1993: AFC Wins First Overtime Pro Bowl

The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl on February 7, 1993 was played before 50,007 fans at Aloha Stadium on a sunny day with intermittent clouds. It marked the 14^th consecutive year that the game was played in Honolulu. Coaches were Don Shula of the Dolphins for the AFC and San Francisco’s George Seifert for the NFC.

The NFC took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in 14 plays. QB Steve Young of the 49ers scrambled for eight yards in a third-and-three situation and completed five passes, the longest to his San Francisco teammate, TE Brent Jones, for 17 yards. The advance finally stalled at the AFC 10 and Morten Andersen of the Saints kicked a 27-yard field goal.

The AFC punted following their first series but got the ball back four plays later when a Young pass was intercepted by Denver FS Steve Atwater at the AFC 29. Miami QB Dan Marino completed consecutive throws to WR Anthony Miller of the Chargers for 16 yards and Houston WR Haywood Jeffires for 11 to get the ball into NFC territory, but a holding penalty moved them back, and on third down Marino was sacked by Minnesota DE Chris Doleman for a 15-yard loss, resulting in a punt.

The AFC managed to get on the scoreboard when, on the first play of the second quarter, LB Junior Seau of the Chargers intercepted a Young pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Kansas City’s Nick Lowery added the extra point to give the AFC a 7-3 lead. The NFC responded with a 10-play, 58-yard possession. An illegal blitz (an infraction specific to the Pro Bowl) on the AFC converted a third down and Dallas RB Emmitt Smith broke away for a 23-yard gain to the AFC 34. The NFC converted another third down before the drive came to an end at the AFC 20 and Andersen kicked a 37-yard field goal to narrow the score to 7-6.

QB Troy Aikman of the champion Cowboys (pictured at right) was behind center for the next NFC series and came out throwing, hitting on three straight passes to pick up 25 yards, two of them to his Dallas teammate, WR Michael Irvin. The nine-play drive covered 54 yards and ended with Aikman passing to Irvin once more for a nine-yard TD. Andersen converted and the NFC took a 13-7 lead.

The AFC went three-and-out and punted, and with 56 seconds remaining in the first half, Aikman again went to the air, connecting with Atlanta WR Andre Rison for 18 yards, RB Barry Sanders of the Lions for 19, and Rison again for 11 yards. But Aikman’s next two passes fell incomplete, with a Sanders run for no gain in between, and Andersen’s field goal try was blocked by DE Leslie O’Neal of the Chargers and returned by Miami LB Bryan Cox to the NFC 35.

Houston QB Warren Moon completed a pass to Jeffires and it appeared that time had run out in the half before the receiver got out of bounds. Players began to head to the locker room and technicians started to pull sets for the halftime show onto the field. But the officials ruled that there were still two seconds remaining and the field was cleared. On the final play of the half, Lowery booted a 42-yard field goal and the NFC margin was narrowed to 13-10 at halftime.

The AFC started the third quarter off with a short series and punted. On the NFC’s third play, Aikman threw to Dallas TE Jay Novacek for 26 yards, but after Sanders ran twice to gain another 14 yards, Aikman’s next pass was picked off by SS Henry Jones of the Bills, who returned it 32 yards to the NFC 42. With Pittsburgh RB Barry Foster (pictured at top) running effectively and his teammate with the Steelers, QB Neil O’Donnell, completing a pass, the AFC reached the 11 before settling for a 29-yard Lowery field goal to tie the score at 13-13.

Atlanta CB Deion Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards and the NFC started with good field position near midfield. QB Brett Favre of the Packers was in the game and misfired on his first three passes before connecting with San Francisco WR Jerry Rice for 48 yards to the AFC two. RB Ricky Watters of the 49ers lost two yards on first down and, while Rice picked up three yards on a short toss from Favre, the AFC defense held as Favre was stuffed for no gain on a quarterback sneak and, on fourth down, Watters dove for the end zone and came up short.

The AFC had possession as the game headed into the fourth quarter. O’Donnell completed passes to Houston WR Ernest Givins for six yards and WR Andre Reed of the Bills for nine, but the AFC had to punt. RB Johnny Bailey of the Cardinals returned the kick but fumbled when hit by Buffalo WR Steve Tasker, the AFC’s special teams representative, and punter Rohn Stark of the Colts recovered at the AFC 39. However, on the next play O’Donnell’s pass was intercepted by Phoenix SS Tim McDonald.

The NFC punted for the first (and only) time following a short series and a 20-yard return by Indianapolis WR Clarence Verdin had another 15 yards tacked on for unnecessary roughness. Starting at the NFC 37, the AFC netted a yard in three plays and Lowery missed a 54-yard field goal attempt.

Favre threw to WR Fred Barnett of the Eagles for 16 yards on first down and the NFC maintained possession when an apparent interception was nullified by a pass interference penalty. Favre was sacked by DE Howie Long of the Raiders on third down and that set up another big play for the AFC on special teams. A field goal try by Andersen was blocked by Tasker and CB Terry McDaniel of the Raiders recovered and ran 28 yards for a touchdown. Lowery converted and the AFC was back in front by 20-13 with eight minutes left in regulation.

Young was back at quarterback for the NFC and he threw to Irvin for 19 yards and ran for eight. Sanders ran for six yards and it was Young to Irvin again for 12 to the AFC 35, but a holding penalty backed the NFC up and the next two passes were incomplete before Young was intercepted by Buffalo CB Nate Odomes.

The AFC punted following the next series and the NFC took over at its 22 with less than three minutes remaining on the clock. Young threw to Rice for 16 yards but was sacked by DE Neil Smith of the Chiefs for a loss of eight. Two plays later, he passed to Brent Jones for 16 yards and a first down and, after another sack, connected with Rison for 18. Throws to Novacek and Rison got the ball to the AFC 20, but the next two passes were incomplete and Young was sacked by Cox on third down. Facing fourth down and with time running out, a scrambling Young completed a throw to RB Rodney Hampton of the Giants at the goal line for a 23-yard touchdown with ten seconds remaining in regulation. Andersen tied the score at 20-20 with the point after and, with the score tied at 20-20 at the end of four quarters, the game went into overtime.

The NFC won the toss and had the first possession in overtime, but Young fumbled when caught from behind by Kansas City LB Derrick Thomas while scrambling and Long recovered for the AFC at the NFC 28. Foster ran the ball four times to reach the NFC 16 before Lowery came on to kick the game-winning 33-yard field goal at 4:09 into OT. The AFC won the first overtime Pro Bowl game by a final score of 23-20.

The NFC far outgained the AFC (472 yards to 114) and also had big margins in first downs (30 to 9) and offensive plays (90 to 50). However, the NFC turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by the AFC, and the AFC had both an interception and blocked field goal returned for touchdowns.

Dan Marino completed just three of nine passes for 31 yards and Neil O’Donnell had the most completed passes for the AFC, with four, out of seven attempts for 23 yards with one intercepted. Barry Foster rushed for 57 yards on 15 carries to lead the team by far (runner-up was RB Harold Green of the Bengals with nine yards on four attempts). Haywood Jeffires led the receivers with three catches for 26 yards and Anthony Miller contributed 23 yards on his two receptions. Steve Tasker (pictured below) was named the game’s MVP as he accounted for four tackles, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick. Regularly recognized for his outstanding play on special teams, Tasker was appearing in his fourth of an eventual seven Pro Bowls.

For the NFC, Steve Young was successful on 18 of 32 throws for 196 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions and had the disastrous fumble in overtime. He also led the team in rushing with 34 yards on six carries. Troy Aikman was 10-of-15 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception and Brett Favre, making his first Pro Bowl appearance, completed four of eight passes for 74 yards with no TDs or pickoffs. Andre Rison had 8 catches for 80 yards and Jerry Rice gained 78 yards on his four receptions while Michael Irvin scored a TD among his 5 catches for 59 yards.

