Landry not White to blame for 1981 Niner Loss

[T-RO]

I watched a good deal of the game last night and I really came away with a sense that Landry screwed up big time.

There is no way you lose a playoff game when the other team has six turnovers when your quarterback is playing well...

Except if you as a coach screw it up and that's exactly what Tom did. He insisted on running the ball and it kept the Niners in the game until his defense was gassed and the crowd went crazy.

Let's be real. Danny White OUTPLAYED Joe Montana in that game. Even at the end if he gets a little protection White is heroic and that game is remembered in a very different fashion.

But Tom kept everything grounded despite the fact that the Cowboys only averaged 3.6 yards per carry. White was very productive when they cut him loose. 16 of 24 for 173 yards, 2 TDs against 1 INT. The Niners threw the ball 11 more times and were rewarded with the victory.

White QB rating for the game: 98.1
Montana QB rating for the game: 81.3

On that final drive Montana missed his receivers several times and I've heard it often said that Joe was just trying to throw the ball away when Clark caught the winning TD.

Ultimately however the coach (Walsh) who better appreciated the value of throwing the ball ended up the winner---for the year and for the decade.

 

[Deep_South]

Great game with a crummy ending.

Man, Tony had some real acceleration out of the backfield. Wish we had him today.

 

[BlueBandit]

two things people don't like to hear -Tony D was a fumbler and Tom Landry was an average gameday coach .

 

[big dog cowboy]

Remember - it was a much different NFL than todays NFL. You can't really compare the two at all. Landry did exactly what he had done successfully for years and years. There wasn't any reason to believe it wouldn't be successful on that day.

 

[THUMPER]

My biggest problem with Tom Landry throughout his career was when we had a lead and he went into prevent mode. I hated that! He was a much better coach when we were playing from behind. Way too many times we let teams hang around back then (and today) because we tried to sit on a lead. Parcells had that same problem when he was with us.

I HATE PREVENT!!! :bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2:

 

[ScipioCowboy]

The 49ers beat the Cowboys for one simple reason: They had far more talent, as evidenced by their decade-long dynasty. Earlier in the same season, they pasted the Cowboys. The NFC Championship game was only close due to the six turnovers.

 

[speedkilz88]

The final drive Landry also decided to go prevent and the 49ers ran the ball down their throat. I also think by the 80s the flex was outdated and the type of talent they had on defense would have been better suited to an attacking style.

 

[goliadmike]

The 49ers beat the Cowboys for one simple reason: They had far more talent, as evidenced by their decade-long dynasty. Earlier in the same season, they pasted the Cowboys. The NFC Championship game was only close due to the six turnovers.

Exactly! I could see the erosion of talent as the 70's faded away and the 80's crept up on us. If it wasn't for Landry those early 80's teams wouldn't have gotten to the NFCCG.

 

[Oldschool7]

Remember - it was a much different NFL than todays NFL. You can't really compare the two at all. Landry did exactly what he had done successfully for years and years. There wasn't any reason to believe it wouldn't be successful on that day.

That's just the problem: Landry didn't adapt. At one time he was a true innovator but he got stuck in his ways. Walsh took over as the more innovative coach and it won them a decade of dominance.

 

[T-RO]

The 49ers beat the Cowboys for one simple reason: They had far more talent, as evidenced by their decade-long dynasty. Earlier in the same season, they pasted the Cowboys. The NFC Championship game was only close due to the six turnovers.

That might have been true a few years later but I don't agree about 1981.

This was before Ronnie Lott had matured.This was before Rice, before Haley, before Roger Craig, before Taylor and a lot of the studs that came along.

Besides the more talented team almost never wins when they give up 6 turnovers.

If the Cowboys had hit a few big passes after some of those turnovers... it would have been a rout. Landry was way too run-oriented.

 

[jimmy40]

That might have been true a few years later but I don't agree about 1981.

This was before Ronnie Lott had matured.This was before Rice, before Haley, before Roger Craig, before Taylor and a lot of the studs that came along.

Besides the more talented team almost never wins when they give up 6 turnovers.

If the Cowboys had hit a few big passes after some of those turnovers... it would have been a rout. Landry was way too run-oriented.

I've tried to block that game out of my memory but didn't White fumble twice in that game?

 

[Oldschool7]

I've tried to block that game out of my memory but didn't White fumble twice in that game?

White fumbled once with about 40 seconds left in the game. Right after he made a frikking amazing throw for about 25 yards. But at midfield on 1st down the protection completely blew up and he got walloped when he was about to throw.

There was another lost fumble earlier in the game. I didn't catch who lost it.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

The 49ers beat the Cowboys for one simple reason: They had far more talent, as evidenced by their decade-long dynasty. Earlier in the same season, they pasted the Cowboys. The NFC Championship game was only close due to the six turnovers.

a circular argument but you are right, the game earlier in the season was something like 45-14.

 

[gimmesix]

This is exactly why the Cowboys of yesteryear were fortunate that there weren't any message boards.

I have no doubt that the venom aimed at Wade Phillips, Roy Williams, Bobby Carpenter, etc., would have been equally laid on some of the Cowboys greats (note that I am not calling Phillips, Williams and Carpenter great). And some of it would be deserved, I'm sure.

Every coach gets outcoached at times. Every player has a bad play or a bad game. Every team lays an egg once in a while.

We just now have a chance to microanalyze those moments with friends.

Not a criticism of this thread, just an observation.

 

[scottsp]

The final drive Landry also decided to go prevent and the 49ers ran the ball down their throat. I also think by the 80s the flex was outdated and the type of talent they had on defense would have been better suited to an attacking style.

Yep. There was nearly a mutiny against the staff for going dime on that drive. And the Niners went draw...draw...draw up the field.

Nearly 30 years later, and it still stings as much as any loss I can remember.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Yeah I could see it now, wins in early season, response, talk to me after the championship game

 

[tunahelper]

two things people don't like to hear -Tony D was a fumbler and Tom Landry was an average gameday coach .

Dorsett 173 career games- 90 fumbles!

 

[T-RO]

Dorsett 173 career games- 90 fumbles!

Wow...that's a big crack in the statue.

 

[zeroburrito]

Dorsett 173 career games- 90 fumbles!

holy crap that's terrible.

 

[Dallas4ever]

Wow...that's a big crack in the statue.

I guess he didn't fumble enough to keep himself out of the HOF.