DMN Blog: Five plays in Cowboys history you wish had never happened

[bbgun]

Five plays in Cowboys history you wish had never happened
12:09 PM Thu, Jul 16, 2009
Jean-Jacques Taylor/Columnist

This is a great topic from loyal reader Russell Maybin. If you could change any five plays in Cowboys' history, what would they be:

Here's my list:

1. Jackie Smith's drop in SB XIII
2. The catch
3. Michael Irvin injuring his neck at the Vet
4. Don Meredith's fourht-down interception in the 1966 NFL championship game against Green Bay
5. Patrick Crayton's drop against the Giants in the 2007 divisional playoff game

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My choices:

1. The Catch (or Drew being dragged down from behind)
2. Bart Starr's goalline sneak
3. Jim O'Brien's field goal
4. Jackie Smith's drop
5. Romo's Seattle blunder

Honorable mention: Billy Waddy's TD, Deion interfering with Irvin, Crayton's drop.

 

[Nav22]

My list will be from 1993 on, since that's when I started watching football. And all 5 on my list helped kill a season (which is why Leon Lett on Thanksgiving doesn't belong).

1) Any one of our turnovers at the beginning of the '95 NFC Championship game.

2) Crayton's drop vs. NYG.

3) Romo's botched hold vs. Seattle.

4) Galloway getting hurt in the 2000 opener, right after we dished out 2 #1s for him.

5) The 2nd long TD run by Baltimore to close out Texas Stadium.

 

[CowboyWay]

Leon Lett's involved in two of them.

 

[LeonDixson]

1. The catch
2. Crayton's 2007 playoff drop
3. The phony interference call on Benny Barnes in the SB against Pitts.
4. Jackie Smith's drop
5. Grammatica's non block to keep Romo from scoring after the bobbled snap. If he just falls in front of the defender Romo scores a TD instead of the would-be FG that went awry.

 

[Hostile]

Oh boy, this could sting a little. The first one isn't a play, but it pisses me off more than any play.

1. "Any of 500 guys could coach this team. I could get Barry Switzer, what do you think about that?" He never would have gotten drunk. They never would have had words. Egos never would have been more important than the team. I think with Jimmy at the helm this team wins 4 in a row and maybe 5. I don't think the discipline begins to falter and players getting into trouble at every turn. Worst day in Cowboys History IMO.

2. Jerry Kramer moved early on Bart Starr's QB sneak in the Ice Bowl. At the very least, throw a flag. If they beat us on the next play from the 5 yard line so be it.

3. Dave Manders recovered a Duane Thomas fumble in Super Bowl V, but the Colts claimed they had it and the refs gave it to them. Forget the fact pictures clearly show Manders with the football.

4. Benny Barnes did not interfere with Lynn Swann. Fred Swearingen is a blind friggin' fool. If anything Swann pushed Barnes to the ground. Offensive Interference. Then I don't even have to worry about Jackie's drop.

5. Deion Sanders would have been flagged for interference on Michael Irvin. Without that cushion I honestly think Dallas could have come back in that game. Maybe that's pie in the sky thinking but I'll stick to it.

 

[Big Country]

Oh boy, this could sting a little. The first one isn't a play, but it pisse sme off more than any play.

1. "Any of 500 guys could coach this team. I could get Barry Switzer, what do you think about that?" He never would have gotten drunk. They never would have had words. Egos never would have been more important than the team. I think with Jimmy at the helm this team wins 4 in a row and maybe 5. I don't think the discipline begins to falter and players getting into troubel at every turn. Worst day in Cowboys History IMO.

2. Jerry Kramer moved early on Bart Starr's QB sneak in the Ice Bowl. At the very least, throw a flag. If they beat us on the next play from the 5 yard line so be it.

3. Dave Manders recovered a Duane Thomas fumble in Super Bowl V, but the Colts claimed they had it and the refs gave it to them. Forget the fact pictures clearly show Manders with the football.

4. Benny Barnes did not interfere with Lynn Swann. Fred Swaeringen is a blind friggin' fool. If anything Swann pushed Barnes to the ground. Offensive Interference. Then I don't even have to worry about Jackie's drop.

5. Deion Sanders would have been flagged for interference on Michael Irvin. Without that cushion I honestly think Dallas could have come back in that game. Maybe that's pie in the sky thinking but I'll stick to it.

Bravo... very nicely put.

 

[Manster68]

Oh, where do I begin????

Let's start in 1966 NFL Championship Game against the Packers and Don Meridith's interception in the end zone.

The Ice Bowl the following year and Chuck Mercein's screen pass that set up Starr's famous touchdown.

1968 and 1969 had Paul Warfield all over the place in the two playoff losses by Cleveland.

Then there is Super Bowl V against the Colts:
- The supposed tip ball to John Mackey for a 75-yard touchdown.
- The refs actually awarding Dave Manders with a touchdown when Duane Thomas fumbled. After all, Manders did have the ball - and that touchdown would have put the Colts away. Instead, they gave the ball over to Baltimore.
- The interception by Morton to set up O'Brien's field goal.

In 1972, the last game against the hapless Giants. Dallas wins that game and the Championship Game gets played in Dallas, and not Washington. Instead, Dallas goes to Washington and gets killed.