The game marked the first time that the Pro Bowl went into overtime and reduced the NFC’s lead in the series to 13-10 since going to the AFC vs. NFC format following the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.

1993: Cowboys Defeat 49ers to Win NFC Championship

The Dallas Cowboys were appearing in the NFC Championship game for the first time in ten years as they faced the San Francisco 49ers on January 17, 1993. The Cowboys had improved steadily under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson and topped the NFC East with a 13-3 record during the ’92 season. The offense was built around QB Troy Aikman (pictured above), RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin and the defense was outstanding behind a solid line that included DE Charles Haley and tackles Russell Maryland and Tony Casillas. Dallas blew out the Eagles in the Divisional playoff round to advance to the conference title game.

The 49ers, coached by George Seifert, finished first in the NFC West at 14-2, having bounced back from a 1991 season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years. QB Steve Young, emerging from the shadow of his illustrious predecessor Joe Montana, was coming off a MVP season and WR Jerry Rice, despite dealing with some injuries, was chosen to his seventh straight Pro Bowl. RB Ricky Watters, in his first season after having missed his entire rookie year due to injury, gained 1418 yards from scrimmage and also was selected to the Pro Bowl. San Francisco defeated Washington in its Divisional game the previous week and had not lost since November 1 for a string of nine straight wins.

There were 64,920 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park on a rainy day, and the field was muddy. The 49ers had the game’s first possession and had to punt following a series in which an apparent 63-yard scoring play to Jerry Rice was nullified due to a holding penalty called on guard Guy McIntyre. Dallas reached the San Francisco 48 before also having to punt, but the Cowboys regained possession at the 22 when CB Alan Grant fumbled on the return and FB Daryl Johnston recovered. Troy Aikman immediately threw to Michael Irvin for 21 yards to the one, but the 49ers held as Emmitt Smith was thrown for a one-yard loss and two Aikman passes were incomplete. Lin Elliott kicked a 20-yard field goal to put the visitors ahead by 3-0.

RB Marc Logan returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards and San Francisco advanced 48 yards in eight plays during which Steve Young completed three passes and Ricky Watters had a 16-yard run. Young gained the final yard on a quarterback sneak and, with Mike Cofer adding the extra point, the Niners were in front at 7-3.

With the rain falling again, the Cowboys were forced to punt following their next possession and Grant returned it 15 yards to give San Francisco good starting field position at the Dallas 47. As the game entered the second quarter, the 49ers advanced to the 28 but came up empty when Cofer was wide to the left on a 47-yard field goal attempt.

Once again the Cowboys had to punt, but on the 49ers’ next offensive play Watters fumbled after being hit by CB Larry Brown at the end of a 16-yard run and CB Kevin Smith recovered and returned it 11 yards to the San Francisco 39. Smith carried three straight times for a total of 23 yards and two short passes got Dallas to the eight. Three plays later it was Smith running around end for a four-yard touchdown and, with Elliott’s conversion, the Cowboys were back in the lead by a 10-7 score.

The Niners came back on offense with 5:05 to play in the first half and Young completed three passes, the longest to Rice for 26 yards. The drive was finally halted at the Dallas nine and Cofer tied the game with a 28-yard field goal.

There was still time for the Cowboys, and after Smith (pictured at left) ran for 15 yards and caught two passes for another 14, Aikman threw to Michael Irvin for 14 yards to the San Francisco 22. Aikman was sacked by LB Tim Harris, however, and the visitors were forced to try for a 43-yard field goal with eight seconds left on the clock. Elliott’s kick was wide to the right and the contest remained tied at the half.

Dallas took the second half kickoff and drove 78 yards in eight plays. Smith again ran effectively and Aikman completed three passes, the biggest to WR Alvin Harper for 38 yards to the San Francisco seven. Johnston ran for a three-yard TD and, with Elliott’s point after, the Cowboys were back in front by a 17-10 margin.

The 49ers responded with a seven-play, 66-yard series that also featured a big pass play when Young connected with Rice for 36 yards to the Dallas 32. They had to settle for a field goal, and Cofer’s 42-yard boot narrowed the score to 17-13.

The Cowboys were in the midst of a long 14-play possession that covered 78 yards as the game headed into the fourth quarter. Aikman completed seven passes along the way, four of them on third down plays. That included the last, which was to Smith for a 16-yard touchdown. Elliott’s extra point put Dallas ahead by 24-13.

The next series for the 49ers ended with a Young pass being intercepted by LB Ken Norton and returned to the San Francisco 44. Smith burst up the middle for 28 yards on first down, but the Cowboys failed to add to their lead when they chose to forgo a field goal when facing fourth-and-one at the seven and Smith was stopped for no gain.

Young passed the 49ers down the field, connecting on seven throws as the home team went 93 yards in nine plays. Four were to Watters, including the first two that covered 17 and 10 yards, and the last was to Rice for a five-yard TD. Cofer converted to narrow the margin to 24-20 with 4:22 remaining in regulation.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, the Cowboys, choosing not to play it safe, came through with a huge play when Aikman passed to Harper, who beat the man-to-man coverage for a 70-yard gain. Three plays later, it was Aikman to WR Kelvin Martin, who dove and barely made it into the end zone for a six-yard touchdown. Elliott’s extra point attempt was blocked, but the visitors were ahead by ten points with the clock down to 3:43.

Young again came out passing, but after three completions to the Dallas 45 he was again picked off, this time by FS James Washington. It effectively finished off the 49ers as the Cowboys were able to run the clock down to 22 seconds before punting and won by a final score of 30-20.

Statistically, the game was very evenly played. Dallas outgained the 49ers by just a yard (416 to 415) and each team accumulated 24 first downs, although the Cowboys led significantly in time of possession (35:20 to 24:40). However, the 49ers turned the ball over four times, to none by the Cowboys.

Troy Aikman completed 24 of 34 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Emmitt Smith had a big day on the muddy turf as he rushed for 114 yards on 24 carries that included a TD and had 7 catches for another 59 yards and a score. Michael Irvin contributed 6 pass receptions for 86 yards and, thanks to the one long catch, Alvin Harper (pictured at right) gained 117 yards on his three receptions.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 25 of 35 throws for 313 yards and a TD but was picked off twice. He also rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown on eight attempts. Ricky Watters gained 69 yards on 11 carries and had 6 catches for 69 yards. Jerry Rice gained 123 yards on 8 pass receptions that included a touchdown.  

“We’ve played aggressive all year long,” said Coach Johnson of the Cowboys. “But that’s our style.”

“A lot of people would have been conservative, but they took chances and it worked for them,” said San Francisco’s Coach Seifert regarding the Cowboys. “They made good calls in key situations.”

Dallas went on to rout the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. It was the first of two straight NFL Championships for the Cowboys (and three in four years), who repeated as NFC East champs in 1993. The 49ers won the NFC West and the teams met again for the conference title, with the Cowboys once more coming out on top.

1997: Panthers Defeat Cowboys in First Playoff Appearance

The Carolina Panthers reached the playoffs in just their second year of existence in the 1996 season and hosted the Dallas Cowboys, defending NFL Champions, on January 5, 1997. Coached by Dom Capers, the Panthers benefited from an outstanding defense that featured linebackers Kevin Greene, who led the NFL with 14.5 sacks, Lamar Lathon, who contributed another 13.5 sacks, and Sam Mills, still a Pro Bowl-quality performer at age 37. The conservative offense was directed by second-year QB Kerry Collins and received unanticipated production from journeyman RB Anthony Johnson (pictured above). Reliable TE Wesley Walls led the receiving corps. Carolina won its last seven games to top the NFC West at 12-4, edging out the 49ers, who the Panthers swept during the season.

