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Recently, have any of you fans felt that maybe Dallas was being subjected to some really bad officiating calls influencing very outcomes of games? Well, that very same observation was shared all the way back to the beginnings of Dallas Cowboys' successes. By none other than Tom Landry, himself....
Decade Left Flagging
by Sam Blair
If you had wanted a catchy title for the Super Bowl XIII film, Tom Landry might have suggested Winning One For The Tripper.
The Tripper, in his eyes, was Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Lynn Swann, not Cowboys cornerback Benny Barnes, the player ruled guilty by field judge Fred Swearingen in the most controversial play of Pittsburgh's 35-31 victory over Dallas at Miami on Jan. 21, 1979, a time when a coach could not challenge a play during the game and request immediate video review. While Landry didn't want to detract from a splendid Steelers performance when he discussed the game the next day, he clearly still was upset over how he felt the penalty detracted from his team's own fine game.
With 9:05 left in the fourth quarter and Pittsburgh leading, 21-17, quarterback Terry Bradshaw uncorked a long, wild pass from his own 44-yard line. The ball fell incomplete, with Swann and Barnes both sprawling on the grass. Swearingen threw a flag against Barnes, awarding Pittsburgh a 33-yard gain and a first down on the Cowboys' 23. This triggered an explosion, which shot Pittsburgh's shaky four-point lead to a comfortable 17.
Landry reviewed film of the play and Swearingen's call before the Cowboys headed home the next morning. He gave it a blah rating.
"Unfortunately, he missed it," the Dallas coach said of Swearingen. "Because of the safety blitz, all Bradshaw did was throw an alley-oop pass, hoping Swann would get under it. Benny had taken the inside away because of the blitz (keeping Swann away from the area vacated by the safety) and was running with Swann when he looked back to locate the ball. The ball was inside of him so Swann cut across, trying to get to the ball.
"He cut across the back of Benny's feet, tripped and fell down. Benny was tripped, of course, and he fell. When he hit the ground with his chest, his feet flopped up. That's the only thing Swearingen could have seen. He assumed after the play was over Benny had tripped Swann."
Landry noted that field judge Pat Knight was just a few feet away, looking at the play, and didn't throw a flag. "He called it a good play and should have argued for Benny because it was so obvious from his side. Normally, of course, an official won't go against another's flag. I think he should, certainly in such a big game.
"Swearingen had no idea what was happening. He had Swann between him and Benny. He just saw Benny's feet flopping up and to him that was a tripping move. Swann was the one who did the tripping, when he cut across Benny's feet."
But the Steelers got the football and cashed in. Not once but twice.
After Franco Harris rumbled 22 yards to make it 28-17, Roy Gerela's low, short kickoff was fumbled by Randy White, Dallas' All-Pro defensive tackle who was playing with a fractured right thumb. Pittsburgh recovered on the Cowboys' 18 and on the first play Bradshaw hit Swann for another TD and a 35-17 lead with 6:51 left.
Roger Staubach and the Cowboys offense fought back for two touchdowns of their own, Staubach hitting the second of two scoring passes with 22 seconds left. The drama, momentum and big plays swung from one team to another during those last 10 minutes of the best Super Bowl yet, but Landry always would wonder if the Steelers would have had the final edge without Swearingen's call.
The rule stated both offensive and defensive players have equal right to go for the pass. The National Football League Digest of Rules said, "It must be remembered that defensive players have as much right to the path of the ball as eligible receivers. Any bodily contact, however severe, is not interference if a player is making a bona fide and simultaneous attempt to catch or bat the ball."
Swearingen, of course, didn't see it that way.
"It's just a shame a play like that has to take something off the game," said Landry, who saw all three of his team's Miami Super Bowl losses flawed by controversial officiating. "Not that we would have won or lost if it hadn't happened, but you focus down on one play—like the Jack Fette call in our first Super Bowl with the Colts (awarding Duane Thomas' fumble on Baltimore's one-yard line to the Colts, although Cowboys center Dave Manders wound up on the ball) and the lack of officiating when we played the Steelers the first time (no penalties against the fiercely aggressive Steelers in SB X). The officials had a prominent part and it's just too bad it happened in such a big game. We could have been the first team to win three Super Bowls and it would have been a great climax to an era."
Instead, the Steelers became the first to win three world championships. How did Landry think people would remember the Cowboys of the '70s?
"Probably as the runner-up," he said. He sounded disgusted when he said it.
