Lone Star Struck

Charles Haley. Man, what can I say about this guy.

When you think of success, in terms of football, one of the first images that should pop into anyone’s mind is Charles Haley. No player had more success than he did.

To be on five Super Bowl teams and have five Super Bowl rings is an accomplishment that no one has been able to match, and I doubt if anyone else ever will.

The addition of free agency and salary caps have prevented dynasties from surviving in the NFL. “The teams that do stay intact, like the Patriots, are unusual,” to paraphrase my idol, Paul Zimmerman.

Therefore, it is almost impossible for a man to be on five different teams and win the Super Bowl. He’d have to be a mid-level player for one, because teams try to lock up their stars for several years.

He’d also have to be extremely lucky as well.

But, Charles Haley was more than that. Charles Haley was a difference maker. Charles Haley was a man that scared opponents. He made every defensive line he played on a better line. He made every linebacking corp he played with a better crew, and he was probably the most angry and violent man to ever play professional football.

This defensive end/outside linebacker belongs in the Hall of Fame.

To truly understand why this man is a must for a Hall of Fame, you have to look at the player. You can’t just look at numbers. You have to get inside Charles Haley’s head and understand what kind of player was he.

Was he driven? Was he a leader? Was he a locker-room cancer? Was he someone who made clutch plays? Was he a constant threat to other teams? Did his teammates respect him?

All of those things come into perspective now. We are talking about the Hall of Fame here. Charles Haley is on a list with 14 guys, and only a maximum of five of those men are going into Canton this year, and with two slots being locks for Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice, that means Charles Haley will have to beat out a minimum of ten players for a bust in Canton.

For voters to choose Charles Haley, they will need to judge every aspect of Charles Haley besides the statistics he has on football websites.

Charles Haley was born in Gladys, Virginia on January 6, 1964. He went to James Madison University and is the best player to ever come from there.

Since James Madison is not relatively known for its NFL talent or has what one would call a high competition level, Haley’s success there was overlooked.

However, arguably the greatest talent judge of all time, Bill Walsh, saw something in Charles Haley.

In 1986,  Bill Walsh realized that the 1986 draft really was weak in terms of talent. “One of our chief scouts after the draft said to other people, “That’s the worst draft I’ve ever seen.””

Walsh realized that he could make trades and accumulate multiple draft picks in order to really build depth to the 49ers. He turned eight draft picks into 14 through a variety of trades.

Out of those 14 picks, he drafted eight starters for at least one Super Bowl, most started two, in the 88-89 Super Bowls.

Walsh and his assistants saw Charles Haley in the fourth round, and Walsh knew that Haley was something to get.

Haley had very long arms that could extend and get to the passer. He was 6-5, around 250 lbs and very fast. An ideal defensive end.

Combine physical talent with Haley’s almost Viking-like warrior persona and an intense dedication that was rivaled by few, and you get a great football player.

Haley was frequently used as a pass-rusher his rookie year, and he compiled 12 sacks, despite the fact that he was playing linebacker instead of his college position of defensive end.

His second year, he only played in 12 games, and the Niners were upset by the Vikings in the playoffs.

However, in Haley’s first year as a starter at left outside linebacker, he was elected to the Pro Bowl with11.5 sacks, and the Niners won their third Super Bowl title.

Remember that the left outside linebacker is really, to the quarterbacks point of view, on the right. So, Haley managed to record 11.5 sacks with the quarterback able to see him coming most of the time since most quarterbacks are right-handed.

I’d like to know how many sacks he would have gotten if he had rushed on the quarterback’s blind side.

Not only was Haley crowned a champion, he also was recognized as a great player by one of the game

“Charles is one of the greatest players of our era,” said 49ers Vice President/General manager/Head Coach Bill Walsh. “At one point he was considered the best pass rusher in all of football. He’s been a credit to the game and very well could be a Hall of Fame candidate.”

Bill Walsh understood Charles Haley and how to deal with a man like Haley. Haley was… I can’t spin it or try to fudge the facts, he was crazy. The guy was nuttier than a cuckoo clock.

He was a manic-depressive. He could be happy and sweet as well as helpful with other players, and down and mean as a mother-in-law the next.

One of the most common similes used today to describe someone when they’re mad is to compare them to a volcano. I think that simile is used as a hyperbole too often.

Yet, that simile is what one can use to perfectly describe Charles Haley. He had so much anger in him that it did come out like ash and lava out of a volcano when he lost his temper.

He even wrote an autobiography entitled, All The Rage, which was a first person perspective of the thoughts and words of Charles Haley himself.

It really is a book that I would recommend because it can help one understand how an NFL player would think, and how to handle people with severe psychological problems.

He also was a guy who would ride you. You could not have thin skin or sensitive feelings around Haley. He was always testing you. He made fun of Joe Montana’s nose, he went after Troy Aikman’s crooked smile, he messed with Deion Sanders’ uniforms, and he even went after Jimmy Johnson’s hair.

Haley accepted teasing as well. People would talk about his head, how it was pointy and shaped like a bullet.

Some could take it, some couldn’t. Matt Millen, a highly talented linebacker for the Raiders joined the 49ers in 1989, and he said, “Now, I get to the 49ers.Within a week, I want to kill him.”

No one was safe from Charles Haley. The players needed to have thick skin or he’d eat them alive.

One of Haley’s closest friends and largest supporters is Hall of Fame cornerback/safety Ronnie Lott. Ronnie Lott was the guy that could keep Haley from going over the edge whenever Haley started pushing it too far and becoming a locker room chaos.

After the 1988 season, Bill Walsh retired from the 49ers. Defensive coordinator George Seifert was chosen to replace Walsh, and Haley was not happy with the transition.

Seifert did not know how to talk to Charles Haley. Seifert was not a good choice for a mediator, and as a coach, you have to be able to talk to your players, especially with guys like Charles Haley.

An excerpt of Haley’s book tells of what George Seifert was like as a communicator.

“When I was in San Francisco, Seifert’s way of dealing with black players was to bring in Harry Edwards. Dr. Edwards is a professor of sociology at Cal-Berkeley. He used to be a radical, but now I think he’s all about the money. Give him a check and he’ll help your team solve its racial problems. It was kind of pathetic, really. He’d come around, acting like he belonged, telling stories about how he used to be with the Black Panthers and shit. Most guys would just try to ignore him. We all knew why he was there: to be the mediator between the coaching staff and the black players. It was like Seifert said, “I’ll handle the white guys, you talk to the black guys.” What kind of bull**** is that?”

Bill Walsh was not that kind of coach. He talked to all of his players, and Haley respected him for it, but Seifert did not make that effort.

Since the 49ers were such a dominant team to begin with, the 89 season was really a breeze for them to repeat. They were 14-2 and blew out the Broncos in  Super Bowl XXIV 55-10.