The Cowboys were coached by Barry Switzer for the third season and had won three Super Bowls in the preceding four years, beginning under Switzer’s predecessor Jimmy Johnson. The offense was still led by QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin, and the defense contained dynamic CB Deion Sanders. But there had been disarray in Dallas, starting with Irvin missing the first five games due to a drug suspension by the league and TE Jay Novacek being lost for the year with a back injury. The Cowboys stumbled out of the gate, losing three of their first four games, before winning four straight on the way to a 10-6 record that placed first in the NFC East for the fifth straight year. They easily defeated Minnesota in the Wild Card round, but DT Leon Lett was missing for the postseason due to a drug suspension and DE Charles Haley due to injury. Furthermore, there had been sexual assault accusations made against Irvin and OT Erik Williams during the week preceding the game against the Panthers that provided an additional distraction (the charges ultimately proved to be unfounded).

There were 72,808 fans in attendance on a 60-degree day at Ericsson Stadium. The Panthers had the ball first but, after reaching midfield, Kerry Collins was intercepted by SS Darren Woodson. Troy Aikman completed passes to Michael Irvin for 22 yards and WR Kevin Williams for 17 while Emmitt Smith plugged away on the ground, and the Cowboys put the first points on the board with a 22-yard Chris Boniol field goal. However, Irvin suffered a broken collar bone when tackled by Lamar Lathon following his reception and was lost for the remainder of the game.

Carolina responded with a 68-yard drive in six plays. Collins (pictured below) threw to WR Willie Green for 22 yards and a seven-yard completion to WR Mark Carrier gave the Panthers first-and-goal at the Dallas one, from where Collins connected with Wesley Walls for a touchdown. John Kasay added the extra point for a 7-3 lead.

A short series by the Cowboys ended with a punt and, in a drive that stretched into the second quarter, the Panthers advanced 42 yards in 11 plays. Collins threw to Green for 13 yards on first down, hit Green again for eight yards on a third-and-nine play, and converted the resulting fourth-and-one situation by carrying himself for the necessary yardage. Another Collins pass, to RB Winslow Oliver, picked up five yards on a third-and-two play and the possession ended with Collins throwing to Green for a 10-yard TD. Kasay’s point after made it a 14-3 score.

Dallas came back with a long series of 14 plays that traveled 73 yards. Aikman completed six passes, the longest to Williams for 15 yards to convert a third down and the last to FB Daryl “Moose” Johnston for a two-yard touchdown. The attempt for a two-point conversion failed but the Carolina lead was narrowed to 14-9 with 4:19 remaining in the first half.

The Panthers went three-and-out on their next possession but gave up two points when the snap from punt formation sailed over Rohn Stark’s head and the punter was obliged to fall on the ball in the end zone for a safety. Deion Sanders returned the resulting free kick 28 yards and Aikman immediately moved the Cowboys into Carolina territory with a pass to Williams for 12 yards, but three plays later he was picked off by SS Chad Cota, who returned it 49 yards to the Dallas 27. Kasay kicked a 24-yard field goal and the Panthers led by 17-11 at halftime.

The Cowboys had the ball first in the third quarter and had to punt, but retained possession when Oliver fumbled the kick and Johnston recovered for Dallas at the Carolina 16. Aikman threw to Williams for 11 yards but, after reaching the three yard line, the Panthers held and the visitors settled for a 21-yard Boniol field goal that made it a three-point game.

With Anthony Johnson leading the way on the ground, the Panthers drove from their 28 to the Dallas 22 and Kasay kicked a 40-yard field goal. The Cowboys punted following their next series and once again Carolina advanced to a field goal by Kasay, again from 40 yards, that made the score 23-14 early in the fourth quarter.

Dallas came back with a long drive that covered 78 yards. Aikman completed four passes, all under ten yards, and Sanders, lined up at wide receiver on offense, gained 16 yards on a reverse while Smith had a 25-yard run. However, Sanders was lost with a head injury and once again the Cowboys couldn’t reach the end zone and settled for another Boniol field goal that covered 21 yards.

A short series by the Panthers following a 51-yard kickoff return by WR Michael Bates resulted in a punt and Dallas, down by six points, was pinned back at its two. The Cowboys reached their 37 before Aikman threw a pass that was intercepted by FS Pat Terrell, who returned it 49 yards to the Dallas 19. Carolina kept the ball on the ground and Kasay made it a nine-point game with a 32-yard field goal as the clock showed 3:44 remaining in to play. On the third play following the ensuing kickoff, Sam Mills intercepted an Aikman pass to clinch the 26-17 win for the Panthers, who were able to run out the clock.

Dallas had the edge in total yards (244 to 227) and first downs (21 to 18). However, the Cowboys failed to take full advantage of scoring opportunities, settling for three field goals rather than touchdowns inside the Carolina five, and turned the ball over three times, to two by the Panthers.

Kerry Collins completed 12 of 22 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted once. Anthony Johnson rushed for 104 yards on 26 carries and Willie Green led the Carolina receivers with 5 catches for 53 yards and a TD. John Kasay was successful on all four of his field goal attempts.

For the Cowboys, Troy Aikman (pictured at right) was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 165 yards and a TD but also gave up three interceptions. In the absence of Michael Irvin, Kevin Williams caught 6 passes for 89 yards to lead the club. Emmitt Smith gained 80 yards on 22 rushing attempts but was consistently stopped inside the five yard line.

“Same old story we had all year long,” summed up Coach Switzer of the Cowboys. “We get the ball in scoring position and can’t get the touchdown.”

Carolina advanced to the NFC Championship game and lost to Green Bay (similarly, the other 1995 expansion team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, reached the AFC title game). The Panthers were unable to sustain the quick success, dropping to 7-9 in 1997 and not reaching the playoffs, or posting another winning record, until 2003. For the Cowboys, the defeat marked the end of a six-season period in which they were an elite club. They fell to 6-10 in ’97 and, while they returned to the postseason in 1998 and ’99, they were defeated in the Wild Card round both times.

1992: Fumble Recovery Propels Redskins to Defeat of Cowboys

Two bitter NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, faced off at RFK Stadium on December 13, 1992. The Redskins, coached by Joe Gibbs for the twelfth season, were the defending NFL Champions but finding the going more difficult the year after winning the Super Bowl. Following a 5-2 start, they lost three of four games and were at 8-5. QB Mark Rypien was not performing up to his level of the season before and the vaunted offensive line was injury-riddled. However, 30-year-old RB Earnest Byner was still dependable, the receiving corps led by WR Gary Clark was a good one, and the defense remained tough.

Dallas was the up-and-coming team under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson and came into Washington with an 11-2 record, including a win in the season-opening contest with the Redskins. The offense had a solid nucleus with QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin and the defense was outstanding. The Cowboys had been a Wild Card team in 1991 and were looking to top the NFC East for the first time since 1985.   

There were 56,437 enthusiastic fans in attendance on a cloudy and breezy day. The teams traded punts to start the game before SS Kenneth Gant intercepted a Mark Rypien pass that was bobbled by TE Terry Orr at midfield and returned it to the Washington 42. The Cowboys advanced 37 yards in 10 plays, the biggest a throw from Troy Aikman to WR Alvin Harper for 21 yards. Emmitt Smith gained the necessary yardage to convert a fourth-and-one situation at the 10 yard line, but the Cowboys couldn’t reach the end zone and Lin Elliott kicked a 23-yard field goal.