Sam Blair, a writer and columnist for The Dallas Morning News for 41 years, was the paper's original pro football writer. For questions or comments, please email sblair@dallascowboys.net
Decade Left Flagging
by Sam Blair
If you had wanted a catchy title for the Super Bowl XIII film, Tom Landry might have suggested Winning One For The Tripper.
The Tripper, in his eyes, was Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Lynn Swann, not Cowboys cornerback Benny Barnes, the player ruled guilty by field judge Fred Swearingen in the most controversial play of Pittsburgh's 35-31 victory over Dallas at Miami on Jan. 21, 1979, a time when a coach could not challenge a play during the game and request immediate video review. While Landry didn't want to detract from a splendid Steelers performance when he discussed the game the next day, he clearly still was upset over how he felt the penalty detracted from his team's own fine game.
With 9:05 left in the fourth quarter and Pittsburgh leading, 21-17, quarterback Terry Bradshaw uncorked a long, wild pass from his own 44-yard line. The ball fell incomplete, with Swann and Barnes both sprawling on the grass. Swearingen threw a flag against Barnes, awarding Pittsburgh a 33-yard gain and a first down on the Cowboys' 23. This triggered an explosion, which shot Pittsburgh's shaky four-point lead to a comfortable 17.
Landry reviewed film of the play and Swearingen's call before the Cowboys headed home the next morning. He gave it a blah rating.
"Unfortunately, he missed it," the Dallas coach said of Swearingen. "Because of the safety blitz, all Bradshaw did was throw an alley-oop pass, hoping Swann would get under it. Benny had taken the inside away because of the blitz (keeping Swann away from the area vacated by the safety) and was running with Swann when he looked back to locate the ball. The ball was inside of him so Swann cut across, trying to get to the ball.
"He cut across the back of Benny's feet, tripped and fell down. Benny was tripped, of course, and he fell. When he hit the ground with his chest, his feet flopped up. That's the only thing Swearingen could have seen. He assumed after the play was over Benny had tripped Swann."
Landry noted that field judge Pat Knight was just a few feet away, looking at the play, and didn't throw a flag. "He called it a good play and should have argued for Benny because it was so obvious from his side. Normally, of course, an official won't go against another's flag. I think he should, certainly in such a big game.
"Swearingen had no idea what was happening. He had Swann between him and Benny. He just saw Benny's feet flopping up and to him that was a tripping move. Swann was the one who did the tripping, when he cut across Benny's feet."
But the Steelers got the football and cashed in. Not once but twice.
After Franco Harris rumbled 22 yards to make it 28-17, Roy Gerela's low, short kickoff was fumbled by Randy White, Dallas' All-Pro defensive tackle who was playing with a fractured right thumb. Pittsburgh recovered on the Cowboys' 18 and on the first play Bradshaw hit Swann for another TD and a 35-17 lead with 6:51 left.
Roger Staubach and the Cowboys offense fought back for two touchdowns of their own, Staubach hitting the second of two scoring passes with 22 seconds left. The drama, momentum and big plays swung from one team to another during those last 10 minutes of the best Super Bowl yet, but Landry always would wonder if the Steelers would have had the final edge without Swearingen's call.
The rule stated both offensive and defensive players have equal right to go for the pass. The National Football League Digest of Rules said, "It must be remembered that defensive players have as much right to the path of the ball as eligible receivers. Any bodily contact, however severe, is not interference if a player is making a bona fide and simultaneous attempt to catch or bat the ball."
Swearingen, of course, didn't see it that way.
"It's just a shame a play like that has to take something off the game," said Landry, who saw all three of his team's Miami Super Bowl losses flawed by controversial officiating. "Not that we would have won or lost if it hadn't happened, but you focus down on one play—like the Jack Fette call in our first Super Bowl with the Colts (awarding Duane Thomas' fumble on Baltimore's one-yard line to the Colts, although Cowboys center Dave Manders wound up on the ball) and the lack of officiating when we played the Steelers the first time (no penalties against the fiercely aggressive Steelers in SB X). The officials had a prominent part and it's just too bad it happened in such a big game. We could have been the first team to win three Super Bowls and it would have been a great climax to an era."
Instead, the Steelers became the first to win three world championships. How did Landry think people would remember the Cowboys of the '70s?
"Probably as the runner-up," he said. He sounded disgusted when he said it.
Sam Blair, a writer and columnist for The Dallas Morning News for 41 years, was the paper's original pro football writer. For questions or comments, please email sblair@dallascowboys.net