20 years ago, Jan. 2, 1994: The Day Emmitt Smith Carried America's Team

[cajuncocoa]

by Andy Simpson (Bleacher Report)

You could say Emmitt Smith carried the Dallas Cowboys, better known as America's Team, many times over the course of his Hall of Fame career.

I was born a fan of America's Team, so I never had the moment that made me a fan. On Jan. 2, 1994, however, I became a fan forever.

The Cowboys won their first Super Bowl since my diaper years following the 1992 season. Going in to the final day of the 1993 season, Dallas stood at 11-4 and trailed the Giants for the division lead.

That January day at the Meadowlands, the Cowboys jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead.

Then, POP!

With 1:58 left in the first half, Smith's shoulder separated on a brutal tackle by Greg Smith. Early in the second half, the Giants had tied the game at 13-13.

Knowing this was the game the Cowboys had to have to secure a home playoff game, Smith begged the trainers to get him on the field. He couldn't lift his arm above his chest, so the trainers taped it to his side and covered the shoulder with extra knee pads.

Every time Emmitt fell, Nate Newton or teammate pulled him up and put him back in the huddle. I never understood "team" until those moments.

Smith finished with 229 yards, touching the ball on nine of 12 plays on the game-winning drive, including the final five.

When Eddie Murray kicked the game-winning field goal with 6:43 left in overtime, I remember the pride and inspiration more than the thrill of victory.

And I remember how I will always long to be a part of an effort like that, even if it's just from the bleachers.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...94-the-day-emmitt-smith-carried-americas-team

Personal note: because of the consequences of this game (winner gets home field advantage throughout the playoffs; loser is wild card) and all of the turmoil that we fans dealt with throughout that 1993 season (defending the Super Bowl crown, Emmitt's holdout through the 2nd week of the regular season, Leon Lett's blooper on Thanksgiving Day) I have often thought this might be the best game I've witnessed as a Cowboys fan. Emmitt's performance with a separated shoulder was the stuff that makes a player a legend. When we pulled out to a 13-0 lead early, I was flying high....then the unthinkable happened. Our main man went down and that lead deteriorated. I literally thought I might have a heart attack during the 4th quarter and OT of that game.

If anyone has a copy of the whole game or knows where it can be found online, please post the details...I would love to watch it again!!

 

[Avery]

Hard to believe it was that long ago. Life moves too fast sometimes.

 

[cowboys1981]

That injury would put most on IR these days. Those boys played tough back then.

 

[IrishAnto]

Hard to believe it was that long ago. Life moves too fast sometimes.

So true.

And the way things have been with the Boys these last 19 years I’m beginning to wonder will I ever see them win the SB again.

 

[BIGDen]

I was at that game. My birthday is January 3rd so I thought of that game as an early birthday gift. Aside from the final drive, the thing that I'll always remember about that game is that we almost gave it away. We started off dominating them and then I believe it was a fumbled punt return that completely changed the game. Few things in football give a team new life like a fumbled punt return (ask the Giants in 2011 as Kyle Williams gave them a game they had no business winning). I remember just feeling relieved at the end of the game. It was stressful to watch the Giants climb back and almost win. It did feel good watching Murray's kick go through. Wow. 20 years ago. My Cowboys, NY Rangers and Yankees were winning championships, music was great, I was single and in my 20's...

Damn, I really miss the 90's...

 

[JohnsKey19]

by Andy Simpson (Bleacher Report)



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...94-the-day-emmitt-smith-carried-americas-team

Personal note: because of the consequences of this game (winner gets home field advantage throughout the playoffs; loser is wild card) and all of the turmoil that we fans dealt with throughout that 1993 season (defending the Super Bowl crown, Emmitt's holdout through the 2nd week of the regular season, Leon Lett's blooper on Thanksgiving Day) I have often thought this might be the best game I've witnessed as a Cowboys fan. Emmitt's performance with a separated shoulder was the stuff that makes a player a legend. When we pulled out to a 13-0 lead early, I was flying high....then the unthinkable happened. Our main man went down and that lead deteriorated. I literally thought I might have a heart attack during the 4th quarter and OT of that game.

