For younger Cowboy fans who don't remember Craig Morton

[Irvin88_4life]

Ya when Staubach and Morton would switch plays until Staubach took the full time job seem like it all came to an end when they faced off in the superbowl in 77. Staubach proved again why he was the best for the job

 

[Alexander]

https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2000news/gil_brandt_rates_top_10_trades.htm

1974 – QBs Traded in Season On Same Day

10/22/74: Dallas trades QB Craig Morton to NY Giants for first-round selection. Cowboys choose future Hall of Fame DT Randy White. Morton’s first start for the Giants is against the Cowboys. New York loses 21-7.

10/22/74: LA Rams trade QB John Hadl to Green Bay for five draft choices.

"It may be the only time that two starting quarterbacks were traded on the same day in the middle of a season," says Brandt.

Brandt got a lot of mileage out of trades. He blew some very high draft picks. I think the RB was a total washout in Dennis Morgan who barely lasted in the league. Ripping off the expansion Seahawks for Dorsett helped too.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

... here's an article about him. The team nearly won their first Super Bowl with Morton, Super Bowl V, but it wasn't meant to be. Morton was a good quarterback and certainly would have been the long-term starter of the Landry era if the team hadn't gambled an won in drafting Staubach, who turned out to be the better of the two QBs.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/02/20/star-long-romo-craig-morton-was-good-enough

Wasn't it meant to be but destiny was altered by the turnover?

 

[noshame]

The only thing I'm grateful to Craig Morton 4 is he was instrumental in helping to Launch the three-man broadcasting team who were the best in the NFL

 

[landroverking]

Did he hurt his elbow in the pre-season or something? I looked up his game log for that season and he was struggling to hit 50%.

Perhaps you are thinking of the 1969 season. Looks like he started off pretty well that year.

I think it was 69

 

[KJJ]

On Roger Staubach A Football Life, Morton said Landry came over to his house and told him Staubach would be the QB and abruptly left.

 

[muck4doo]

Morton gave me some of my favorite Cowboys memories:

 

[Chuck 54]

Craig Morton had a strong arm, was accurate, and he was tough, though no one was tougher than Don Meredith. Morton was also one of only 3 QBs to lead two different franchises to a SB, he being the first in 1970, when at age 34, he was the second rated passer in the AFC. He played the SB with an injured hip that required draining....got abused by doomsday.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

Ya when Staubach and Morton would switch plays until Staubach took the full time job

If I recall correctly, they only alternated plays one game.

 

[rags747]

If I recall correctly, they only alternated plays one game.

Against Chicago, I want to see if was a highly productive offensive day for the team. Both qb's hated it though.

 

[joseephuss]

Morton started 10 playoff games and totaled 1059 yards. He only had one game with over 200 yards. It was a different game when he played; however, even when you take that into consideration that is still a very low passing yardage total.

 

[KJJ]

Morton started 10 playoff games and totaled 1059 yards. He only had one game with over 200 yards. It was a different game when he played; however, even when you take that into consideration that is still a very low passing yardage total.

Morton was 5-5 in the playoff games he started, same playoff record as Danny White.

 

[Established1971]

... here's an article about him. The team nearly won their first Super Bowl with Morton, Super Bowl V, but it wasn't meant to be. Morton was a good quarterback and certainly would have been the long-term starter of the Landry era if the team hadn't gambled an won in drafting Staubach, who turned out to be the better of the two QBs.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/02/20/star-long-romo-craig-morton-was-good-enough

I always wonder if Staubach didnt get that shoulder injury and played all 72 if we would have had home field (probably would have) and SB 7 was a SB 6 rematch and no perfect season for Miami. I am so sick of hearing about that perfect season

 

[fairviewfarmer]

I remember Morton playing for the Broncos. I was 3 years old when he last played for the Boys. When he played for the Broncos he was a mobile as a fence post.

 

[mrmojo]

We're about the same age then. I was 6 when Morton played in Super Bowl 5. I don't remember it either, but I do remember him playing the next season. He was a good quarterback, but Staubach was better. Staubach had better mobility and was much harder for opposing teams to rattle. Staubach was a natural leader, and I believe he was the best quarterback of the 70s, even better than some excellent QBs of the era in Fran Tarkenton and Kenny Stabler.

But Morton was good. The team could have been successful with him.

Craig was Landry type of QB stayed in the pocket and ran the plays that were called. It was successful but it doesn't win big games. We should have beat the Colts but Craig had a horrific game. Landry gave him as many chances as he could, but eventually he had to go with Roger, rest is history.

 

[mrmojo]

Against Chicago, I want to see if was a highly productive offensive day for the team. Both qb's hated it though.

And they lost the game I believe...too lazy too look it up.

 

[rags747]

Craig was Landry type of QB stayed in the pocket and ran the plays that were called. It was successful but it doesn't win big games. We should have beat the Colts but Craig had a horrific game. Landry gave him as many chances as he could, but eventually he had to go with Roger, rest is history.

Morton played the whole 70 season with a bum shoulder, meds were definitely not as good as they are today. U finally got to see the real Craig Morton with a cannon for an arm when he played for the Broncos. He had two really great years there, I was happy for him.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I always wonder if Staubach didnt get that shoulder injury and played all 72 if we would have had home field (probably would have) and SB 7 was a SB 6 rematch and no perfect season for Miami. I am so sick of hearing about that perfect season

Yes, that and Staubach had rust in the NFC Championship against Washington because he hadn't been playing due to the injury. Plus, they had lost Duane Thomas due to his head trips. Makes me wonder if Thomas was bipolar, and if they could have known and gotten him treatment, maybe Thomas + Staubach all season would have meant a Super Bowl 7 victory. Miami only beat Washington by 1 TD, and they only scored two TDs.

 

[John813]

Man I was thinking deja-vu re-reading this thread until I got to the Romo-Dak part.

 

[Mad_max]

... here's an article about him. The team nearly won their first Super Bowl with Morton, Super Bowl V, but it wasn't meant to be. Morton was a good quarterback and certainly would have been the long-term starter of the Landry era if the team hadn't gambled an won in drafting Staubach, who turned out to be the better of the two QBs.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/02/20/star-long-romo-craig-morton-was-good-enough

He was mediocre.