One signature play in that game was when John Elway throws an interception to Michael Walter, and that would not have happened had Charles Haley not been in his eyesight. Elway could not see Walter because Haley’s pass rush prevented him from seeing that Walter was in a position to intercept the ball.

Charles Haley was the owner of two Super Bowl rings with that victory. Things did not go well after that though.

After losing the 1990 NFC Championship game to the New York Giants, the 49ers did not resign Ronnie Lott, and Lott went to the Los Angeles Raiders instead.

Matt Millen said, “It was like the ship was rudderless, and that drove Charles crazy. And so, when Ronnie left, they lost Charles Haley at the same time.”

Charles Haley said in an NFL Films interview, “Just seeing the anger and hurt in his (Ronnie Lott’s) eyes man, and that hurt went over into me and uh, because I’m a loyal friend, I could not deal with it, I could not deal with it. It just festered into everything. I just started hating being here, hated wearing the uniform.”

Forget money, strength, physical attractiveness,  and all that other stuff; my main criteria for the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with great play is great character and there is no greater measure of character than loyalty to one’s friends.

The bond that Haley shared with Lott is one that I can describe best by another use of Haley’s book.

It was 1991. The Raiders had Ronnie Lott on their team. The 49ers were in Los Angeles, and the Raiders are a decent team that finished 9-7, but the Niners should have beaten them.

The Niners didn’t even score a touchdown. They lost 12-6 in what I would definitely call an embarrassing fashion with Steve Young throwing two interceptions.

Losses like this happen though, right? This was more than just a “loss,” this was the final blow to the already unstable and frustrated Charles Haley.

“My frustration reached a peak in the fifth week of the ‘91 season, when we lost to the Los Angeles Raiders, Ronnie Lott’’s new team. After the game I had a slight nervous breakdown–or whatever you want to call it. Basically I lost control and gave the 49ers reason to believe that I really was crazy. It just seemed like I was the only guy out there playing hard, and I went up to George and told him, “You know, you’ve got to start coming down on these guys.” Everybody had big contracts, everybody was fat, with full pockets. They weren’t playing hard anymore. They weren’t hungry. But when you try to point out something like that, when you try to express your opinion, coaches always think, You’re a dumb-*** football player and you can’t tell me anything.

I tried, though. Man, did I try. When the game ended those motherf****** came in, and I really gave it to them. I started cussing out the whole team. George got sick of listening to me, I guess, so he grabbed my arm, and when he did that I just lost it. I took a swing right at his smug little head. Fortunately, I missed. But I did hit the wall, and it hurt so much–left a big knuckle print–that I got even more pissed off. I started bouncing around, cursing, yelling, throwing s***. Then I put my hand through a window and cut it to pieces. They had to stitch me up in the locker room.

I don’t know what I was thinking. My temper had gotten me in trouble before, but this was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I was in a complete f******* rage. Some of the other players tried to hold me down after a while, but I wouldn’t let them. Finally, they tracked down Ronnie in the other locker room, and he came running in. I remember he was half-naked–shorts, no shirt, no shoes. He sat down next to me, held my hand, and kept telling me everything would be all right. I just sat there shaking, crying. It was so emotional. I can’t really explain what happened, except to say that I felt like they were trying to destroy me…and they almost succeeded.”

That is as close to brotherhood as you will find. To find a man like Charles Haley, who is one of the toughest men to ever step on a football field and is willing to let another man hold his hand as he is crying is the ultimate symbol of trust.

That was the beginning of the end for Charles Haley. After the 91 season, the 49ers made a deal with the Dallas Cowboys, exchanging Charles Haley for a pair of second and third-round draft picks.

You can quote me on this. It was the trade that finished the championship roster for the Dallas Cowboys.

In 1991, the Cowboys had allowed 310 points to finish 17th in the league in defense. After Haley showed up in 1992, the Cowboys were 5th in defense and allowed only 243 points for the season.

The only change to the defensive starting roster was Charles Haley. He brought a championship attitude. A guy who had two rings in the Niners dynasty and was still as hungry as fox in a chicken house. His strength and leadership made the defense dominant enough for the Cowboys to win Super Bowl XXVII.

One play that really changed the momentum of the Cowboys in that game was when Jimmie Jones caught a fumble in mid-air on the two yard line and he dived into the endzone as fast as he could.

The only reason that play happened was because Charles Haley got his hand on Jim Kelly and forced the fumble.

Dallas got the lead with that play and never gave it back. It was one of the biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history with a score of 52-17.

A year later, they won it all again. The Cowboys beat the Bills again with a score of 30-13.

Charles Haley became one of the few players in NFL history to have four Super Bowl rings. It is hard to get one ring, but four?

Who would have thought that he’d be getting one for the thumb in two years when the Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 30-20 in Super Bowl XXX.

That would be the end of championships, but not challenges for Charles Haley. He would later face a challenge that you cannot defeat by working out or sacking the quarterback or winning a Super Bowl. He would have to face the challenge of a father.

His daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. Nothing hurts more to a man than when he sees his little girl in pain, and he cannot do anything to stop it. That and an injured back led Charles Haley to retire from football in 1996.

He was there for her and her fight to overcome it made him realize that he could come back to football. At the age of 35, he came back to football in 1999. He would rejoin his former team, the 49ers, who now had Bill Walsh back in charge as the Vice President and General Manager. Haley was welcomed with open arms.

It is strange though when you think of it. He’s got injuries, he has five Super Bowl rings, he definitely had done enough to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Why come back?

It is the same reason as a lot of people. For the love of the game, he came back and played.

Another oddity about Haley is that he doesn’t wear his rings. He said, “I believe that if I put it away, then I’d always keep driving and trying to get another one.” He doesn’t even remember where he put them. That’s the kind of man he is.

And you know what? He’s right. It is human nature for us to have goals and a lot of the times as we get closer to our goals or once we complete them, we lose our will to keep climbing the mountain. Charles Haley never would let that happen to him. That’s why he was a part of five championship teams.

He never wanted to stop winning, and he never did stop. After the 1999 season, he retired. He realized that he would probably end up in a full body cast if he kept playing.

Despite all the things that he may have done off the field (I’m not going to get into details because this is a PG-13 case at most), he’s a Hall of Famer. Even Jeff Pearlman, the author of the tell-all book “Boys Will Be Boys” that states all the activities, legal and illegal, of the 1990s Cowboys, believes the man belongs in the Hall of Fame which he stated on the Jim Rome Show.

If this guy, who knows everything good and bad, Charles Haley has done says he belongs, how can anyone argue he doesn’t belong?