The teams returned to exchanging punts for the remainder of the opening period and into the second quarter. Taking possession at their own 47 after a Kelly Woodburn shanked punt traveled 30 yards and went out of bounds, the Cowboys drove 53 yards in six plays. Facing third-and-nine, Aikman connected with Michael Irvin for 40 yards to the Washington 12 and then completed two passes to TE Jay Novacek, the second for five yards and a touchdown. Elliott added the extra point and the visitors were up by 10-0.

The Redskins again had to punt following their next series, which saw the home crowd boo Rypien for twice missing makeable throws intended for Gary Clark, but got a break when WR Kelvin Martin slipped and muffed the kick and center Guy Bingham recovered for Washington at the Dallas 41. On the next play, RB Earnest Byner (pictured at left), faking a sweep to the right that successfully fooled the defense, threw an option pass to Orr for a 41-yard TD and, with Chip Lohmiller’s conversion, the Dallas lead was narrowed to 10-7.

The Cowboys advanced into Washington territory on the next possession, helped along by Smith’s 17-yard run to the Redskins’ 41. However, following a short carry by Smith, Aikman threw three incomplete passes, the second of which was broken up in the end zone and the third nearly intercepted by LB Wilber Marshall. Dallas was forced to punt and pinned the Redskins inside their 20, which ultimately resulted in a 50-yard line-drive punt by Goodburn that Martin returned for 18 yards to the Washington 42.

Taking over on offense with 2:06 remaining in the first half, it took seven plays for the Cowboys to score again. Aikman completed passes to Harper for 12 yards and Martin for nine, but a holding penalty backed Dallas up. However, a pass interference call on the Redskins gave the visitors a first down at the Washington 11 and, three plays later, it was Aikman to Novacek once again for a five-yard touchdown. Elliott added the point after and Dallas took a 17-7 lead into halftime.

The Cowboys had the first possession in the third quarter and punted from midfield. Washington put together a 12-play, 68-yard series in response. Byner ran effectively and Rypien completed four passes, the longest to WR Ricky Sanders for 29 yards. But after finding themselves with first-and-goal at the one, the Redskins lost yardage and had to settle for a 32-yard Lohmiller field goal.

Dallas was on the move as the game headed into the fourth quarter, helped along by a fake punt in which FB Daryl Johnston ran for 13 yards in a fourth-and-six situation to the Washington 38. Smith ran for 18 and 14 yards on the next two plays and the Cowboys had first-and-goal at the six. But following two more carries by Smith, Aikman passed on third down and LB Andre Collins intercepted and returned it 59 yards to the Dallas 42. Rypien had completions to Clark for 16 yards and Sanders for 13 as the Redskins drove to a 22-yard Lohmiller field goal. Instead of Dallas potentially scoring a game-clinching touchdown, Washington had now made it a four-point contest at 17-13.

On the third play of the next Dallas series, Irvin fumbled when hit by CB Darrell Green after gaining 20 yards on a pass from Aikman. SS Danny Copeland recovered and returned it 15 yards to give the Redskins the ball at the Dallas 24. Rypien passed to Clark for 13 yards and Byner had a four-yard run, but the home team found itself facing fourth-and-one at the Dallas two and Rypien’s pass intended for Clark was overthrown.

The clock was down to 3:33 to play as the Cowboys took possession. Johnston ran up the middle for two yards, but on second down Aikman fumbled while being sacked in the end zone by DE Jason Buck, who overwhelmed center Mark Stepnoski and got a hand on the ball just as the quarterback was about to go into his throwing motion (television replays were inconclusive as to whether Aikman had already begun to move his arm forward before losing the ball). Smith picked the loose ball up for Dallas, but he was hit by Collins and Copeland and tried to toss the ball out of the end zone. Copeland managed to recover for Washington for a touchdown, but the resolution of the play added to the bizarre situation as the safety had already left the pileup with ball in hand and run to midfield to celebrate while the officials were still sorting out who had possession, and he had to return to the end zone. Lohmiller converted and the Redskins were ahead by three points.

There was still time for Dallas, and with the crowd in a frenzy, Aikman threw back-to-back 14-yard completions to Martin and Irvin. Another throw to Martin was good for 10 yards to the Washington 38, but Aikman was then sacked by Collins for a loss of seven yards. A toss to Smith regained the yardage, but on third-and-10, Aikman was sacked once again, this time by LB Monte Coleman. Aikman threw for Harper on fourth-and-17, the pass was incomplete, and Washington came away with a 20-17 win.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (342 to 246) and first downs (22 to 14). However, the Redskins recorded four sacks, to two by Dallas, and the Cowboys turned the ball over four times, one leading directly to the winning touchdown, to one suffered by Washington.

Mark Rypien had a mediocre performance as he completed 12 of 29 passes for 144 yards and gave up an interception. Earnest Byner rushed for 69 yards on 19 carries and also tossed a touchdown pass. Gary Clark caught four passes for 50 yards and Ricky Sanders gained 53 yards on his three receptions.

For the Cowboys, Troy Aikman was successful on 23 of 35 throws for 245 yards and two TDs with one picked off. Emmitt Smith (pictured at right) gained 99 yards on 25 rushing attempts and caught five passes for 16 yards. Michael Irvin also had five pass receptions, for 105 yards, while Jay Novacek scored two TDs among his five catches for 25 yards.

“It was one of the hardest-fought games I’ve ever been in,” summed up Coach Gibbs of the Redskins. “Everyone laid it on the line out there. This was one of the most emotional games I’ve been in, and it’s one I’ll always remember. There were a lot of great plays back and forth. This was two great teams and had everything wrapped into it.”

“The Redskins gave a great effort and we gave a great effort,” said Jimmy Johnson of the Cowboys. “They are to be commended.  Our guys will be all right. We came up short against a good football team on the road.”

The loss proved to be the last of the season for Dallas. The Cowboys won their remaining two games to place first in the NFC East at 13-3 and continued on in the postseason to a Super Bowl triumph over Buffalo. The Redskins lost two close contests to finish out the schedule with a 9-7 record that placed third in the division but still qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. They defeated Minnesota in the Wild Card round but lost to the 49ers at the Divisional level.

The decisive fumble recovery by Danny Copeland was one of three for the year and resulted in his only career touchdown. Earnest Byners touchdown pass was his only completion of the season, out of three attempts, and his third career scoring toss. He rushed for 998 yards on 262 carries (3.8 avg.) and caught 39 passes for another 338 yards (8.7 avg.), compiling a total of seven TDs.

Highlighted Year: Troy Aikman, 1991

Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys

Age:  25 (Nov. 21)

3^rd season in pro football & with Cowboys

College: UCLA

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 218

Prelude:

Aikman started off in college at Oklahoma and was starting quarterback as a sophomore until breaking his ankle four games into the season. He transferred to UCLA where, after sitting out a year, he passed for 5298 yards and 41 touchdowns and led the Bruins to a 20-4 record with two bowl victories and received consensus first-team All-American honors as a senior in 1988. The Cowboys chose Aikman with the first overall pick in the ’89 NFL draft and he took over the starting job, showing great toughness with a rebuilding 1-13 team and missing time with a broken finger. A drop-back quarterback with a strong arm, Aikman continued to develop in 1990 and passed for 2579 yards until suffering a late-season shoulder separation that required surgery.

