In 1970 the Cowboys went 5-4 during a 14 game season.They had just lost to the St Louis Cardinals 38-0 on Monday Night Football. A few weeks prior to that they lost to the Vikings 52-14. With 5 games left to play they were two games behind division leading Cardinals and a game behind the Giants. There was only one wildcard team per conference.
To make matters worse,their 1st team All Pro, Rookie of the Year RB the previous season, Calvin Hill, was hurt and out for a couple games.Their 1st team All Pro LT, Ralph Neely, was out for the season.
The Cowboys were on the ropes. They were calling for Tom Landry's head. The Cowboys had lost two NFL championships in the last minute of each game and Tom Landry was accused of not being able to win "The Big One".Now,they didn'tthink he could win again.
They were wrong.The Cowboys won out and then went all the way to their very first Super Bowl, the first of five for Landry's Cowboys. The rest is history but that was one of the franchise's darkest moments and they came through.
These are the circumstances that reveal character and I think some opinions are going to be changed forever by the end of this season.