Tony D "caught" from behind by Green - Dallas Cowboys Forum

TonyD33 · 04-25-2005

Here is something that has bugged me since I saw it happen. Way back in 83 - I think - during a Monday night game against the Redskins, Tony Dorsett breaks off left tackle and is streakingup the sidline. Rokkie CB Darryl Gren with blazing speed catches him just short of scoring a sure touchdown. That play has followed Green as the one that made him: he "caught" Tony D from behind. No small feat. But have always believed that he had a littel bit of an angle and that Dorsett wa slowing down just before Green caught him. I have found a DVD copy of that game and watched it many times. I realize I am biased because I think Dorsett was the most beautiful to watch run in history.

What do you think? Does Green deserve ALL the credit for catching Dorsett. I don't think he could have done it on the dead run with a rested Dorsett.

Payton34Smith22 · 04-25-2005

IMO,Green was as fast ,if not faster than T.D.,plus he took a great angle at him.
So IMO, it was a combination of both flat out speed & angle.

TonyD33 · 04-25-2005

Did not Tony D win the NFL fastest man competition one year with Green in it?

Payton34Smith22 · 04-25-2005

I didn't know they were both in a competition, I would have loved to see that!
I could be wrong about Green being "as fast" as T.D., but Green was a fast man.

phildominator · 04-27-2005

One consideration is that TD was also carrying the ball, which will slow anyone's full sprint.

Secondly - check the tape on this one for me and let me know - did TD cover up the football as Green got closer? That would slow TD even more, but of course, what's the point of running so far if you're going to fumble the ball?

lurkercowboy · 04-27-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyD33

Did not Tony D win the NFL fastest man competition one year with Green in it?

That was Walker.

Irving Cowboy · 04-28-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by phildominator

One consideration is that TD was also carrying the ball, which will slow anyone's full sprint.

Precisely. Granted, I think Green was faster than Dorsett anyway but it has been pretty widely known that carrying the ball will slow anyone down just a tad. I have the game on DVD and I'll check it later to see if he wrapped it up just before he was caught like you said, Phil.

martyogelvie · 05-03-2005

I remember the game,
bottom line, Cowboys won!!!

TonyD33 · 05-03-2005

Well that is football speed for a running back and the only kind that counts: in full pads and carrying the ball. I say watch the tape and Dorsett slows down for a few seconds before Green got him. I think that if he had maintained his speed that Green woud not have gotten him. If you watch after the play, Tony D is quite winded on the sideline. They had been running him a good deal in that game if I am not mistaken. I think it is possible he ran out of gas near the end of the run which allowed Green's great effort look even better.

What can I say? I am obsessed with Cowboys and Tony D since I was a little boy. I think he was the most graceful and smoothest runner since OJ - just poetic to watch run in the open field.

ravidubey · 05-07-2005

Dorsett did slow down and mainly because he didn't think anyone was still chasing him. Green was flying though and was cleary the faster player; I agree though if Tony had noticed him he would have made the endzone.

TonyD33 · 05-18-2005

Man, no love for Tony D in here. Remember it was his arrival that pushed Dallas into the 1970s powerhouse category. They had Staubach but the consistent running game with the big play is what Tony D brought and they won the Super Bowl the year that he got there fresh off a National Championship with Pitt.

He also did what he did without the kind of O line that Emmitt had for most of his career. He was under 200 lbs and stayed healthy. Dallas didnt treat him right when Hershel Walker got to town either.

jackrussell · 06-14-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyD33

Man, no love for Tony D in here. Remember it was his arrival that pushed Dallas into the 1970s powerhouse category. They had Staubach but the consistent running game with the big play is what Tony D brought and they won the Super Bowl the year that he got there fresh off a National Championship with Pitt.

He also did what he did without the kind of O line that Emmitt had for most of his career. He was under 200 lbs and stayed healthy. Dallas didnt treat him right when Hershel Walker got to town either.

What's any of this to do with whether TD was caught from behind by Darrell Green?

CowboyDan · 06-14-2005

Sure would be nice to see a video clip of it.........anyone got any out there???

TonyD33 · 06-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackrussell

What's any of this to do with whether TD was caught from behind by Darrell Green?

It doesnt - it has to do with the reaction to the question I posed about the Darrell Green play. If you read the string of replies, you can see that.