Jackie Smith talks extensively about the drop that almost ruined his life

[DandyDon1722]

Good to see someone else remembers the refs " making one up for Steelers" BB tripping call

Yep - beat me too it. The Benny Barnes call was ridicules. That guy was looking to throw a flag.

 

[Plankton]

Good to see someone else remembers the refs " making one up for Steelers" BB tripping call

There was a two minute period of time where the whole game swung. The horrible call by Fred Swearingen. The umpire providing a key block on Charlie Waters the very next play when Franco Harris scored on a 22 yard run up the middle. Roy Gerela slipping on the subsequent kickoff, just happening to land and be picked up by Randy White, who had a cast on his hand for a broken thumb. He fumbles, Steelers recover, and the next play, Bradshaw hits Swann on a post for the touchdown. The game goes from 21-17 Pittsburgh, with Dallas having all the momentum in the second half to 35-17 Pittsburgh, and the Cowboys in desperation mode.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I long ago forgave Jackie Smith for that impossibly stupid, Dez-like drop.
On the other hand, another Super Bowl win for Landry might have prolonged his miserable last years as HC and maybe Jimmy Johnson would never have appeared on our radar.

No! Jackie dropped the ball for a reason, and that was to hasten the end of the old, stodgy style that Landry developed in his senior citizen, golf-playing days.

Jackie, it happened for a reason.

 

[Alexander]

I long ago forgave Jackie Smith for that impossibly stupid, Dez-like drop.
On the other hand, another Super Bowl win for Landry might have prolonged his miserable last years as HC and maybe Jimmy Johnson would never have appeared on our radar.

No! Jackie dropped the ball for a reason, and that was to hasten the end of the old, stodgy style that Landry developed in his senior citizen, golf-playing days.

Jackie, it happened for a reason.

It had very little effect on Landry. He went to the playoffs 6 of the next 7 years (lost three consecutive NFC championships) playing out the string with the 1970s core roster.

I doubt another SB win would have done much to prevent the series of horrific drafts in the 1980s that failed to replenish the roster.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

His life ruined???? What about MINE???

yeah I have to listen to a Cowboy hater tell me how the Steelers destroyed us in that game,,,

 

[Doomsday101]

13:48 mark was a killer. Benny Barns had the coverage on Swann and was called for the most bogus PI

at the 14:33 mark one of the best blocks thrown in a SB game. Too bad it was the ref blocking Charlie Waters allowing Franco to go untouched for a TD run

 

[Sarge]

13:48 mark was a killer. Benny Barns had the coverage on Swann and was called for the most bogus PI

at the 14:33 mark one of the best blocks thrown in a SB game. Too bad it was the ref blocking Charlie Waters allowing Franco to go untouched for a TD run

Bad memories. I was FURIOUS at that ref.

 

[Doomsday101]

Bad memories. I was FURIOUS at that ref.

which one? they one who called PI or the one who threw the block on Waters?

 

[KJJ]

That was a wonderful read, made me tear up. I'll never forget that game, for some reason, I never realized Jackie was blamed for the loss because it was so early in the game. It's a shame people treat athletes like they do, as if they are unable to delineate person from persona.

It also brings to mind just how much the "good 'ol days" is really just a old, thoughtless saying.

It wasn't early in the game the drop happened with around 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and had Smith made the catch it would have tied the game at 21. The play clearly took the wind out of the Cowboys sails because everything seemed to go wrong after that. In the 4th quarter Lynn Swann collided with Benny Barnes and a PI was called on Barnes which led to the incidental contact rule a few months later. That bogus call happened on 3rd down putting the Steelers at the Cowboys 23 yard line. Many forget that 2 plays later the Steelers faced another 3rd down from the Cowboys 17 and Thomas Henderson sacked Bradshaw for a 12 yard loss but the play was nullified by a delay of game penalty on Pittsburgh.

That call completely deflated the defense and on the very next play Franco Harris raced 22 yards for the TD with the help of the umpire who got in the way of Charlie Waters preventing him from making the tackle. If that wasn't bad enough on the ensuing KO the Steelers kicker slipped causing him to squib the kick directly to Randy White who had a cast on a broken hand causing him to fumble. On the very next play Bradshaw hit Swann for an 18 yard TD. Smith's drop late in the 3rd quarter may not have lost the game but it set the tone for a series of bad breaks that ended up costing the Cowboys that game.

 

[Sarge]

which one? they one who called PI or the one who threw the block on Waters?

Both really. I had a lot of house damage that day.

 

[Doomsday101]

Both really. I had a lot of house damage that day.

