Dallas Cowboys 101... 1990

[Hostile]

Row 1

• Alan Lowry, Coach
• Joe Avezzano, Coach
• 1 Ken Willis, K
• 4 Mike Saxon, P
• 8 Troy Aikman, QB
• 15 Babe Laufenberg, QB
• 20 Ray Horton, S
• 21 Antonio Gibson, S
• 22 Emmitt Smith, RB, Pro Bowl, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
• 23 Robert Williams, CB
• 26 Keith Jones, RB
• Steve Hoffman, Coach
• Mike Woicik, Coach

Row 2

• Hubbard Alexander, Coach
• Dick Nolan, Coach
• 29 Kenneth Gant, S
• 30 Issiac Holt, CB
• 31 Scott Ankrom, S
• 32 Terrence Flagler, RB
• 34 Tommy Agee, RB
• 36 Vince Albritton, S/LB
• 37 James Washington, S
• 38 Ron Francis, CB
• 40 Bill Bates, S 4
• 2 Stan Smagala, S
• Otis Jackson, Equipment Assistant

Row 3

• Tony Wise, Coach
• Dave Campo, Coach
• 45 Manny Hendrix, CB
• 48 Daryl Johnston, FB
• 51 Ken Norton Jr, LB
• 53 Mark Stepnoski, C
• 54 Jesse Solomon, LB
• 55 Jack Del Rio, LB
• 56 Eugene Lockhart, LB
• 57 Vinson Smith, LB
• 61 Nate Newton, OL
• Buck Buchanan, Equipment Manager
• Jerry Fowler, Assistant Equipment Manager

Row 4

• Joe Brodsky, Coach
• Butch Davis, Coach
• 63 Lester Brinkley, DE
• 65 Tony Slaton, C/G
• 66 Kevin Gogan, T
• 67 John Gesek, G
• 68 Crawford Ker, G
• 70 Dale Hellestrae, C
• 71 Mark Tuinei, OT/DL
• 72 Louis Cheek, T
• 73 Danny Noonan, DL
• Gary Nelson, Trainer
• Don Cochren, Medical Records

Row 5

• Dave Shula, Coach
• Dave Wannstedt, Coach
• 76 Jeff Zimmerman, G
• 77 Jim Jeffcoat, DE
• 78 Dave Widell, T
• 79 Willie Broughton, DT
• 80 Rod Harris, WR
• 81 Scott Ankrom, DB
• 83 Kelvin Martin, WR
• 84 Jay Novacek, TE
• 85 Dennis McKinnon, WR
• Jim Maurer, Trainer
• Kevin O'Neill, Trainer

Row 6

• Jerry Jones, Owner/General Manager
• Jimmy Johnson, Head Coach, AP NFL Coach of the Year
• 87 Derrick Shepard, WR
• 88 Michael Irvin, WR
• 89 Steve Folsom, TE
• 90 Willis Crockett, LB
• 92 Tony Tolbert, DL
• 96 Daniel Stubbs, DE
• 97 Jimmie Jones, DT
• 98 Mitch Willis, DL
• 99 David Howard, LB
• Bruce Mays, Administration Assistant
• Tony Wise, Coach

Jay Novacek
5 time Pro Bowl...1991-95
2 time All Pro...1992-93

1990 Cowboys Draft

1…Emmitt Smith, RB, Florida
Ring of Honor...9/19/05
8 time Pro Bowl...1990-95, 98-99
4 time All Pro...1992-95
2…Alexander Wright, WR, Auburn
3…Jimmie Jones, DT, Miami (FL)
9…Kenneth Gant, DB, Albany State
11…Dave Harper, LB, Humboldt State

1990 Cowboys Schedule
7-9

9/9/90…Won vs. San Diego Chargers, 17-14
9/16/90…Lost vs. New York Giants, 7-28
9/23/90…Lost @ Washington Redskins, 15-19
9/30/90…Lost @ New York Giants, 17-31
10/7/90…Won vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 14-10
10/14/90…Lost @ Phoenix Cardinals, 3-20
10/21/90…Won @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-13
10/28/90…Lost vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 20-21
11/4/90…Lost @ New York Jets, 9-24
11/11/90…Lost vs. San Francisco 49ers, 6-24
11/18/90…Won @ Los Angeles Rams, 24-21
11/22/90…Won vs. Washington Redskins, 27-17
12/2/90…Won vs. New Orleans Saints, 17-13
12/9/90…Bye week
12/16/90…Won vs. Phoenix Cardinals, 41-10
12/23/90…Lost @ Philadelphia Eagles, 3-17
12/30/90…Lost @ Atlanta Falcons, 7-26

5-3 @ Dallas
2-6 on the road

Points scored...24415.3 ppg
Points allowed...308, 19.3 ppg

1990 Cowboys Stats

All time franchise record...258-186-6
All time Post Season Record...20-16

[THUMPER]

1990 was a great year for me as I saw what this team could become in the future. The first time I saw Emmitt Smith play I knew we had found what we were missing.

The last of the stars from the Landry era were gone and this was truly becoming Jimmy Johnson's team. Too Tall Jones, Tom Rafferty, & Everson Walls had all moved on and we brought in some new blood in Emmitt, Jay Novacek, John Gesek, and Dale Hellestrae. Helly would become the greatest deep snapper of all time and one of my favorite players.

With Emmitt running the ball effectively behind Moose Johnston's blocking, and Jay Novacek catching everything thrown his way, all we needed for the next season was better pass protection and a WR that could take over games. That WR was already on the roster but hadn't really stepped up yet. He needed another threat opposite him but that would come in 1991.

The O-Line had all the components to become great but hadn't played together long enough yet to really gel and it showed against the Eagles as Philly sacked Aikman 11 times in one game.