Please view the rest here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/building-a-hall-of-fame-case-for-charles-haley/

Here we are about to play in the divisional round of the 2009 playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings. The Cowboys have played a handful of games against the Vikings since 1961 and hold a 15-12 record over them. The Cowboys and Vikings have played a total of six times in the playoffs dating back to 1971 and Dallas has a 4-2 advantage. Of course none of this means anything and I did not want to pick out just one game to write about. So what I thought of was looking back at the games the Cowboys and Vikings have played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Metrodome opened in April of 1982. The Cowboys were supposed to play their first game in the new dome during the third week of 1982, but the players strike canceled the game. They did end up playing in Minnesota at the end of the 1982 season. So here is a list of games between the Cowboys and Vikings at the Metrodome. Some memorable, some not so much.

1982 – Dallas loses to Minnesota 31-27

Although the Cowboys lost the game this could be the most memorable game in the Metrodome for the Cowboys, Tony Dorsett took center stage as he ran for 153 yards. He also scored one touchdown on a record breaking run that will never be broken. On their own one yard line and only ten players on the field. Dorsett took the hand-off from Danny White and broke through the middle of his offensive line. He got into the Vikings secondary and with the help of some down field blocking from Drew Pearson, Dorsett scored from 99 yards.

1983 – Dallas beats Minnesota 37-24

Minnesota took a 24-10 lead in the second quarter. But then the Cowboys scored the next 27 points and won the game 37-24. Once again Tony Dorsett led the way with 141 yards rushing. The defense held the Vikings to 272 yards on offense which included just 44 yards rushing. The defense also intercepted three passes, returning one for a touchdown by Ron Fellows.

1993 – Dallas beats Minnesota 37-20

The Cowboys entered this game with an 8-4 record, but there just seemed to be something wrong with the offense. Which continued into this game before Troy Aikman connected with Michael Irvin for a touchdown to take a 10-6 lead. From there the offense seemed to wake up and Dallas took a commanding 27-6 lead into the third quarter. Emmitt Smith led the running game with 104 yards and a touchdown and Irvin ended the day with 125 yards receiving.

1995 – Dallas beats Minnesota 23-17 in OT

This game was a battle from start to finish and ended in overtime with a great Emmitt Smith touchdown run from 31 yards out. Smith finished the game with 150 yards and two touchdowns and Michael Irvin collected 107 yards and one touchdown

1999 – Dallas loses to Minnesota 27-17

This could have been a career day for Emmitt Smith. One week after the passing of the great Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith wanted to dedicate this game in Payton’s memory. Smith ran wild in the first half gaining 140 yards on just 13 carries. He scored twice, once from 63 yards and the other from 24 yards. But on his second touchdown he got his fingers caught in a Vikings face-mask and had to leave the game. No one could predict what Smith could have gained if he didn’t leave the game. He left the game with the Cowboys leading 17-0. From that point on the Vikings scored the next 27 points and won the game.

1999 – Dallas losses to Minnesota 27-10 in Wildcard Round

This was their second meeting of the 1999 season, but not memorable as far as the Cowboys were concerned. They never really challenged the Vikings in this playoff match-up. Emmitt Smith ran for 99 yards and scored once. Rocket Ismail caught eight passes for 163 yards.

2004 – Dallas loses to Minnesota 35-17

This was the opening game of the 2004 season. Another game that was not memorable for the Cowboys as it was their first of ten losses during the 2004 season. Vinny Testaverde led the Cowboys with 355 yards passing and one touchdown. Receivers Antonio Bryant had 112 yards and Keyshawn Johnson had 111 yards.

Again, this history lesson does not mean a thing. What really means something is this Sunday’s divisional playoff game in the Metrodome. The Cowboys will face a Minnesota team that was on fire most of the 2009 season. It’s now the Cowboys who are on fire and confident in what they can do and what they want to do.

Good luck Cowboys!! Sunday can’t come soon enough.

“I didn’t hear no bell”

Normally with my Flashback posts I write about a past game against the opponent that the Cowboys are about to play. This week the Cowboys are preparing for their third meeting against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wildcard round of the 2009 Playoffs. Dallas has played the Eagles three times in the Playoffs over the years. They lost to the Eagles 20-7 in the 1980 NFC Championship game. They beat the Eagles 34-10 in 1992 and 30-11 in 1995. Both of the wins coming in the Divisional Round. Since there is not much Playoff history between the Cowboys and the Eagles I thought I would take a look back at the Cowboys Wildcard history at home.

1980 – Dallas defeats the LA Rams 34-13

This was the very first Wildcard Playoff game the Cowboys played in. Both teams played to a 13-13 halftime tie before the Cowboys took full control in the second half behind the running of Tony Dorsett. The Cowboys outscored the Rams in the second half 21-0 as Dorsett ran for 160 yards and a touchdown. Dorsett also added a receiving touchdown from Danny White. The Cowboys offense out-gained the Rams offense 528 to 260. Of those 528 yards 338 were gained running the ball.

1982 – Dallas defeats Tampa Bay 30-17

1982 was the strike shortened season when the NFL threw out the divisions and made it so the top eight teams in the NFC and AFC made the playoffs. The Cowboys finished the season 6-3 and took on Tampa Bay in the first round. The Buccaneers actually had a 17-16 lead going into the fourth quarter before the Cowboys scored twice and took the game. Tony Dorsett ran for 110 yards and Danny White threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns. The Cowboys out-gained the Bucs 456 to 218. The Cowboys defense collected five sacks and three interceptions off of Bucs quarterback Doug Williams.

1983 – Dallas loses to the LA Rams 24-17

This game did not start off well for the Cowboys as Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo led them down the field on their first possession and took a 7-0 lead. It was a game mostly dominated by the Rams as they held a 24-10 fourth quarter lead before the Cowboys scored late to make it closer than it actually was. The Rams held the Cowboys to only 63 yards rushing and collected four turnovers while sacking Danny White three times.

1996 – Dallas defeats Minnesota 40-15

This Wildcard game was kind of the end of the Dallas dynasty from the 90’s. It’s also the last time the Cowboys won a playoff game. The Cowboys took a commanding 30-0 lead at halftime behind the running of Emmitt Smith who ran for 116 yards and scored twice. The Cowboys out-gained the Vikings on the ground 255 to 63. Michael Irvin caught eight passes from Troy Aikman for 103 yards.

1998 – Dallas loses to Arizona 20-7

A game that was dominated by the Cardinals from the start. The Cowboys could not get anything going on offense or defense. The Cowboys offense was not able to score until the fourth quarter after the Cardinals already had a 20-0 lead. The offense also could only manage 260 yards as Emmitt Smith was held to 74 yards and Troy Aikman threw for just 191 yards and three interceptions.

So the Cowboys are 3-2 in Wildcard games at home. What does all this mean? Absolutely nothing! It’s just fun to look back at the games. Well, it’s fun to look back at the games they won.