If anyone has a copy of the whole game or knows where it can be found online, please post the details...I would love to watch it again!!

I have watched that entire game posted on YouTube. Not sure if it is still there.

 

[StevenOtero]

"No Pain, No Pain"

 

[Chappy]

Gee that makes me feel old and 20 years ago is astounding.

I remember Troy , Emmitt , Novacek , Haley , Irvin , Newton ,The Moose and the rest like it was yesterday. Gee even Leon Lett but it maybe for the bad things in the snow on thanksgiving which we do not talk about anymore!!! lol

Would seriously consider chopping off my left arm for that period of success again.

 

[cajuncocoa]

I was at that game.

Awesome!! I'm JEALOUS!!!

 

[LatinMind]

the game used to be on youtube, the whole game but its been taken off. I just watched it a couple months ago too

 

[TellerMorrow34]

That game was the moment that Emmitt Smith became my all time favorite Cowboy.

I was in awe at his ability to block out that pain and carry the Cowboys to such an important victory that day. I'll never forget watching that on TV and just being in absolute awe of his effort, his desire, and his will to win and be there for his team.

I have no shame in admitting that I had tears in my eyes watching them win that game, and that when it's talked about to this day I still get tears in my eyes because that game was special. Emmitt was special.

 

[mrmojo]

Was a cold day in Giant Stadium that day and add a seperated shoulder that couldnt have been fun. This was the win that propelled then to the SB. I really believed it was going to be a blow out until that play, it seemed like the Giants got new energy after that. Just a typical grind it out, tough NFC East football game.....that was Emmits defining moment, not many backs play through that and is why I take him over any other back, ever, in a big game..

 

[jazzcat22]

Thanks for posting that, great memories there.

 

[mldardy]

That day will never be forgotten by me. I thought we would blow the Giants out after jumping out to a 13-0 lead and then the offense stalled when Emmitt got hurt and even before he got hurt but Emmitt saved us that day and led us to back to back Super Bowls. Great memories.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

EMMITT'S GREATEST PERFORMANCE
Smith shoulders load, keeps offense running

1/3/94
By ED WERDER / The Dallas Morning News

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Cowboys clinched another NFC East championship Sunday because Emmitt Smith has a pain threshold considerably more than his tolerance for losing.

He would wince. The Cowboys would win.

Despite a first-degree separation of his right shoulder and a punishing New York Giants defense, Smith won his third consecutive league rushing championship and made certain the Cowboys would not finish as runners-up.

He carried on and on at Giants Stadium, his feet crossing the carpet for 168 rushing yards as the Cowboys defeated Giants, 16-13, in overtime of the most important regular-season finale ever. The football was Smith's a team-record 42 times - 32 carries, 10 receptions - and he took the handoffs and the opportunities to produce 229 of the 339 yards the Dallas offense compiled.

In addition to all of that, he provided the Cowboys with a bye in the first round of the playoffs, and himself time to recover before the team makes its first playoff appearance at Texas Stadium in two weeks. Team trainer Kevin O'Neill said there are three degrees of shoulder separations with Smith's the least serious.

"I wanted to do whatever it took to win the game," said Smith, who scored the Cowboys' only touchdown of the game. "Sometimes the linemen would ask me if I was all right. I'd tell them I was. I lied. I wanted to do what I could. I've heard about guys playing hurt. I wanted to play hurt and be effective."

Smith was hurt in the second period, when Giants safety Greg Jackson tackled him after a 46-yard sprint. He missed two snaps, played almost three more quarters. He accepted 19 more carries and another seven receptions and represented about all the success on offense the Cowboys offered.

He touched the ball nine times for 41 yards in the Cowboys' overtime possession, a 12-play series that covered 52 yards and led to Eddie Murray's game-winning field goal.

