, as a whole the unit had been inconsistent and in upheaval – such as when starting LB Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson was abruptly cut from the team due to a poor attitude. In addition, Pearson was out with an injury for the rematch with the Eagles.

There was a big and enthusiastic crowd of 71,434 in attendance at Veterans Stadium. It was a windy day in Philadelphia, with gusts of up to 40 mph, making passing difficult. The Cowboys scored less than two minutes into the first quarter. On Philadelphia’s third play from scrimmage, QB Ron Jaworski threw a pass intended for RB Billy Campfield that the receiver tipped and it was intercepted by SS Randy Hughes, who returned it 24 yards to the Philadelphia eight yard line. RB Scott Laidlaw ran for a one-yard touchdown.

Midway through the opening quarter, the Eagles put together a promising series as Jaworski passed to TE Keith Krepfle for 15 yards and to RB Wilbert Montgomery for 35 on a third-and-10 play. The drive finally stalled at the Dallas 10 yard line and Philadelphia settled for a 27-yard field goal by Tony Franklin.

Just before the first quarter ended, the Cowboys scored again when Rafael Septien kicked a 40-yard field goal, finishing off an 11-play, 44-yard drive. The score was 10-3 in favor of the visitors.

In the second quarter, Tony Dorsett fumbled to set up an Eagles score. Jaworski threw to Montgomery for a 14-yard touchdown to cap an 11-play, 77-yard series that was highlighted by a 24-yard gain on a pass from Jaworski to WR Harold Carmichael. There was 2:40 left in the half, and the tally remained knotted at 10-10 at the midway point.

Rookie RB Ron Springs (pictured at top) came in for Dorsett, who suffered a shoulder separation on the play in which he fumbled and was done for the day. With the game tied in the third quarter, the Cowboys put together a 52-yard drive in which Springs ran three times for 17 yards and Robert Newhouse twice for 12 yards before going around right end on a sweep for a 17-yard touchdown.

The Dallas defense shut the Eagles down on their next series. Upon regaining the ball, the Cowboys went 56 yards in 14 plays that covered over six minutes. Springs had five carries for 22 yards and, on a third-and-eight play, Staubach scrambled for 13 yards. The Cowboys scored when Staubach’s pass intended for Tony Hill was deflected by LB Frank Lemaster and WR Butch Johnson, the replacement for the injured Drew Pearson, dove and caught it for a TD.

The Eagles weren’t finished and made it a seven-point game with 5:51 to play as Montgomery scored again on a one-yard run to cap an 11-play, 65-yard series. Along the way, Jaworski threw to WR Scott Fitzkee for 17 yards and to Montgomery for 33.

With time running out in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, the Eagles advanced to the Dallas 17 yard line. But on a third-and-ten play, DE Harvey Martin sacked Jaworski for a 12-yard loss and the fourth down pass against a heavy blitz fell incomplete. The Cowboys won by a score of 24-17.

The statistics indicated the closeness of the contest. Philadelphia had the edge in total yards (284 to 279) while the Cowboys had more first downs (19 to 18). The Eagles had far more net passing yards (204 to 94) but Dallas was more effective on the ground (185 to 80), which was crucial in putting together long drives that ran time off the clock. Each team turned the ball over once.

Reflecting the difficulty of passing in the windy conditions, Roger Staubach completed just 11 of 21 passes for 105 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Robert Newhouse led the runners with 68 yards and a TD on 12 carries, but Ron Springs was effective in place of the injured Tony Dorsett, also running the ball 12 times, for 62 yards. Before exiting, Dorsett gained 36 yards on 9 attempts. Tony Hill and RB Preston Pearson each caught a team-leading three passes, for 33 and 27 yards, respectively.

For the Eagles, Ron Jaworski was successful on 13 of 36 throws for 216 yards and a TD with the one early pickoff. Wilbert Montgomery (pictured at left) was the offensive star as he ran the ball 23 times for 65 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 93 yards and another score.

“Tony’s a great back,” said Ron Springs of Dorsett. “I’m just glad they called on me to run the ball. This is a great thrill. I hoped to have a great game so they wouldn’t miss Tony so badly.”

The win pulled the Cowboys into a tie for first in the NFC East with the Eagles and clinched a playoff spot. While both teams won their final games of the regular season the next week to end up at 11-5, the stunning come-from-behind victory for Dallas over the Redskins gave the Cowboys the division title over the Eagles thanks to the conference record tiebreaker (Washington was ultimately denied a playoff spot altogether). They were upset by the Rams in the Divisional round of the postseason. Philadelphia won its Wild Card game over the Bears but also was upset at the Divisional level, by the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As for the two players who came off the bench for the Cowboys to play key roles in the win over Philadelphia, Ron Springs rushed for 248 yards on 67 carries (3.7 avg.) with two touchdowns and also caught 25 passes for another 251 yards (10.0 avg.) and a TD. Butch Johnson, in his fourth year with the team, had 6 pass receptions for 105 yards and the one touchdown.

Wilbert Montgomery, the 1977 sixth-round draft choice who had emerged as a star in ‘78, remained a key all-purpose cog in Philadelphia’s offense. He garnered a league-leading 2006 yards from scrimmage, which included a team-record 1512 rushing yards and 494 yards on 41 pass receptions, and scored 14 touchdowns. For the second straight year he was selected to the Pro Bowl.