1991 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 363 [16]

Most attempts, game – 42 vs. Washington 9/9, at Detroit 10/27

Completions – 237 [14]

Most completions, game – 31 at Green Bay 10/6

Yards – 2754 [16]

Most yards, game – 331 at Detroit 10/27

Completion percentage – 65.3 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Yards per attempt – 7.6 [4]

TD passes – 11 [16, tied with seven others]

Most TD passes, game – 3 vs. Washington 9/9

Interceptions – 10

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Philadelphia 9/15

Passer rating – 86.7 [6]

300-yard passing games – 1

200-yard passing games – 8

Rushing

Attempts – 16

Most attempts, game - 3 (for 9 yds.) vs. Washington 9/9, (for -5 yds.) vs. NY Giants 9/29

Yards – 5

Most yards, game – 9 yards (on 3 carries) vs. Washington 9/9

Yards per attempt – 0.3

TDs – 1

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1

Yards – -6

Yards per catch – -6.0

TDs - 0

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Divisional playoff at Detroit)

Pass attempts – 16

Pass completions – 11

Passing yardage – 114

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 2

Rushing yards – 0

Average gain rushing – 0.0

Rushing TDs – 0

Missed one postseason game due to injury

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Cowboys went 11-5 to finish second in the NFC East and qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card. Won NFC Wild Card playoff over Chicago Bears (17-13). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Detroit Lions (38-6).

Aftermath:

The best was yet to come for Aikman and the Cowboys as the team won three of the next four NFL Championships. Aikman passed for 3445 yards and a career-high 23 touchdowns in 1992 and capped the year by being selected as the Super Bowl MVP. He was chosen to six consecutive Pro Bowls and was a steady, solid leader as well as consistent performer in an offense where he was often overshadowed by RB Emmitt Smith and WR Michael Irvin. But he had five 3000-yard passing seasons and averaged over seven yards per pass attempt six times. The team went into decline and concussions became an issue, forcing Aikman’s retirement in 2000. Overall, he completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 32,942 yards and 165 touchdowns and, in the postseason, threw for another 3849 yards and 23 TDs while the Cowboys won 11 of his 16 starts. Aikman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2006.    

--

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

1996: Key Interceptions Propel Cowboys Over Steelers in Super Bowl XXX

Super Bowl XXX on January 28, 1996 featured the Dallas Cowboys, back after a one-year hiatus following back-to-back titles in 1992 and ’93, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While Barry Switzer had replaced Jimmy Johnson as head coach since the last two Super Bowl appearances, the Cowboys still relied on the offensive trio of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin, and all three had excelled in 1995. TE Jay Novacek was also a Pro Bowl-quality player and the veteran offensive line was solid. The defense was anchored by aging but able DE Charles Haley and was particularly strong in the backfield, where flashy CB Deion Sanders was a dominant defender and had good company in SS Darren Woodson. Dallas won the NFC East for the fourth straight year with a conference-best 12-4 record and defeated the Eagles and Packers thus far in the postseason to reach the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.

Under Head Coach Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh had been in the playoffs for each of the past three seasons and barely missed going to the Super Bowl the previous year. QB Neil O’Donnell was a good fit in running a conservative offense, but it was the solid defense which ranked third overall in the NFL that made the Steelers a contender. Outside linebackers Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd were both selected to the Pro Bowl, and big Levon Kirkland was a solid inside linebacker. Injuries to star cornerbacks Rod Woodson and Deon Figures could have been shattering blows, but replacements Carnell Lake, moved from strong safety, and Willie Williams rose to the occasion. After getting off to a 3-4 start, the Steelers won eight straight games and topped the AFC Central with an 11-5 record. They defeated the Bills in the Divisional round and held off the Colts to win the AFC title.

There was a crowd of 76,347 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, supplemented by the usual mammoth television audience. The Cowboys had the first possession and drove 47 yards in six plays. Troy Aikman threw to Michael Irvin for 20 yards and Emmitt Smith followed up with a 23-yard carry to the Pittsburgh 28. They picked up four more yards on the next three plays and Chris Boniol kicked a 42-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Steelers went three-and-out on their first series and punted. Dallas put together another scoring drive, this time advancing 75 yards in eight plays. Following two carries by Smith that picked up eight yards, a false start penalty backed the Cowboys up and forced a third-and-seven situation. Aikman connected with Irvin for 11 yards and then went long on a post pattern to Deion Sanders, inserted as a wide receiver, for a gain of 47 yards to the Pittsburgh 14. Three plays later, Aikman converted a third-and-nine play with a pass to Jay Novacek for ten yards and then went to the tight end again for a three-yard touchdown. Boniol’s extra point made it a 10-0 game.

The Steelers responded with a long series that stretched into the early second quarter. Neil O’Donnell completed a pass to WR Ernie Mills for 11 yards in a third-and-eight situation and QB Kordell Stewart, coming in for the short-yardage play, ran for two yards to convert a fourth-and-one near midfield. O’Donnell completed another third-and-eight play with an 11-yard completion to WR Andre Hastings, but the drive finally stalled at the Dallas 39 and the Steelers punted into the end zone.

The Cowboys came back with another long scoring drive of 13 plays and 62 yards. Aikman completed six passes, but an apparent completion to Irvin at the goal line from 24 yards out was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty and, after Aikman threw to Novacek for 19 yards, Smith ran twice and was stopped for a three-yard loss on a third-and-one play. Dallas settled for a Boniol field goal from 35 yards, but now led by 13-0.

The teams traded punts before the Steelers, taking over with 3:52 remaining in the half, put together a 13-play, 54-yard scoring drive. It didn’t look promising when O’Donnell was sacked by Charles Haley for a loss of 10 yards to bring up a third-and-20 play, but O’Donnell threw to Hastings for 19 yards and Stewart gained three yards over tackle on fourth-and-one. A 12-yard run by RB Bam Morris put the Steelers at the Dallas 30 at the two-minute warning and, after Morris ran for three yards and TE Jonathan Hayes dropped a pass, O’Donnell connected with Mills for seven yards and a first down. DT Chad Hennings sacked O’Donnell, but he came back with completions to Hastings for six yards, Mills for 17 on third-and-13, and then six yards to WR Yancey Thigpen for a touchdown with the clock down to 13 seconds. Norm Johnson added the extra point and the score was 13-7 at the half.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter before the Steelers drove to their 48, but a misdirected O’Donnell pass was intercepted by CB Larry Brown (pictured at top), who returned it 44 yards to the Pittsburgh 18. The Cowboys made the most of the turnover as Aikman passed to Irvin for 17 yards and, on the next play, Smith ran the last yard for a touchdown. Boniol added the extra point and Dallas had an extended lead of 20-7.

The Steelers again advanced toward midfield on their next series. O’Donnell completed three passes but, after reaching their 47, Morris was stopped for no gain on three straight carries, the last one while facing fourth-and-two. The Cowboys had a short series and punted and, with 33 seconds remaining in the period, Pittsburgh again had possession. The Steelers went 52 yards in 10 plays that started with O’Donnell passing to Mills for 12 yards, followed by two carries by Morris that picked up another 17. Mills fumbled after gaining 11 yards on a catch, but TE Mark Bruener recovered to keep the series going. Four straight short passes got the ball to the Dallas 19, but an incompletion was followed by a sack and the Steelers settled for a 46-yard Johnson field goal.

Down by 20-10, the Steelers went for an onside kick and it was successful when CB Deon Figures recovered at the Pittsburgh 48. O’Donnell went to the air for three straight completions to the Dallas 22, and after Morris (pictured above) picked up five yards on a run, two more passes got the Steelers to the five. Morris carried on the next three plays, the last for a one-yard TD and, with Johnson adding the extra point, Pittsburgh was back in the game at 20-17 and appeared to have the momentum.