Now as we move closer to the most recent Wildcard game which is this Saturday night. The Cowboys are red hot winning their last three games of the season and they are confident. They will need to continue everything they have done in recent weeks to beat the Eagles for the third time this season. Maybe even a trick or two if the timing is right.

Congratulations to the 2009 NFC Eastern Division Champion Dallas Cowboys. This ride is far from over.

And as Rocky Balboa said in Rocky V…”I didn’t hear no bell”.

So here we are. The last game of the 2009 regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys have already earned a spot in the playoffs and have a chance to win the NFC East if they beat the Eagles on Sunday. They also have an outside chance of getting the #2 seed and a bye. I guess you could say that the last two weeks have been kind of a coming out party for the Cowboys. They go to New Orleans and beat the undefeated Saints, then they go to Washington and shutout the Redskins.

I guess the term “coming out party” was the reason why I selected this game against the Eagles from 1991. It was coach Jimmy Johnson’s third year in Dallas. You could see the progress of the team. The talent level was also increasing. They just needed to get over that hump and get themselves into the playoffs. So on a cold mid December day in 1991 the Cowboys went to Philadelphia’s Veteran Stadium with a 9-5 record looking to get over that hump. The game was not too exciting and the stats will not jump out at anyone, but what you did see was a team coming together and doing something they had not done since 1985. They earned their way into the playoffs.

The Cowboys jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a Ken Willis 50 yard field goal. They increased their lead to 5-0 when Manny Hendrix tackled John Booty in the end zone after the Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff.

The Eagles came right back in the second quarter and took the lead 7-5 when quarterback Jeff Kemp connected with Maurice Johnson on a 31 yard touchdown pass. The Eagles added a field goal before halftime and took a 10-5 lead into the locker room.

The only points in the third quarter came from another Ken Willis field goal which cut the Eagles lead to 10-8. The Cowboys would take control of the game in the fourth quarter.

Dallas punt returner Kelvin Martin fielded an Eagles punt his own 15 yard line and raced up-field.  After breaking a few hand tackles Martin found himself at midfield with only Eagles punter Jeff Feagles in front of him. Feagles lunged at Martin’s feet, but Martin was able to keep his balance. After getting past Feagles it was Eagles running back Robert Drummond who was racing after Martin from behind. As Martin passed midfield he saw that Dallas cornerback Issiac Holt, who was now in front of him was directing Martin to go to his right. As Martin passed him, Holt took aim at Drummond and hit with a bone crushing block that made every highlight film that night. Martin finished his 85 yard punt return for a touchdown and gave the Cowboys the lead at 15-10. I tried my best to find the video of Issiac Holt’s block because it was one of the best blocks I have ever seen. You could actually see Drummond crumble to the ground.

“That block will make ESPN’s highlights,” Avezzano said. “That guy would have caught Kelvin.”

The Eagles answered back with a field goal and closed the Cowboys lead to 15-13. There was still 9:46 left in the game and the Cowboys had the ball at their own 20 yard line. Instead of going conservative, offensive coordinator Norv Turner ran a play-action pass on first down. Eagles linebacker Byron Evans bit on the fake which allowed Jay Novacek to run past him. Cowboys quarterback Steve Beuerlein hit Novacek in stride for a 32 yard gain putting the Cowboys in Eagles territory.

“It was very aggressive play-calling,” Beuerlein said. “Norv (Turner, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator) knows you’ve got to make plays to win ball games – and he gave us a chance.”

Steve Beuerlein did not have a great game. He was only 9 of 31 for 145 yards. He also started the game with ten straight incompletions. But the important thing was that he never turned the ball over and neither did anyone else on the Cowboys.

The Cowboys continued their drive after the Novacek reception and found themselves at the Eagles four yard line. Beuerlein then found Michael Irvin in the end zone for the touchdown and a 22-13.

The Cowboys would add a third Ken Willis field goal to finish out the game and walked away with a 25-13 win. The win also clinched a playoff spot for the Cowboys for the first time since 1985 and the first time under coach Jimmy Johnson.

“We shocked the house,” Cowboys safety James Washington said.

“At halftime, the whole talk was that we were one play away from taking the lead,” Johnson said. “Just hang in there, be patient and execute the plan.”

“It’s our biggest win to this point,” Johnson said. “But we’ve got bigger wins coming.”

Dallas would finish the 1991 season with an 11-5 record. They would have to travel to Chicago in the first round of the playoffs where they upset the Bears 17-13. But then their season would come to an end in Detroit the following week as the Lions handed the Cowboys a horrible 38-6 loss.

You can view the box score here…

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199112150phi.htm

UPDATE: I was able to locate the video of Kelvin Martin’s punt return. This video starts with the punt return and then shows other highlights from 1991 and 1992.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9IWaI1NVL4

The 1985 season started on Monday Night Football for the Cowboys for the third time in the last four years. It was the second time in three years that the Cowboys would be opening against division rival Washington. It also was quarterback Joe Theismann’s 36th birthday. It also was Theismann who took the saying “It’s better to give then to receive” a bit too far as he threw five interceptions in the game.

Unlike the 1983 season opener when the Cowboys had to come from a 23-3 deficit to win the game. This game the Cowboys took the lead and never looked back.

The only scoring in the first quarter came from Rafael Septien on a 53 yard field goal giving the Cowboys a 3-0.

In the second quarter the Cowboys put together a 98 yard drive that took up 8:49 of the clock. Timmy Newsome finished the long drive with a one yard touchdown run to put the Cowboys up 10-0.

The Redskins scored on a John Riggins touchdown run to make the score 10-7, but that would be as close as they would get to the Cowboys as the Cowboys took full control of the game.

The Cowboys closed out the first half scoring as Danny White connected with  receiver Mike Renfro on a 55 yard touchdown pass with only six seconds left in the half. Dallas went to the locker room leading the Redskins 17-7.

The second half would be a dominating performance by the Cowboys defense as they confused Joe Theismann and the Redskins offense with different coverages and blitzes. The Redskins first three possessions of the third quarter all ended in turnovers and resulted in points for the Cowboys.

Everson Walls got things started as he stepped in front of a Theismann pass and intercepted it, giving the Cowboys the ball at the Redskins 44 yard line. The Cowboys could only manage a Septein field goal and a 20-7 lead.

On the Redskins next possession linebacker Eugene Lockhart forced Redskins running back George Rodgers to fumble and Dexter Clinksdale recovered at the Redskins 40 yard line. But once again the Cowboys had to settle for a Septien field goal. Dallas was now up 23-7.

Third possession for the Redskins and third straight turnover as Ron Fellows intercepted Theismann and returned it to the Redskins 13 yard line. This time the Cowboys were able to get into the end zone as Tony Dorsett burst through the middle of his offensive line and scored from nine yards out. Dallas was now up on the Redskins 30-7.

