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.
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.