The Cowboys had a short series that ended with a punt, and the Steelers again had the ball, starting off at their 32 with 4:15 left on the clock. But after an incomplete pass on first down, O’Donnell again threw for Hastings and his off-target pass was picked off by Brown for a second time, who returned it 33 yards to the Pittsburgh six. Smith ran for a four-yard TD two plays later, and for all intents sealed the win for Dallas.

O’Donnell passed the Steelers to the Dallas 40, but they got no farther as the next three tosses fell incomplete, the last on fourth down. The Cowboys were winners by a final score of 27-17.

It was the 12^th straight loss by an AFC team in the Super Bowl. However, the Steelers made a game of it, leading in total yards (310 to 254) and first downs (25 to 15). Pittsburgh’s defense did especially well against the run, holding the Cowboys to 56 yards on 25 running plays, but Dallas recorded four sacks, to two by the Steelers. However, the Steelers gave up three turnovers, two of which directly led to touchdowns, while the Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over at all.

Troy Aikman completed 15 of 23 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Michael Irvin had five catches for 76 yards and Jay Novacek (pictured at left) also caught five, for 50 yards and a TD. Emmitt Smith was limited to 49 yards on 18 carries, but had the two short touchdowns. Larry Brown was the game’s MVP thanks to his two big interceptions, although in addition to that he had seven tackles, five of them solo.

For the Steelers, Neil O’Donnell was successful on 28 of 49 throws for 239 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions, two of which were critical. Andre Hastings had 10 receptions for 98 yards and Ernie Mills accumulated 78 yards on his 8 catches before leaving the game with a sprained knee. Bam Morris was the leading rusher with 73 yards on 19 attempts that included a score.

“I knew I was going to be the key today,” said Larry Brown. “I knew they would stay away from Deion (Sanders).”

“I’d like to commend Pittsburgh for the way they played,” commented Barry Switzer. “They dominated the second half.”

Several of the key players on both sides were wearing different uniforms in 1996, including Neil O’Donnell, who signed a big contract to play for the Jets, and Larry Brown, who moved on to Oakland. The Cowboys once again finished first in the NFC East but fell to the upstart Carolina Panthers in the Divisional playoff round. Pittsburgh, despite a tumultuous offseason, came back to top the AFC Central and thrashed the Colts in the Wild Card round before losing to New England.

1995: 49ers Defeat Cowboys for NFC Championship

Following the 1992 and ’93 NFL seasons, the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers had met for the NFC Championship, with Dallas winning both times on the way to victories in the Super Bowl. On January 15, 1995 the two clubs faced off for a third time with the conference title on the line.

The 49ers, coached by George Seifert, had put together a league-best 13-3 record to top the NFC West for the eighth time in nine years. QB Steve Young (pictured at right), mobile and highly accurate with his lefthanded passing, led the league with a 112.8 passer rating plus 35 touchdowns, 8.6 yards per attempt, and a 70.3 completion percentage. Star WR Jerry Rice topped the NFL in receiving yards (1499) on his 112 catches. RB Ricky Watters was productive both running the ball and catching it out of the backfield. The defense benefited from the presence of CB Deion Sanders and had other Pro Bowl talent in DT Dana Stubblefield, FS Merton Hanks, and SS Tim McDonald.

Dallas had a new head coach for 1994 in Barry Switzer, who replaced the departed Jimmy Johnson, architect of the club’s previous success. The core of the offense was back in the persons of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin. DE Charles Haley anchored the defensive line while SS Darren Woodson was also an All-Pro in the backfield. The Cowboys were nicked up on the offensive line, however, and while Smith had rushed for 1484 yards and 21 touchdowns, he had been hampered by hamstring problems.

Both clubs had handily won their NFC Divisional playoff games, with the 49ers defeating Chicago by a score of 44-15 and Dallas whipping the Packers 35-9.

There were 69,125 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park. The field was in poor condition after a week of heavy rain in the Bay Area leading up to game day. On the third play from scrimmage, San Francisco CB Eric Davis (pictured below) intercepted a Troy Aikman pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. Doug Brien added the extra point and the 49ers were in front by 7-0 with barely over a minute of time elapsed.

The next Dallas possession again resulted in a turnover, and it was once again Davis making the play as he forced Michael Irvin to fumble after gaining 16 yards on a pass from Aikman. Tim McDonald recovered at the Dallas 39 and, five plays later, Young threw a short pass to Ricky Watters, who went the distance for a 29-yard TD. Brien’s kick put the Niners up by 14-0.

Things continued to go wrong for the Cowboys as, on the ensuing kickoff, WR Kevin Williams was stripped of the ball by RB Adam Walker after a 22-yard return and Brien recovered for the 49ers at the Dallas 35. Runs by Watters and FB William Floyd picked up nine yards and Steve Young gave the home team a first down with a two-yard sneak up the middle. Two plays later, Young threw to WR John Taylor for 14 yards and followed that up with a quarterback draw that gained nine yards to the one yard line. From there, on the seventh play of the series, Floyd bulled over for a touchdown. Brien again added the PAT and, with the opening period not quite halfway over, the 49ers held a 21-0 lead.

Now in a deep hole, the Cowboys put together an eight-play, 62-yard scoring drive. FB Daryl “Moose” Johnston converted a third-and-one with a carry for four yards, Williams gained eight yards on an end-around, and a sack of Aikman was negated by a defensive holding penalty. Finally, facing third-and-23 at the San Francisco 44, Aikman threw deep for Irvin and connected for a touchdown. Chris Boniol added the PAT and the score was 21-7 after a period of play.

The Cowboys had the ball again heading into the second quarter and reached the San Francisco 10, but Boniol was wide on a 27-yard field goal attempt. The 49ers drove 64 yards in 11 plays in response, helped along by a 33-yard pass interference penalty on CB Larry Brown. Watters had an 11-yard run, Young carried for six, and Young converted a fourth-and-three play with a completion to TE Brent Jones for ten yards to the Dallas 17. After the usually-reliable Jerry Rice dropped a pass in the end zone, Brien finished off the series with a 34-yard field goal to extend the home team’s lead.

With just under six minutes remaining in the half, the Cowboys came back with a 63-yard drive in eight plays. Aikman had two completions to TE Jay Novacek, covering 15 and 19 yards, and Emmitt Smith ran for a four-yard touchdown. Boniol’s extra point narrowed the San Francisco lead to ten points.

The teams traded punts until the 49ers, taking advantage of a 23-yard kick by John Jett, took over at the Dallas 39 with thirty seconds left on the clock. Two carries by Floyd picked up 11 yards before Young fired for Rice in the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown. It was a huge boost for the 49ers, and they took a 31-14 lead into halftime.

The Cowboys got a break on the second half kickoff when Adam Walker muffed the kick and CB Dave Thomas recovered for Dallas at the San Francisco 25. Seven plays later, and helped along by a penalty on LB Rickey Jackson for a blow to Aikman’s head on a third down play, Smith ran one yard for a TD and, with Boniol’s conversion, it was a ten-point game once again.

However, the 49ers came right back with a drive of 70 yards in ten plays. Young completed three passes, including one of 17 yards to Taylor to reach the Dallas 38 and another to Jones of 12 yards in a third-and-five situation. Young ran for the final three yards, just reaching the end zone for a touchdown that, adding the extra point, made the score 38-21.

The Cowboys came back throwing, with Aikman hitting Williams for 18 yards and Irvin for 20 before being picked off by Deion Sanders. The 49ers put together a methodical possession that carried into the fourth quarter and ended with a Klaus Wilmsmeyer punt that had the visitors starting at their own 11.