With all the turnovers the Dallas defense was getting, they decided that they wanted to do some scoring themselves. Cornerback Victor Scott collected his own interception off of Theismann early in the fourth quarter and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown which put the Cowboys ahead 37-7.

The Redskins managed a touchdown of their own as all the Dallas scoring was going on and made the score 37-14.

Dallas cornerback Dennis Thurman finished the scoring as he intercepted Jay Schroeder who replaced Theismann and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys completed their domination of the Redskins and won the game 44-14.

Joe Theismann threw five interceptions to five different Cowboys and only managed 206 yards passing in the game. Joe Gibbs took him out of the game midway through the fourth quarter and as Theismann sat on the bench something began to be heard. It started low and then got louder and clearer. It was the Texas Stadium crowd who started singing Happy Birthday to Theismann over and over again.

“It was a hot night, and we were hot,” coach Tom Landry said.

“I’m really surprised,” Landry said. “It doesn’t happen like that very often. It was one of those nights when they didn’t have anything going for them, and we had everything going for us. You don’t ever expect to beat the Redskins like this. We shouldn’t have even been favored. Somebody must have been crazy.”

“I just couldn’t be more pleased with the play of our defensive backs,” Landry said. “They were in great position all game. When you win this way, the other team has a lot to do with it. We just kept on the pressure. Right now we are at an emotional high as you might expect.”

“Hey, if I hit a couple of passes after those turnovers, we could have scored 64 points,” White said. “We were just missing against the blitz. Our offense didn’t even have to show up tonight. The defense scored twice and set up up so many times in plus territory.”

You can see the box score of the game here…

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198509090dal.htm

I also found this video that shows all six of the Cowboys interceptions in the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_WGel23tU8

The 1984 season will not go down in Cowboys history as one they want to remember. Actually it’s one of those seasons that should be forgotten. The Cowboys finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs. It was also the season that coach Tom Landry made the preseason decision to make Gary Hogeboom the starting quarterback over veteran Danny White.

The Cowboys went into the game against the Saints with a 4-3 record. They started strong with their first drive of the game as Hogeboom drove them to the Saints 20 yard line before the drive stalled on a Hogeboom sack by Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson. Rafael Septien kicked a field goal and the Cowboys took a short lived 3-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter the Saints punted and pinned the Cowboys on their own one yard line. The Cowboys were forced to punt after three plays and no yards gained. Danny White could only manage a 36 yard punt and the Saints took over on the Cowboys 39 yard line. Two plays later the Saints took the lead on a Richard Todd (Yes, the same Richard Todd who played for the Jets in the late 70s and early 80’s) to Tyrone Young 36 yard touchdown pass as Young streaked across the middle beating Everson Walls and Ron Fellows. The Saints went ahead 7-3.

The Cowboys could only manage another Septien field goal before the Saints went back to work. The Saints alternated running backs in 1984. Their first back was Earl Campbell (67 yds rushing in the game) and they also had George Rodgers (52 yds rushing in the game). But it was fullback Hokie Gajan who took center stage in this game as he ran for 78 yards and a touchdown. His score came after Ed Jones got a hold of him in the backfield, but Gajan managed to break free and went untouched from that point and scored from 62 yards out. This gave the Saints a 14-6 lead with 2:54 left before halftime.

Saints kicker Morten Anderson added a field goal at the end of the first half increasing the Saints lead to 17-6. Things would only get worse for the Cowboys in the third quarter.

Morten Anderson kicked his second field goal of the game early in the third quarter. With the Saints leading 20-6 things went from bad to worse for the Cowboys as Hogeboom was intercepted by Dirt Winston who then returned it 43 yards for a Saints touchdown. The Saints now led 27-6.

On the interception Hogeboom hit his wrist on a Saints helmet and forced him to the bench for the rest of the game. With the injury, it forced Danny White into the game. The entrance of White seemed to wake the Cowboys up.

Early in the fourth quarter Cowboys special teams player Chuck McSwain blocked a Saints punt and the Cowboys recovered on the Saints three yard line. From there Tony Dorsett ran it in and got the Cowboys closer at 27-13.

Late in the fourth quarter with only 3:59 to play Danny White threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to receiver Mike Renfro. This closed the Saints lead to 27-20.

With 2:53 left in the game and veteran Kenny Stabler in at quarterback for the Saints because of Richard Todd’s injury early in the fourth quarter, the Dallas defense made a stand. Stabler attempted to pass from his own nine yard line as Randy White came crashing through the line and sacked Stabler forcing a fumble. The ball rolled into the end zone where Jim Jeffcoat fought through a wild scramble of players and recovered the fumble for the touchdown. With the extra point the Cowboys tied the game at 27-27.

The Cowboys actually got the ball back two more times in the final 1:20 of the game on two Stabler interceptions, but could not move the ball into scoring position. The game would go into overtime.

The Cowboys won the coin toss in overtime. From their own 29 yard line Danny White attempted a pass to Tony Hill who was interfered with, which resulted in a 24 yard penalty. Then White completed a 15 yard pass to Renfro to set up Septien for the winning field. Septein kicked a 41 yard field goal to complete the comeback and the Cowboys won the game 30-27. The comeback was the Cowboys biggest in team history.

“I always feel we can come back and win it,” coach Tom Landry said. “Our guys found out how hard you have to work to win a football game.”

“I feel good about our team now, said Landry. Better than I felt all year. We just haven’t played with the tough emotion we played with in the fourth quarter. It may be the difference the rest of the season. I’ve been saying all along we have to play hard to win.”

“I thought all along I should start. But I don’t think because of the way Gary played I should start,” White said. “I’d love to start to be back in there, where I should have been all along. But that’s up to coach Landry. It meant a lot for my confidence.”

You can view the box score here…

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198410210dal.htm

As most Cowboys fans know, we have plenty of  talent within our defensive huddle: DeMarcus Ware, J-Rat, Brooking, etc., I could go on and on.

However, one player that has really come in to his own this season is linebacker Anthony Spencer. In the last few games number 93 has been on fire.  In 12 games he has played this season, he has tallied 45 tackles, 2 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble.  He is quickly making a name for himself and has become relied upon as much as fellow defensive play-makers Ware and Ratliff.

In 2007, the Cowboys’ scouts knew what a talent they where getting when they selected Anthony Spencer as their #1 pick.  He has athletic ability and is fast enough to offer a change of pace and give the team another solid pass rushing option. He played in all 16 games his rookie season and started 6. The only other Dallas Cowboys that have achieved this their rookie year are Lee Roy Jordan in 1963, Robert Jones in 1992, and DeMarcus Ware in 2005. Pretty good company of you ask me.

So, where did this young power house come from?  Let me tell you a little about Anthony Spencer before the Cowboys drafted him and he slipped that famous silver helmet on for the first time.

Anthony E. Spencer II is 6-3 and weighs in at 256. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 23, 1984.

