Video: Aikman to Rocket

[JPM]

If I did I would be 40 years old at least and I'm not sure if I would want to be that old hahaha.

I'm 40 and Staubach was before my time, I started watching when Danny White was QB.

 

[KJJ]

It's extremely hard to make those projections after only 3 games. ( he was injured early in the Eagles game). We may not have won the Super Bowl, but I'd wager we at least win the division that year. Probably win 10-11 games.

There's many who think the Cowboys would have gone a long way that season had Irvin not gone down based on their 3-0 start with him but as I mentioned his numbers were declining and he wasn't off to a real good start that season. Aikman missed 5 games in 98 and the Cowboys still finished 10-6 and made the playoffs.

He missed 2 games in 99 so his health was becoming a real issue. How the Cowboys would have fared had Irvin not gone down in 99 is anyones guess. I would give the Cowboys 10 wins that season had Irvin not gone down but no SB. That was clearly a declining team as we saw with the 3 straight 5-11 seasons that followed.

 

[NJ22]

My favorite regular season game. Not sure if you remember, but prior to OT, Dallas came back from down 35-14 to tie this game, then the Skins were setup for a game winning FG at the end of regulation and bobbled the snap and got tackled. I was visiting a friend in DC and watched this game at Joe Theisman's Sports bar lol! Was hearing them talk crap all game until the end. When Rocket was still running into the End zone, my buddy stands up and says you guys suck! The Commanders suck and Joe "Bleeping" Theisman sucks too, and we left them sitting there in their own tears..it was a hallmark moment!

What a great play against our most hated rivals.

 

[Reality]

/reality

 

[Tenkamenin]

I seriously doubt the Cowboys would have won the SB that season had Irvin stayed healthy. The Cowboys may have gotten off to a great start that season but they were still a declining team which is why they ended up 8-8 that season. A team doesn't drop off that much with the loss of a WR especially considering Rocket was off to a better start than Irvin and finished with more than a 1000 yards that season.

No doubt losing Irvin hurt but the Cowboys were a year away from Aikman being done and the team going 5-11. There were issues with Gailey as the HC Jerry and Aikman didn't like his offense and wanted him to change it. Gailey refused and it led to his firing. Emmitt was more critical to the success of the Cowboys than Irvin which we found out in 93 when the Cowboys started 0-2 without Emmitt then went on to win the SB with him.

We went 8-8 without Irvin, that is pretty darn impressive in my opinion, and had Irvin stayed healthy we would've definitely been a threat in the post season. You're correct that Irvin was on the decline but he was still effective as a possession receiver, he came up with some clutch catches. Our 99 team was tough, you could stack the box and jeopardize Rocket blowing you by or Irvin out muscling you corner or you could focus on our receivers and Emmitt would tear you up. That was a championship caliber team....

 

[KJJ]

We went 8-8 without Irvin, that is pretty darn impressive in my opinion, and had Irvin stayed healthy we would've definitely been a threat in the post season. You're correct that Irvin was on the decline but he was still effective as a possession receiver, he came up with some clutch catches. Our 99 team was tough, you could stack the box and jeopardize Rocket blowing you by or Irvin out muscling you corner or you could focus on our receivers and Emmitt would tear you up. That was a championship caliber team....

The Cowboys didn't start winning with Irvin until they had some good teams. The Cowboys went 3-13 with Irvin his rookie year and were 0-6 with him in 89 when he was lost with an ACL. The Cowboys went 7-9 with him in 91. Like I said it's anyones guess how the Cowboys would have finished in 99 had they had Irvin the entire season. What we do know is Chan Gailey was fired after that season and if Jerry thought Irvin's loss was the reason for the 8-8 record he wouldn't have fired Gailey. There was a lot more to that record than just the loss of Irvin.

 

[kristie]

What a great play against our most hated rivals.

i loved it then, and i still love it now.

 

[crazyfool]

I was 14 when I saw that game....I was almost in tears the 3rd quarter, but I don't think I've ever been happier to win a game (besides SB XXX). One of my top three games of all time...Mike and Rocket...what could have been...

 

[DenCWBY]

Thanks for bringing back one of the better DC endings of all times. I remember exactly where I was at the time and it was an amazing comeback with that great call on the onside kick to keep us in the game.

 

[rcaldw]

Didn't the comeback start once Emmitt took over the game. He was running right through their D.

I noticed how loud the cheers were for the Cowboys.

No. It happened when Aikman got hot. He threw 5 TD passes on the day.

 

[rcaldw]

What a great play against our most hated rivals.

I love it how people say Aikman couldn't throw the deep ball. That is one of the prettiest and most precise deep throws you will ever see. Sometimes the hardest one's to throw are with the guy wide open. It is not uncommon at all for a QB to say, "well I am going to make sure I don't miss him" and the receiver has to hold up for it. Aikman threw that thing in a way where Rocket didn't break stride. Great play and a great memory.

 

[cowboyeric8]

It was the last hoorah for the team of the 90's. Fitting that it was in 99.

 

[rcaldw]

You shoulda seen the Staubach era!

Yep, it was almost as good as the Aikman era.