Still, Dallas battled back and drove 89 yards in 14 plays. Smith ran effectively and Aikman completed six passes, the last to Irvin for a 10-yard touchdown. But that was it for the defending champs. Dallas got the ball twice more and turned the ball over on downs both times. At one point Coach Switzer, furious that Sanders was not called for pass interference, bumped an official, which resulted in a 15-yard penalty against the Cowboys which was followed by Aikman being sacked by DE Tim Harris on fourth down. The 49ers won by a final score of 38-28.

Dallas had more total yards (451 to 294) and first downs (29 to 19) as they played catch-up throughout the contest. However, they also turned the ball over five times, three in the first quarter to put themselves in a hole, to one turnover by the 49ers. San Francisco also recorded four sacks and Aikman was knocked down on 14 other plays.

Steve Young completed 13 of 29 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, with none intercepted, and also ran the ball 10 times for 47 yards and a TD. Ricky Watters rushed for 72 yards on 14 carries and scored a 29-yard touchdown on his lone pass reception. William Floyd contributed 20 yards on 7 rushing attempts that included a score and had three catches for 16 yards. Brent Jones also had three receptions, for a team-leading 37 yards, while Jerry Rice was right behind with 36 yards on his two catches that included a TD. Defensively, DT Rhett Hall and Tim Harris had two sacks apiece and Eric Davis intercepted two passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

For the Cowboys, Troy Aikman went to the air 53 times and had 30 completions for 380 yards and two TDs, but gave up three interceptions. Michael Irvin (pictured below), with 12 catches, tied the record for pass receptions in a NFL/NFC Championship game set by Raymond Berry of the Colts in 1958 and set a new standard with 192 receiving yards while scoring twice. Kevin Williams added 6 pass receptions for 78 yards and Jay Novacek contributed 72 yards on his five catches. Emmitt Smith ran for 74 yards and two TDs on 20 carried before leaving the game with nine minutes remaining due to a pulled hamstring.

“We’re all disappointed,” said Troy Aikman. “We came out thinking we were going to run the ball, but when you get down 21-0, we were forced to put the ball in the air. It’s hard enough to pass block when you’re behind, but it makes it tougher when your players are banged up.”

The 49ers went on to win the Super Bowl with ease over the San Diego Chargers. They again topped the NFC West in 1995 but lost in the Divisional playoff round. Dallas came back strong to post a 12-4 record in winning the NFC East and, this time defeating the Packers for the conference title, returned to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Steelers. While coming up short on achieving three consecutive NFL Championships, the Cowboys still managed to win three in a four-year span.

1996: Cowboys Shut Down Patriots & Clinch NFC East

The Dallas Cowboys, defending NFL Champions, were seeking to clinch a fifth straight NFC East title as they hosted the New England Patriots on December 15, 1996. Head Coach Barry Switzer’s Cowboys were still a strong team with an offense based around the troika of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin and a defense that was top-ranked against the pass. But Smith was playing hurt much of the year and Irvin missed time due to a drug suspension, one of many off-field distractions that dogged the club. DE Leon Lett would be missing the contest against the Patriots, also due to a drug suspension. But despite the problems, Dallas was 9-5 and, at the very least, still the best team in its division.

The Patriots, coached by Bill Parcells, had a 10-4 record and were already assured of a playoff berth. QB Drew Bledsoe directed a pass-oriented offense and had WR Terry Glenn, who quickly established himself as an impact player in his rookie season despite playing with a nagging hamstring injury, as his main target. Second-year RB Curtis Martin was outstanding running the ball. The defense had been unimpressive earlier in the season but appeared to be coming together as the postseason approached.

There were 64,578 fans in attendance Texas Stadium. The Cowboys had the first possession and punted. New England responded by driving 61 yards in 10 plays. Curtis Martin started things off with a 21-yard carry and Drew Bledsoe threw to Terry Glenn for 19 yards to the Dallas 25. A 10-yard run by RB Dave Meggett converted a third-and-10 situation but, after getting first-and-goal from the four yard line, Bledsoe threw three incomplete passes in the end zone and the Patriots settled for a 21-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri.

The Cowboys no sooner got the ball again when CB Ty Law intercepted an Aikman pass to give New England possession at the Dallas 30. Bledsoe completed three short passes and the Patriots again ended up with a Vinatieri field goal, this time from 30 yards. The Patriots were up by 6-0, but that would prove to be the high point of the game for them.

Dallas responded quickly when RB Herschel Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the New England 19. While the Cowboys had difficulty moving the ball from there on offense, Chris Boniol booted a 23-yard field goal.

The Patriots came back on a series that extended into the second quarter. Bledsoe threw a screen pass to FB Keith Byars for a 19-yard gain and, two plays later, hit Byars again for 16 yards. But after reaching the Dallas 16, Martin fumbled on a third down carry and DT Chad Hennings recovered for the Cowboys.

The teams traded punts before Dallas put together a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive. Aikman threw to Emmitt Smith on a third-and-two play to gain 21 yards as he broke two tackles along the way and the star running back followed up with three consecutive eight-yard carries before being shaken up and having to leave the game. Boniol kicked a 36-yard field goal to tie the score at 6-6.

New England drove to just past midfield as the game moved into the last two minutes of the first half, but a pass was intercepted by safety Roger Harper to end the threat. The score remained tied at halftime.

Following a punt by the Patriots after their first series of the third quarter, the Cowboys advanced 69 yards in 13 plays. Aikman had completions to Michael Irvin for 15 yards and WR Kevin Williams for 19 yards along the way, Smith had six carries for 26 yards, and a defensive holding penalty converted a second-and-10 situation before the drive ended at the New England 17 and Boniol kicked his third field goal, from 35 yards.

On New England’s third play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, SS Darren Woodson (pictured at top) intercepted a Bledsoe pass and returned it 21 yards to the New England four. The Patriots held on defense, actually backing the Cowboys up seven yards, and Boniol booted a 29-yard field goal.

The visitors reached the Dallas 48 on their last series of the period, but Bledsoe threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-one to give the ball back to the home team. Aikman threw to Irvin for 20 yards and the Cowboys reached the New England seven, but on the second play of the fourth quarter Aikman threw into the end zone and Law intercepted for the second time.

The teams exchanged punts before the Patriots again threatened, advancing to the Dallas 23. The big play was a Bledsoe pass to Glenn for 29 yards, but once again New England came up empty when trying to convert a fourth down.

After the Cowboys managed to burn over three minutes off the clock before punting, the Patriots took over at their 18 with 2:33 remaining. Bledsoe threw to WR Troy Brown for nine yards but then was picked off by Woodson. It turned out to be their last chance – Williams gained nine yards on a third-and-seven end-around to clinch the surprisingly low-scoring 12-6 win for Dallas.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Patriots had the edge in total yards (279 to 251) while the clubs were even with 16 first downs apiece. New England turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the Cowboys. Moreover, the Patriots had come into the game leading the league by scoring an average of 28 points-per-game, but were held to just six points and no touchdowns by the Dallas defense.

Troy Aikman completed 16 of 28 passes for 169 yards and gave up two interceptions. Emmitt Smith rushed for 85 yards on 27 carries and added another 55 yards on 5 pass receptions. Michael Irvin led the club with 6 catches for 76 yards. Darren Woodson had two big interceptions on defense and Chris Boniol (pictured at left) was successful on all four of his field goal attempts.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe was successful on 20 of 40 throws for 178 yards and was picked off three times. Curtis Martin had 91 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Terry Glenn caught 8 passes for 83 yards and Keith Byars contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. On defense, Ty Law accounted for both of the team’s interceptions.

“I told the team they ought to be damn proud of the fact they’re the first team to ever win five consecutive NFC East titles,” said Coach Switzer.

On a different note, Michael Irvin said, “We’ve had to fight and struggle all year. But our defense won it for us. If we play like this on offense we’ll be out of the playoffs as soon as they start. It was flat-out embarrassing the way we played. I just about cried.”