How about Monday Night, Week 2, in 1974 against the Eagles. Doug Dennison fumbles at the one yard line, and Joe Lavender returns it all the way for an Eagles touchdown and a 13-10 win. It was a 14-point swing - and Dallas went on to lose the next three games and starts with a 1-4 record. If Dallas wins that game, then maybe teh record books would show the Cowboys with not only 20 consecutive winning seasons, but also 18 consecutive seasons participating in the post season. One fumble by Doug Dennison really altered NFL history.

I will go on in my next post.

 

[Manster68]

In Super Bowl X, what happens if Percy Howard times his leap a split second later on the second to last play of the game and comes down with ball (giving Dallas the win)? How would history change there? Do you think Percy Howard gets remembered more than he does?

What about the Billy Joe DuPree not getting a good spot on the fourth down pass from Staubach in the 1976 NFC Divisional Playoff against the Rams (and Lawrence McCutcheon)? Maybe it is Dallas that plays Oakland in Super Bowl XI?

Also, in 1976, I would like to get that play back where Staubach broke his hand. Dallas wasn't the same after that.

What happens if Rick Upchurch does not get that big kickoff return in Super Bowl XII against Denver? That led to their only touchdown - a whole 26-yard drive! Dallas would have had their second Super Bowl win holding their opponents without a touchdown!

Then there is Super Bowl XIII:
- The Stallworth 70-yard catch and carry to tie the game at 14.
- The Rocky Blier touchdown at the end of the half.
- The Jackie Smith drop.
- The bogus Pass Interference call on Benny Barnes... setting up...
- The Franco Harris touchdown where the ref blocks Charlie Waters trying to fill the hole.
- The Randy White fumble on the botched kickoff by Roy Gerela.
Bllllllaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!

In 1979, there was the tipped pass to Billy Waddy! I keep thinking it was Hegman that tipped it.

And that is just through the Roger Staubach era!

 

[THUMPER]

How come I only get 5 plays? I could probably come up with about 50 that I would have loved to see go differently than they did.

Most of the best ones have already been named so I'll just go with them. Nice job bbgun, Hostile, & Manster68.

 

[RS12]

What about the tipped pass in Superbowl 5 that John Mackey turned into a touchdown?

What about those back to back 80 yard runs last year against Baltimore?

 

[Rampage]

#1 Romo's bobbled snap.(the most embarrassing play in cowboys history)
#2 Jackie Smith's drop
#3 the Catch
#4 Deion no call
#5 back to back 75+ yard td runs by the Ravens

 

[Drederick Tatum]

I can do 5 for just one game, the 2007 playoff game against the Giants.


1. The drop by Patrick Crayton
2. All the plays that culminated in a Giants touch down within 46 secs just before the end of halftime.
3. The high throw from Romo to TO on the crossing route which most likely would result in a TD
4. The bogus grounding penalty called on Romo for getting rid of the ball while not under duress
5. The bogus personal foul call on Leondard Davis when he drilled Michael Strahan while he was trying to get back up.


I have no doubt the Cowboys would have been the first team to 6 Lombari trophies had not 1 of these plays happened

 

[Silverstar]

The Catch...we would've stomped on the Bengals.

 

[Nav22]

I have no doubt the Cowboys would have been the first team to 6 Lombari trophies had not 1 of these plays happened

Disagree.

The one reality that I held onto after that loss to keep me from going totally insane is the fact that New England SMASHED us in the regular season and there was no reason to believe that it'd be any different in the Super Bowl.

And I'm of the belief that every year there's 1 winner, 31 losers...

 

[bbgun]

How come I only get 5 plays? I could probably come up with about 50 that I would have loved to see go differently than they did.

The Cowboys are like the Kennedy family of the NFL: equal parts triumph and tragedy.

 

[JJB500]

Roger Staubach not getting crushed by L.C. Greenwood in 79 and suffering his last concussion. Maybe he plays 2 more years and Landry gets his 3rd ring!

 

[Joe Realist]

didnt we have a thread like this in June?????

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

The catch

The noncatch by Jackie Smith

"No, Danny, no Danny no!"

Jethro Pugh is pushed half a yard back

The non-bump/touching by Deion on Michael Irvin in enemy territory by the bay.

The bobble by Romo did not bother me because that team had no chance in hell of going deep into the playoffs.

 

[landryscorner]

1 The catch
2 Jackie Smith's drop in SB XIII

3. Emmitt Smith hurting his hammys during the 94 season

4. Michael Irvin injuring his neck at the Vet

5. Romo's hold

 

[EGTuna]

1. The Catch
2. 1982 NFC Championship Game at RFK when Darryl Grant and Dexter Manley (I think) smooshed Danny White causing him to lose the ball, and get hurt, which resulted in Gary Hogeboom coming in and all hope being lost.
3. "No, Danny. NO!"
4. Bobbled Snap vs. Seattle
5. Irvin going down at the Vet in Philly. The offense was humming the first three weeks in 1999, but they weren't nearly the same without Irvin, who definitely had 3-5 more years left in him. And the cowboys are still trying to find another leader remotely as passionate and determined as Irvin.