I agree. I will say both SB games between Dallas and Pitt were all time classic games. I think those games did a lot to help build the NFL

 

[GoCowboysGo]

It wasn't early in the game the drop happened with around 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and had Smith made the catch it would have tied the game at 21. The play clearly took the wind out of the Cowboys sails because everything seemed to go wrong after that. In the 4th quarter Lynn Swann collided with Benny Barnes and a PI was called on Barnes which led to the incidental contact rule a few months later. That bogus call happened on 3rd down putting the Steelers at the Cowboys 23 yard line. Many forget that 2 plays later the Steelers faced another 3rd down from the Cowboys 17 and Thomas Henderson sacked Bradshaw for a 12 yard loss but the play was nullified by a delay of game penalty on Pittsburgh.

That call completely deflated the defense and on the very next play Franco Harris raced 22 yards for the TD with the help of the umpire who got in the way of Charlie Waters preventing him from making the tackle. If that wasn't bad enough on the ensuing KO the Steelers kicker slipped causing him to squib the kick directly to Randy White who had a cast on a broken hand causing him to fumble. On the very next play Bradshaw hit Swann for an 18 yard TD. Smith's drop late in the 3rd quarter may not have lost the game but it set the tone for a series of bad breaks that ended up costing the Cowboys that game.

I mean to say early in the game, relative to the end of the game. But your point is so true.

 

[MichaelValentino]

I have always liked Jackie Smith. He got raw deal from the fan base, no question. He was truly a great, great player. It's really a shame that his career ended the way it did. A story of a really good guy facing a bad situation.

That play still kills me but I hold no malice for Jackie Smith. Solid person and that's way more important then anything that happened in his playing career IMO.

^great post.

 

[MichaelValentino]

There was a two minute period of time where the whole game swung. The horrible call by Fred Swearingen. The umpire providing a key block on Charlie Waters the very next play when Franco Harris scored on a 22 yard run up the middle. Roy Gerela slipping on the subsequent kickoff, just happening to land and be picked up by Randy White, who had a cast on his hand for a broken thumb. He fumbles, Steelers recover, and the next play, Bradshaw hits Swann on a post for the touchdown. The game goes from 21-17 Pittsburgh, with Dallas having all the momentum in the second half to 35-17 Pittsburgh, and the Cowboys in desperation mode.

^This.

In fact, until the bogus PI call on Barnes Pittsburgh did not have a first down in the second half. The Barnes call was a nightmarish beginning to a series of game-changing plays/calls that stripped the Cowboys of the momentum they had at that point.

SB13 was the single most heartbreaking sporting event of my life. That's one I will never get over.

 

[MichaelValentino]

should have caught it, absolutely no doubt but Roger (my hero) should have made a better pass, play was wide open and he made a 40 year old man go to the ground to catch it.

It wasn't Staubach's best pass but it was good enough to catch, especially for the best TE of his era. The Orange Bowl turf was bad that night and Smith lost his footing. He did drop it though. Laidlaw made a great block on Lambert and Wagner was nowhere near Smith in coverage.

Interesting enough, on the 2nd down play Billy Joe DuPree blocked his man (Donnie Shell, IIRC) so hard he knocked him into Dorsett who broke free on what I think was an inside trap. Dorsett should have scored on second down.

At the very least the game should have gone into OT.

 

[rpntex]

Back to Smith, even Staubach admits it was partially his fault and the pass was not the best he could have made.

Yes, Roger has been quoted as saying that the pass was underthrown. And, if you look at the video, you can see where it was… Slightly so. Smith had to go to the ground to give himself a chance to catch it. Had he stayed on his feet the ball would have been significantly behind him.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

This isn't related to Jackie Smith and may not have even happened but I swear I remember the steelers getting rough with Dorsett. It seems like either two steelers picked him up and threw him or shoved him after the play and nothing was called? Does anyone remember anything like this in one of the steelers/Cowboys super bowls??

 

[MichaelValentino]

This isn't related to Jackie Smith and may not have even happened but I swear I remember the steelers getting rough with Dorsett. It seems like either two steelers picked him up and threw him or shoved him after the play and nothing was called? Does anyone remember anything like this in one of the steelers/Cowboys super bowls??

I think it was Drew Pearson on the final drive. He caught a pass in the middle of the field and the DB lifted him and drove him into the ground.

 

[MichaelValentino]

This isn't related to Jackie Smith and may not have even happened but I swear I remember the steelers getting rough with Dorsett. It seems like either two steelers picked him up and threw him or shoved him after the play and nothing was called? Does anyone remember anything like this in one of the steelers/Cowboys super bowls??

Pittsburgh had no answer for Dorsett that day. Landry should have called Dorsett's number 25-30 times, including screens and swing passes.

 

[dguinta1]

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was 6 years old and remember this play. This and "The Catch", makes me sick!