Irvin’s pessimism was not fully justified as the Cowboys, who finished with a 10-6 record, easily got past Minnesota in the Wild Card playoff round. However, they lost to the upstart Carolina Panthers in the Divisional round – the club’s earliest departure from the postseason since 1991. New England ended up winning the AFC East at 11-5 and advanced all the way to the Super Bowl before losing to Green Bay.

1994: Cowboys Overcome Packers for NFC Divisional Playoff Win

The Dallas Cowboys, winners of the Super Bowl following the 1992 NFL season, were strong again in ’93 and posted a conference-best 12-4 record in topping the NFC East. Rebuilt into a championship team by Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, the Cowboys had an offense constructed around QB Troy Aikman (pictured at right), RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin. The defense set a club record by allowing just 21 touchdowns and featured DT Russell Maryland, MLB Ken Norton, CB Kevin Smith, and FS Thomas Everett. Dallas faced the Green Bay Packers in a NFC Divisional Playoff game on January 16, 1994 as they sought to defend their title.

Green Bay was in the postseason for the second straight year under Head Coach Mike Holmgren, again posting a 9-7 record to finish third in the NFC Central but qualify for a Wild Card spot. In his second year as a starter, QB Brett Favre was still a work in progress who suffered with inconsistency (he was intercepted a league-leading 24 times) but was selected to the Pro Bowl. WR Sterling Sharpe caught 112 passes and TE Jackie Harris was a fine pass-catching tight end, but the running game was mediocre.  The defense was anchored by All-Pro DE Reggie White and also contained pass rushing LB Bryce Paup and SS LeRoy Butler. The Packers defeated the division-rival Lions in the Wild Card round to advance to the Divisional playoff against the Cowboys.

It was a mostly-cloudy day with 64,790 in attendance at Texas Stadium. The Packers got an apparent early break when Emmitt Smith, who was still recovering from a shoulder separation, fumbled after being hit by LB Tony Bennett and Butler recovered at the Dallas 43. But Green Bay gave the ball right back on the next play when Favre fumbled while being sacked by DE Tony Tolbert and DE Leon Lett recovered the ball for the Cowboys. The teams traded punts and, following a short series for Dallas, a fake punt on fourth-and-one failed to pick up the necessary yardage and Green Bay took over in Cowboys territory at the 28. This time the Packers got on the board but, after advancing 16 yards in seven plays, they had to settle for Chris Jacke kicking a 30-yard field goal.

The Cowboys were driving as the opening period ended, but early in the second quarter Butler intercepted an Aikman pass. However, the Packers lost yardage in three plays and punted, and Dallas put together an eight-play, 68-yard scoring series. Aikman completed four passes, the last to WR Alvin Harper for a 25-yard touchdown. Ed Murray added the point after and it was 7-3.

The Packers started off their next possession from deep in their own territory when CB Corey Harris fumbled the ball out of bounds at the four on the kickoff return. However, following a short run on first down, Favre threw to TE Darryl Ingram for seven yards and then hit Sterling Sharpe for a 48-yard gain to the Dallas 39. Green Bay advanced to the 31, from where Jacke’s 49-yard field goal try was unsuccessful when it hit the right upright.

The Cowboys came back with a 10-play, 45-yard series. Aikman had completions to Smith for 22 yards and to Irvin for 11 and 13 yards before the drive stalled at the Green Bay 23. Murray made good on a 41-yard field goal attempt that made it 10-3 with 28 seconds remaining in the half. The scoring wasn’t over, however, as Harris again lost the ball when stripped by DB Kenneth Gant on the kickoff return and safety Joe Fishback recovered the fumble for Dallas at the Green Bay 15. Aikman threw to Irvin for eight yards and then to TE Jay Novacek for six yards and a TD. The Cowboys went into halftime with an enhanced 17-3 lead.

The Packers had the first possession in the third quarter and punted, but got a break on defense when CB Terrell Buckley intercepted an Aikman pass at the Green Bay 40. Favre quickly passed them into Dallas territory and RB Darrell Thompson gained 12 yards on two carries, but the drive stalled at the 37. The Packers attempted to convert a fourth-and-eight situation, but Favre’s completion to TE Ed West gained only six yards.

The Cowboys made the most of the reprieve and went 69 yards in six plays. An 18-yard Aikman-to-Irvin completion had another 15 yards tacked on due to a face mask penalty and Aikman connected with Irvin again with a well-thrown pass to the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown.

Down 24-10, the Packers came back with a scoring drive of their own. Favre completed four straight passes after facing a third-and-six situation at his own 22, the longest to Thompson for 30 yards. The nine-play, 82-yard series ended with Favre throwing to WR Robert Brooks for a 13-yard TD. With the extra point added, it was a 14-point game with just over a quarter remaining.

Following a punt by the Cowboys early in the final period that was returned 43 yards by Brooks, Favre was immediately picked off by DE Charles Haley after his pass was deflected by DE Jim Jeffcoat. Dallas moved down the field, going 47 yards in 9 plays, highlighted by a nine-yard Aikman completion to Novacek on a third-and-six play and another throw to Irvin that picked up 27 yards. The Packers stiffened and, on a third down play at the Green Bay 15, Aikman was sacked by Bryce Paup. However, Murray added a 38-yard field goal and the Cowboys had managed to run 5:33 off the clock.

With Favre throwing on every play, the Packers drove from their own 15 to the Dallas 15. But the thirteenth play of the possession ended with SS Darren Woodson intercepting a pass at the five to essentially nail down the win. Green Bay scored a touchdown in the last two minutes as Favre threw to Sharpe from 29 yards out, but it was a case of too little, too late. Dallas won by a score of 27-17.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (381 to 358) and first downs (23 to 19). Neither team gained much on the ground (97 yards on 27 attempts for Dallas, 31 yards on 13 carries for Green Bay) and the Packers sacked Aikman four times, to just two sacks of Favre. However, the Packers also turned the ball over on four occasions, to three by Dallas, and the Cowboys took better advantage of their breaks.

Troy Aikman completed 28 of 37 passes for 302 yards with three touchdowns against two interceptions. Michael Irvin (pictured above) led the Dallas receivers with 9 catches for 126 yards and a TD. Emmitt Smith gained 60 yards on 13 rushing attempts.

For the Packers, Brett Favre (pictured below) was successful on 28 of 45 throws, going 20 of 34 in the second half alone, for 331 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. RB Edgar Bennett, who gained just three yards on six carries, led the receivers with 9 catches for 53 yards while Sterling Sharpe gained 128 yards on his 6 receptions and scored a touchdown. Darrell Thompson was the leading rusher with 28 yards on 7 attempts.

“I thought our defense played a very fine first half,” said Mike Holmgren. “That’s why that touchdown near the end of the first half hurt so much.”

“That was probably the biggest play of the game,” said Thomas Everett of the fumble referenced by Holmgren that set up the score before halftime. “We did a good job. We needed something like that, because it was a tight game.”
 

“You’ve just got to give them all the credit in the world,” summed up Green Bay DE Matt Brock. “They play like world champs.”

The Cowboys went on to defeat the 49ers for the NFC title for the second straight year and then won the Super Bowl over the Buffalo Bills, also for the second year in succession. Jimmy Johnson left as head coach, to be succeeded by Barry Switzer, and while Dallas put together another 12-4 record in 1994, the club fell short in the NFC title game. The Packers were 9-7 for the third straight year in ’94, again qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card and falling once again to the Cowboys at the Division level. Things would change regarding the relative status of the two teams later in the decade, particularly as Brett Favre improved, but at this point Dallas was the superior club.