As a teenager, Spencer was a 3 year starter playing nose guard and full back at Bishop Luers High School, in Fort Wayne. While playing fullback, he absolutely dominated in the backfield and he ran for more than 600 yards, averaging solid 9.1 yards per carry. By the time Spencer was through, he ended his high school career by setting team records in tackles and sacks.  Anthony lettered in both football and basketball, and this helped him get accepted at Purdue University.

While at Purdue, Spencer majored in African American Studies and minored in law society, but it was on the gridiron that he would make his impact and make scouts take notice.  He started 36 of 47 games for the Boilermakers and recorded 155 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries,13 pass deflections, and a blocked kick. If you were to look into Purdue’s record books, Anthony’s name would appear for sacks, tackles, and forced fumbles.  He already has his name written in the Dallas Cowboys record books thanks to an impressive rookie campaign. and I am looking forward to see what else this exciting and intimidating linebacker will achieve in the future.

What are your expectations for Spencer going forward, and do you seem becoming an integral part of the Cowboys defense?

Unfortunately I’ve had to say this before, sometimes its hard to choose players worthy of game balls after such a devastating loss. This week the offensive game ball was a given but the defensive game ball took some thought.

Jason Witten never fails us. Even though it had seemed he had slowed down for a few games, Witten excelled during his second consecutive 100+ yard game.

Witten had a career day last Sunday in New York. Not only did he catch his 500th catch for the Cowboys but his 14 receptions for 156 yards also set a career high for the veteran tight end. He has also moved up to second place behind Michael Irvin in Dallas receiving of all time. That’s pretty impressive!

The Cowboys didn’t come away with the win on Sunday, but this wasn’t due to lack of performance from Mr. Clutch by any means.

Way to go Witten!

This week’s defensive/special teams game ball goes to Jay Ratliff.

As stated above, this was a tough decision and not for a good reason this time.

However, the only defensive play that stood out and made a difference was Ratliff’s forced fumble and recovery.

The play lead to the first touchdown during the second quarter. I won’t go into what happened after that, but at the time Ratliff created a game-changer and for that he deserves props.

Way to go to Witten and Ratliff!

Honorable Mention: Tony Romo ( 41-55, 392 yards, 3 TDs – a career/franchise high in receptions), DeMarcus Ware (lead the team in tackles and had the one and only sack)

Here we go with another Flashback post with a team Dallas does not have much history with. Dallas only owns a 6-2 record against the San Diego Chargers. After looking through the eight games nothing really stood out, so I decided to go old school. The Cowboys and the Chargers had a lot in common back in the early 1980’s just like they do today. A lot of talent, but just could not get over that hump to greatness.

Both teams were filled with star players back in 1980. The Chargers had an explosive offense with quarterback Dan Fouts, running back Chuck Muncie, wide receivers John Jefferson and Charlie Joiner and tight end Kellen Winslow. The Cowboys were also filled with stars like Danny and Randy White, Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson and Tony Hill, Harvey Martin, Ed Jones, Dennis Thurman.

The Chargers offense started off quick in the first quarter on their first possession. Dan Fouts worked the team down the field on a few completions to John Jefferson and they found themselves on the Dallas 27 yard line when the drive stalled. Chargers kicker Rolf Benirschke kicked a 45 yard field goal to take the lead 3-0.

The Cowboys put together a drive of their own on their first possession, but kicker Rafael Septien missed his field goal attempt which would have tied the game.

The Dallas defense collected what would be their first of seven turnovers by the Chargers. Cornerback Steve Wilson jumped in front of a Fouts pass at the Dallas 30 yard line and returned it all the way to the Chargers 35 yard line. Danny White drove the Cowboys down to the 4 yard line where Ron Springs scored, putting the Cowboys ahead 7-3.

Early in the second quarter Septien missed yet another field goal attempt. From that point on the Chargers offense put it in high gear. The Chargers first touchdown of the game came when Fouts passed to Charlie Joiner. But after being hit by Steve Wilson the ball bounced off of Wilson and into the hands of John Jefferson who raced for the score from 58 yards out. This gave the Chargers a 10-7 lead.

On the Cowboys next series Danny white threw his only interception of the game, but it turned out to be a score for San Diego. The Dallas offense was backed up on their own 8 yard line and White attempted a pass to backup running back James Jones. White was intercepted by San Diego’s Woodrow Lowe who returned it 16 yards for the touchdown. This increased the Chargers lead to 17-7.

The Cowboys put together a 75 yard drive on their next possession and closed the lead to three points. White connected with Butch Johnson on a 17 yard touchdown pass as the second quarter was winding down.

San Diego was not done with their second quarter scoring as they scored their third touchdown of the quarter. Fouts drove his team 65 yards in only five plays and capped it with his second touchdown pass of the half. Kellen Winslow caught the nine yard touchdown pass and the Chargers went into halftime with a 24-14 lead on the Cowboys.

As the second quarter would be owned by the Chargers with 21 points. It was the Cowboys turn in the third quarter. White drove the Cowboys to the Chargers 10 yard line. But on first down White fumbled the snap and backup tight end Jay Saldi alertly picked it up and ran it down to the two yard line. From there Timmy Newsome scored and pulled the Cowboys back to within three points, 24-21.

The Dallas defense got the ball back for the offense and once again it was Danny White who led the team deep into Chargers territory. During the drive it was White who faked a punt from his own 39 yard line on a fourth and 11. White gained 12 yards to keep the drive going. Sitting at the Chargers one yard line it was Timmy Newsome once again scoring and putting the Cowboys back in the lead 28-24.

The Dallas defense went back to work and got the ball back again. This time it was Randy White who forced Chuck Muncie to fumble and linebacker Anthony Dickerson recovered at the Chargers 11 yard line. Two plays later White threw his second touchdown pass of the game as he hit Jay Saldi from 12 yards out. The Cowboys had scored their second touchdown in a 2:31 span and also their third of the quarter. They took a 35-24 lead into the fourth quarter.

As the fourth quarter started Fouts and the Chargers tried to pull closer. Fouts went deep to Winslow. Charlie Waters tipped the ball and Winslow came down with it and raced towards the end zone. Dallas cornerback Aaron Mitchell hit Winslow and forced a fumble at the Dallas 15 yard line. Dennis Thurman scooped up the loose ball and returned it up to the 29 yard line.

The Dallas defense came up with another interception on the Chargers next drive. Dallas took advantage as White threw his third touchdown pass of the game as he connected with Billy Joe DuPree from nine yards out. Dallas took a commanding 42-24 lead on the Chargers.

The Cowboys could have added more points, but Septien missed his third field goal of the game from 44 yards out on the Cowboys next possession.

The Chargers made it a little closer as the game was about to end as Fouts threw his third touchdown pass of the game and second to Winslow.