"He told us in the huddle to make sure we ran behind him so someone could pick him up," offensive lineman Nate Newton said. "Coach (Jimmy) Johnson asked him if he would be ready and there wasn't a doubt or hesitation. He said he was going. That really touched me because you could see how hurt he was. After we made our blocks, the main thing was to get to him and get him up."

The performance was a microcosm of the season for Smith, who missed the first two weeks because of a contract dispute. Still, he finished with 1,486 yards, becoming the first player to win the rushing title after missing two games and the fourth in history to win three times in succession.

O'Neill had a thigh pad taped to Smith's shoulder pad to absorb the punishment and provided the player a pill at halftime to limit his pain.

While Smith's right arm often hung limp, while his range of motion was so limited Troy Aikman had to lower his handoffs and passes, Smith refused to stand on the sidelines.

At one point, in the winning drive, Smith sprinted into the middle of the line, changed direction to his right and picked up 10 yards. Johnson immediatedly called for Lincoln Coleman, who nonetheless never played another down.

"Jimmy told me to go in," Coleman said, "but Emmitt told me to get out."

The Cowboys were able to get out of Giants Stadium with a victory because of Smith's remarkable performance, one that marked the fourth time this season he rushed for 150 or more yards against an NFC East opponent.

Smith carried 19 times for 109 yards and had six receptions for 42 more as the Cowboys took a 13-point halftime lead. He had 13 carries for 59 yards and four receptions for 19 in the third and fourth periods, his importance increasing as his team's advantage diminished.

Read the rest at the bottom of the page here: http://blackdcc.net/page22.html

 

[noshame]

One of my proudest days as a fan.

 

[CowboyFan4Eva]

by Andy Simpson (Bleacher Report)



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...94-the-day-emmitt-smith-carried-americas-team

Personal note: because of the consequences of this game (winner gets home field advantage throughout the playoffs; loser is wild card) and all of the turmoil that we fans dealt with throughout that 1993 season (defending the Super Bowl crown, Emmitt's holdout through the 2nd week of the regular season, Leon Lett's blooper on Thanksgiving Day) I have often thought this might be the best game I've witnessed as a Cowboys fan. Emmitt's performance with a separated shoulder was the stuff that makes a player a legend. When we pulled out to a 13-0 lead early, I was flying high....then the unthinkable happened. Our main man went down and that lead deteriorated. I literally thought I might have a heart attack during the 4th quarter and OT of that game.

If anyone has a copy of the whole game or knows where it can be found online, please post the details...I would love to watch it again!!

I remember it well..........

The difference back then, with that team. After watching them go for 1-15 to that day against the giants..i sort of always had the feeling that they would win. When it counted, they would find a way to win. Or, They would just dominate the game.......

That team was built in the image of jimmy Johnson. And it showed up on the field. Jimmy was a great football coach...................hell, by the time sunday rolled around.........he really didnt have to do much......it was a machine. At least one of the top 3 teams ever assembled in NFL History.........

 

[SportsGuru80]

Mannnn TWENTY 2 0 years ago!!! Yikes!

 

[jgboys1]

I was at that game.

So was I. That game and 10/10/1976 game, 1st game ever played at the old Giant stadium. Cowboys vs the Giants. Cowboys won 24-14. 1st and only time that I got to see Landry, Staubach and co. in person.
Two great Cowboys memories, that I will never forget.

 

[cajuncocoa]

I remember it well..........

The difference back then, with that team. After watching them go for 1-15 to that day against the giants..i sort of always had the feeling that they would win. When it counted, they would find a way to win. Or, They would just dominate the game.......

That team was built in the image of jimmy Johnson. And it showed up on the field. Jimmy was a great football coach...................hell, by the time sunday rolled around.........he really didnt have to do much......it was a machine. At least one of the top 3 teams ever assembled in NFL History.........

And they could have done so much more if Jerry's ego hadn't gotten in the way just a few months later. It makes me sick to think about that.