The other thing this season showed was that we desperately needed a quality backup QB as Babe Laufenberg was totally useless as a passer. He would go on to have a great career as a broadcaster but as a QB he was pitiful.

Emmitt Smith quickly became a top RB as he gained nearly 1000 yards after playing limited time early in the season yet earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors as well as a trip to the Pro Bowl.

As I said, this was the year we could see all the pieces starting to come together and I knew we would be back on top very soon. Jimmy was a much better HC than I thought as he was willing to take risks and mix up the play-calling. The defense was starting to come together but lacked a top pass rusher.

From 1-15 to 7-9 was a pretty good improvement and it would get even better.

An interesting fact about Emmitt was that he gained the same number of rushing yards in his final season as he did in his rookie year, 937.

[Hostile]

In our History there has been two times that our Head Coach has been the NFL head Coach of the year.

1966 for Tom Landry, year 1 of a 20 year streak of winning football. From 1970 to 1996 the award was split between NFC and AFC. Tom Landry was the NFC Coach of the year in 1975.

1990 for Jimmy Johnson.

Translation, when you are expected to win because you are good, you won't win this award. Some could argue that Bill Parcells deserved to win in 2003 and I would be among them, but the fact remains that only twice in our History has our Head Coach been the Coach of the Year.



In the 1990 Draft as it got closer to us and Emmitt Smith was still there I started getting excited. He was considered too small by some, but you cannot measure heart.

[THUMPER]

Originally Posted by Hostile

In our History there has been two times that our Head Coach has been the NFL head Coach of the year.

1966 for Tom Landry, year 1 of a 20 year streak of winning football. From 1970 to 1996 the award was split between NFC and AFC. Tom Landry was the NFC Coach of the year in 1975.

1990 for Jimmy Johnson.

Translation, when you are expected to win because you are good, you won't win this award. Some could argue that Bill Parcells deserved to win in 2003 and I would be among them, but the fact remains that only twice in our History has our Head Coach been the Coach of the Year.

Wouldn't that be 3 times then? Landry in 1966 & 75, and Johnson in 1990. Or is it only once since you said that from 70-96 it was split between AFC & NFC?

You've got me all confused now.

In the 1990 Draft as it got closer to us and Emmitt Smith was still there I started getting excited. He was considered too small by some, but you cannot measure heart.

I didn't see Emmitt play in college so I wasn't sure what to expect from him but once I saw him play in the NFL I knew he would be good, I just had no idea HOW great he would be.

[Hostile]

Originally Posted by THUMPER

Wouldn't that be 3 times then? Landry in 1966 & 75, and Johnson in 1990.

1975 wasn't NFL it was NFC.

[THUMPER]

Originally Posted by Hostile

1975 wasn't NFL it was NFC.

But 1990 was NFL?

[lurkercowboy]

The Thanksgiving game of 1990 was the game of the year for me. It was the first national showcase for the triplets all playing well and defeating the Redskins. What a game!

[peplaw06]

Why did we play the Bucs twice in 3 weeks? Not that I'm complaining, because they were terrible.

[bbgun]

Odds and ends:

1) Emmitt was a protracted holdout. He threatened to re-enroll at the U. of Florida. I think he signed only days before the San Diego game, where he had 2 rushes for 2 yards. His breakout game came against Tampa at home.

2) Poor Troy: sacked 11 times by the Eagles in October, then Clyde Simmons ends his season when he slams him into the Vet's notoriously unforgiving turf. We actually had a chance to make the playffs at 8-8 had we won at Atlanta, but Babe was atrocious.

3) The Thanksgiving game was when you definitely saw a glimpse of the future, particularly on offense.

4) I think Irvin had a huge game against the Cards at home--three TDs or something. The Saints game was kind of billed as Aikman vs Walsh; the fair-haired boy won.

[Hostile]

Originally Posted by peplaw06

Why did we play the Bucs twice in 3 weeks? Not that I'm complaining, because they were terrible.

There was a stretch of the season with 28 teams that the last place finishers of the 2 divisions with 5 teams each played a home and away schedule. The previous year's worst teams in the NFC were Dallas and Tampa. It just worked out that the games were 2 weeks apart. It has happened for division rival games too.

[BoysFanInAustin]

I thought the 11 sack game on Aikman vs the Eagles game in week 3 of 91 when the Eagles blanked us at home 24-0. I remember that first Eagle game being very close, Eagles winning in the closing minutes 21-20.

The Redskin game was probably the best game of the year for Cowboy fans. I also remember the 2nd Bucs game where Dallas trailed 13-3, I believe. Issiac Holt returned an INT from "Intercepteverde" for a TD to bring us closer. And you saw a glimpse of the future, and also shades of glorious past with Aikman hitting Irvin for the game winning TD pass in the closing minutes of the game to win it 17-13. It would bring back memories of Captain Comeback, Roger Staubach hitting Mr Clutch Drew Pearson for game winning scores after coming back from a big deficit.

[bbgun]

Originally Posted by BoysFanInAustin

I thought the 11 sack game on Aikman vs the Eagles game in week 3 of 91 when the Eagles blanked us at home 24-0.

I think you're right. I was influenced by Thumper's post.

[lurkercowboy]

Originally Posted by bbgun

Odds and ends:

4) I think Irvin had a huge game against the Cards at home--three TDs or something. The Saints game was kind of billed as Aikman vs Walsh; the fair-haired boy won.

Not Irvin, Emmitt had the big game. Smith had four TDs that day.

[bbgun]

Originally Posted by lurkercowboy

Not Irvin, Emmitt had the big game. Smith had four TDs that day.

I was too lazy to Google it. Thanks.

[THUMPER]

Originally Posted by bbgun

I think you're right. I was influenced by Thumper's post.

THUMPER was under the influence, it was in 1991. Sorry folks.