The Cowboys came away with a 42-31 win against the San Diego Chargers which improved their season record to 6-2. The Dallas offense gained 425 yards on the Chargers as Danny White threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns. White also connected with nine different receivers. Keep in mind that the game was played without Tony Dorsett who was out with an injury.Ron Springs filled in for Dorsett and ran for 61 yards on 13 carries.

Although the Chargers came up short in this game their offense was still explosive as Fouts threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns. It was his four interceptions that really hurt his team. Chuck Muncie ran for 71 yards. John Jefferson had 160 yards for the game and Charlie Joiner had 110 yards. The Chargers offense gained 449 yards on the Dallas defense.

“Our offense played very well, particularly in the second half.” observed head coach Tom Landry. It was a great game, a very important one for us. It was one we needed to win.”

“No, things weren’t going by design out there tonight,” White said. “They had a great pass rush and we were able to salvage a lot of busted plays, particularly in the second half. Things seemed to bounce their way in the first half but we got ours in the second.”

You can view the box score here…

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198010260dal.htm

As we get closer to the second meeting in 2009 with the Giants, it actually took some time to decide on a game to Flashback to. Not sure why it took so long, but for some reason I had a hard time deciding. Maybe it’s just a feeling of nervous excitement (If that makes any sense) about this Sunday’s game and what it means for the Cowboys. Maybe it’s because I have a good feeling about the game which makes me nervous about being too vocal.

So I ended up making my decision on which game to write about. It wasn’t a classic showdown. It was a game that allowed the Cowboys to send a message to the NFL. A message that even though they lost the NFC Championship the last time they were on the field they were still one of the best teams, if not the best in the NFL in 1995.

The stage…Monday Night Football

The site…Giants Stadium

When…Opening night of the 1995 season

The Cowboys entered the 1995 season looking to bounce back from a tough defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game. They were matched up against their division rival NY Giants. The Giants had finished second to the Cowboys in the NFC East in both 1993 and 1994 and they thought they were prepared to take over the division in 1995. But they seemed to forget one person who played for the Cowboys. His name? Emmitt Smith.

Emmitt Smith could not have started his 1995 season any better. On his first carry of the season he broke through a hole created by his offensive line and scored on a 60 yard run. As he got to the goal line he waved to the Giants cornerback who was chasing him. Some Giants player’s thought it was a sign of disrespect from Smith. But Smith later explained after the game that it was just a reaction due to all his hamstring problems from the 1994 season. The Cowboys were up 7-0 in the first quarter and that was only the beginning.

The Cowboys offense went back to work in the second quarter as Troy Aikman connected with Michael Irvin on a seven yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-0. Then Emmitt Smith would score his second touchdown of the game from one yard out to send the Cowboys into halftime with a commanding 21-0 lead on the Giants.

The Cowboys were dominating both sides of the ball, but the one piece of bad news from the first half was the season ending injury to cornerback Kevin Smith. The injury occurred in the end zone on a non-contact play and the result was a ruptured Achilles for Smith. It was just one day before that Smith had signed a $11 million contract. Although the injury was devastating to the Cowboys defense. It also opened an opportunity for owner Jerry Jones. Can anyone say Deion?

Emmitt Smith continued to slice up the Giants defense as he added his third touchdown of the game in the third quarter on the Cowboys first drive. Emmitt’s touchdown put the Cowboys on top 28-0 and that’s how the score would stay as the fourth quarter started.

In what would be a record breaking season for Emmitt Smith with his 25 rushing touchdowns and another rushing title. Smith got off to a great start in 1995 against the Giants as he scored his fourth touchdown of the game. His third from one yard out and increased the Cowboys lead to 35-0.

There was nothing better than beating the Giants on Monday Night Football, in Giants Stadium and not allowing them to score a single point. The Dallas defense only allowed the Giants offense 211 yards while sacking Giants quarterback Dave Brown twice and intercepting him once. The 35-0 nothing beating was probably one of most dominating performances against the Giants I’ve seen since becoming a Dallas fan.

“We were expecting a tougher ballgame, no question,” Aikman said. “I think they’re a better football team than that.”

“It was total domination in all areas,” Switzer said. “When the Dallas Cowboys run the football like that, we’re very difficult to beat.”

Emmitt Smith of course led the Cowboys offense with 163 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Aikman connected on 15 of 20 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown. Irvin caught 7 passes for 109 yards. When both Smith and Irvin gained over 100 yards in the same game the Cowboys were 11-0.

Also, with the season ending injury to Kevin Smith. It pushed owner Jerry Jones to go out and sign Deion Sanders to what would be a seven year contact.

“We’re devastated about Kevin Smith’s injury, said coach Switzer. I think it’s probably a season-ending injury. I told Jerry (Jones) after the ballgame to go get Deion. It’s not showtime anymore. It’s serious business.”

You can view the box score here…

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199509040nyg.htm

Some say we shouldn’t celebrate the Cowboys winning ways just yet. Some people think its too soon to start playing playoff parties. Personally, I don’t really care. I am proud of the Cowboys and despite their past December history, I believe we are headed to the playoffs. Their destiny lies in their own hands, and here are a couple of guys who helped earn the victory this past week.

Austin is currently leading the team in touchdowns and receiving yards. His 824 receiving yards puts him 13th in the league. He is well on his way to a 1000+ yard season.

On Thanksgiving, Miles totaled 145 yards on 7 receptions and one touchdown.

Lets hope he can keep it up through the rough month of December!

Go “Smiles”!

This week’s defensive/special teams game ball goes to Anthony Spencer.

Spencer has come very close to getting a game ball several times already this season, but his outstanding performance on Thanksgiving day left him standing tall above the rest.

Spencer had 6 tackles, 2 assists and 2 sacks. The Raiders game plan had them double-teaming DeMarcus Ware leaving Spencer room to roam and attack.

Keep on sackin’ Spencer!

Way to go to Austin and Spencer!

Honorable Mention: Jason Witten (5 receptions, 107 yards), Felix Jones (7 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD), Keith Brooking (6 tackles, 3 assists)

For the most part it was one ugly game. But there were some worthy contributions that stood out among the disgust that most of us felt until the last drive of the game. With that said I present you the game balls of week 11.

All week we heard about Jerry Jones wanting to give Felix Jones more carries. However, it was Marion Barber who delivered. It was almost as if he had something to prove.

Barber rushed 20 times for 99 yards in addition had one reception for 8 yards.

We enjoyed seeing the beast come out in you MB3, keep up the good work!

This week’s defensive/special teams game ball goes to Keith Brooking.

Keith Brooking has been simply amazing. Week in and week out he is out there on the field giving 110%. You can even spot him on the sidelines giving pep talks and cheering on his teammates. Oh where have you been all our football lives Keith?

Brooking finished the day with four tackles, four assists and a sack.

Keep leading the way Keith!

