I remember that year so vividly. The last 3rd of the games were played when i was in ** basic training at Lackland AFB.
Yes, the Dirty Dozen contributed to that Super bowl run in a very unlikely time. The media of the time had predicted the Cowboys demise, some with a large amount of glee. Every booth was populated by ex-players whose teams were routinely embarrassed by the Cowboys.
Due to competition from another new league, the Cowboy lost their last big back, Calvin Hill. They had 4th year FB Robert Newhouse whose best season thus far was 500 yards. they had a 30 year old veteran free agent Preston Pearson, cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Many of the tenured starters were still there. You had a 34 year old MLB Leroy Jordan, 36 year old OLB Dave Edwards, 34 year old CB Mel Renfro, 31 year old DE Jethro Pugh, 30 year old OT Rayfield Wright, 32 year old OT Ralph Neely....
.....and 33 year old QB Roger Staubach.
If ever thee was an example of a quarterback carrying a Dallas Cowboys team on his shoulders, it was that season.
It wasn't simply the infusion of 12 rookies. In fact, only one of them was a starter, G Burton Lawless. Some of these rookies would go on to great careers but had minor roles in the 1975 season, guys like G Pat Donovan, LB Bob Breunig, and LB Hollywood Henderson.
The truth of it was, what made the Cowboys 1975 season so special happened to be those old veterans. It was like their last hurrah.
Leroy Jordan had 6 INTs that season, tied for most in his 14 year career as Cowboys MLB. Jethro Pugh and Dave Edwards both helped the team rank 3rd in run defense.
Tackles Ralph Neely and Rayfield Wright kept Roger Staubach safe as well as anybody could. Staubach ran for more TDs in 1975 than any other season.
Everyone remembers the "Hail Mary" playoff game but few remember how they got into the playoffs. The Cowboys went to the Super Bowl as an NFC wildcard for the first time in NFL history.
The season came down to the 2nd meeting with Washington, win/lose, in/out scenario for both teams. Washington had defeated the Cowboys earlier in the season in dramatic fashion, their first overtime loss in team history.
In this game, Washington took as 10 point lead in the 1st quarter. They never scored again. After that, it was all Staubach, throwing 2 TDs and running one in as he Cowboys won 31-10.
After the Hail Mary game, the Cowboys dismantled the Rams and their #1 defense in the NFC championship game 37-7. Again, it was all Staubach, throwing 3 TD passes, all caught by 30 year old RB Preston Pearson.
The "Dirty Dozen" rookies were a great story and a few moved on to long careers for the Cowboys. However, it was the combination of their energy and the tenacity of the Old Guard, and one in particular, Roger the Dodger.