Way to go to Marion and Keith!

Honorable Mention: Patrick Crayton’s winning touchdown.

It took me a couple of weeks before making a decision on this match-up between the Cowboys and the Raiders. You would think there would be a lot of history between these two teams on the field, but the fact is that they have only played nine times. The Cowboys have won six of those nine games, but the Raiders have won the last three. Every single time I thought about this game I would keep going back to 1983. It was Sunday Night Football at Texas Stadium and the Cowboys were off to one of their best starts of any season as they entered the game against the Raiders with a 7-0 record.

As the first quarter got under way the Dallas defense got their first of the Raiders  six turnovers on the night as quarterback Marc Wilson fumbled the snap from center and Ed (Too Tall) Jones recovered at the Raiders 33 yard line.

It would not be your normal night as coach Tom Landry went deep into his bag of tricks. With the Cowboys at the Raiders 15 yard line Danny White went into the shotgun. On the snap running back Ron Springs who was lined up in the slot got the hand-off from White as he ran from right to left like it was a sweep play. While this was happening White kind of wandered off to the right sideline. Springs then stopped and passed the ball to White who was all alone for the 15 yard touchdown pass. Dallas took the lead 7-0 with just over 2:00 gone in the first quarter.

The Raiders answered the Cowboys touchdown with ten of their own points in the first quarter. Their points came thanks to Cowboys rookie punter John Warren who could only manage a 30 yard punt and a 34 yard punt on back to back Cowboys possessions. On the 34 yard punt Warren twisted his knee and the punting went back to Danny White for the night.

Danny White’s first punt attempt of the night was fumbled by the Raiders and Cowboys special teams specialist Rod Hill recovered at the Raiders 38 yard line. Dallas took advantage again of the turnover and from the two yard line Ron Springs scored and gave Dallas the lead back, 14-10 early in the second quarter.

On the Raiders next possession Marcus Allen fumbled and the Cowboys once again recovered at the Raiders 20 yard line. Dallas converted that turnover into a Rafael Septien field goal for a 17-10 lead.

The Raiders got back into the game with the running of Frank Hawkins who rushed for 118 yard in the game. He ran untouched into the end zone from 23 yards out and score was tied 17-17.

Even without the benefit of a Raiders turnover the Cowboys drove on the Raiders number ranked defense. Dallas put together a 76 yard drive in 8 plays and then capped the drive with a Danny White to Butch Johnson touchdown. Dallas took the lead again 24-17. Those looking for Butch Johnson’s famous California Quake dance after the touchdown were disappointed. Johnson was unable to do his dance because before the season Landry said there would no end zone dancing during the season.

The wild second quarter continued as the Raiders tied the game again on another Frank Hawkins touchdown pass from Marc Wilson. As the first half was coming to an end Danny White threw an interception on the Raiders 22 yard line. This time it would be the Raiders who would take advantage of the turnover. Marc Wilson drove the Raiders into Dallas territory. With nine seconds left the Raiders lined up for the go ahead field goal. Marc Wilson was also the holder on field goals and when he took the snap he stood up to attempt the fake. As he threw the ball he was hit by Dallas cornerback Dennis Thurman. The ball landed well in front of the intended receiver, but Dallas linebacker Anthony Dickerson was called for pass interference on the receiver even though he had no chance to catch the ball.

The pass interference penalty put the ball at the Dallas one yard line with only three seconds left in the first half. Instead of going for the field goal, Raiders coach Tom Flores sent his offense onto the field. Marc Wilson found tight end Todd Christensen over the middle for the easy score. The Raiders ended the wild first half of football with the lead, 31-24.

I guess both teams must have been tired from all the first half excitement because only a field goal was scored in the third quarter. That was from the Raiders who recovered a Danny White fumble on his own 20 yard line. They converted that into a Chris Bahr field goal and entered the fourth quarter with a ten point lead on the Cowboys, 34-24.

Dallas got the scoring going early in the fourth quarter with Danny White throwing his second touchdown pass of the game. White connected with receiver Doug Donley from 17 yards and cut the Raiders lead to 34-31.

The Dallas defense went back to work on the Raiders. With a little over 13:00 to play Anthony Dickerson forced a Marc Wilson fumble. Linebacker Mike Hegman scooped up the ball and ran it in for the go ahead touchdown from nine yards out. Once again the Cowboys had the lead at 38-34.

The Raiders were able to put another field goal on the board to tighten the Cowboys lead to 38-37. From that point things seemed to be good for the Cowboys.

With 7:00 remaining and the Raiders at the Cowboys 35 yard line, Dennis Thurman forced a fumble by Raiders receiver Dokie Williams. Dallas linebacker Dexter Clinkscale recovered.

The Cowboys moved the ball into Raiders territory with just over 3:00 to play in the game. On a 3rd and 15 Danny White looked deep for Tony Hill, but was intercepted by the Raiders at the 13 yard line and it was returned up to the 25 yard line.

Marc Wilson started to drive the Raiders. With some great passes to receiver Dokie Williams the Raiders got to the Cowboys nine yard line with only 20 seconds left in the game. Chris Bahr lined up for a 26 yard field attempt. As Bahr kicked the ball and it sailed over his offensive line, up jumped Dallas cornerback Michael Downs from behind his defensive line. Downs came within maybe an inch or two from blocking the kick, but the ball continued to sail up and through for the winning points. The Raiders had pulled off the upset in a wild night at Texas Stadium, 40-38.

The loss for the Cowboys was their first of the 1983 season. They would go 5-3 the rest of the season and finish with a 12-4 record. Their 1983 season would end at home in the playoffs to the LA Rams, 24-17.

You can view the box score here..

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198310230dal.htm

Honestly, I didn’t even want to give away a game ball this week. Truly standout performances were non-existent and hard to find. And while some may argue that Roy Williams and his 105 yards deserved the honor, it clearly illustrates why numbers alone does not dictate a solid performance.

After four straight wins, we knew it would be a tough challenge for the Cowboys in Lambeau Field, but nobody could have predicted such an impotent display of offense against the Packers.

We deserved better… and though at times the Cowboys showed some fight, most of the time they were getting pushed around and knocked to the ground as evidenced by the five sacks on Tony Romo.

So for your unwavering support and undying loyalty, we are pleased to award you the fans this weeks Game Ball.

Thanks for always supporting the Silver and Blue through good times and bad.

This week’s defensive/special teams game ball goes to DeMarcus Ware.

This one was a lot easier than the offensive game ball, and I thank DeMarcus for that.

Ware is back to his old self and registered two more punishing sacks against the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.

He added six tackles to his tally and once again he has become one of the most feared linebackers in the NFL.

Quarterbacks Be-Ware!!!

Way to go to Ware and Cowboys fans!

Honorable Mention: Anthony Spencer, Mat McBriar