Most important play in Cowboy history

[perrykemp]

For my generation (people in their 20s) it was the Dez play in Green Bay

I dunno. I get that the wound is still fresh with the Dez catch in GB, however, had it been ruled a catch the game would have likely been a 1 point game with plenty of time left on the clock for GB to get into at least FG position. Who knows what would have happened -- I've seen it posted here multiple times that the Cowboys had something like a 51-53% chance of winning had Dez's catch been ruled correctly.

My point is, hard to call a play that wasn't in a Superbowl, that wasn't the last play of the game, etc to be one of the most important plays in Cowboys history.

 

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

I dunno. I get that the wound is still fresh with the Dez catch in GB, however, had it been ruled a catch the game would have likely been a 1 point game with plenty of time left on the clock for GB to get into at least FG position. Who knows what would have happened -- I've seen it posted here multiple times that the Cowboys had something like a 51-53% chance of winning had Dez's catch been ruled correctly.

My point is, hard to call a play that wasn't in a Superbowl, that wasn't the last play of the game, etc to be one of the most important plays in Cowboys history.

Right but like I said were in our 20s that was the biggest game we experienced. When the Cowboys had their sb run in the 90s I was too young to know or understand

 

[silver]

Bob Lilly sack of Bob Griese in Superbowl VI

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2012/07/17/greatest-25-super-sack-1972

 

[LittleLexodus]

Right but like I said were in our 20s that was the biggest game we experienced. When the Cowboys had their sb run in the 90s I was too young to know or understand

Exactly. That was the biggest moment and the closest IMO that the Cowboys have been to going the whole way to a title in my adult life.

Their last SuperBowl win was when I was 7 years old so I didn't truly appreciate it.

 

[Vtwin]

My first thought was the Jackie Smith drop.

IMO it doesn't have to be a dramatic play at the end of a game. Every play counts and a drive killing false start in the first quarter can have the same impact on a game as a dropped pass at the end of the game.

Or maybe a wiffed block that gets your QB knocked out for the season.

 

[dallasdave]

The original Hail Mary ranks up there...big play in a playoff game on the road. Roger to the original 88.

 

[dallasdave]

Herschel Walker trade

A great move indeed !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Craig]

The dez play is pretty big in the midst of a multi-decade period of futility fallowing the 3 super bowls in 4 years.

 

[Jeffkills]

The biggest play in Dallas Cowboy history in my opinion is Aikman to Harper slant 92 NFC Championship. Tell me yours.

Agreed...

Was going to say this before even opening the thread...

 

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

Exactly. That was the biggest moment and the closest IMO that the Cowboys have been to going the whole way to a title in my adult life.

Their last SuperBowl win was when I was 7 years old so I didn't truly appreciate it.

That game was everything for us

 

[noshame]

The catch Montana to Clark 1982. If it wasn't for the Niners we could of had more SB trophies.

Yep, that was mine also. And of course the dreaded goal-line stand in the Ice

 

[JJHLH1]

The biggest play in Dallas Cowboy history in my opinion is Aikman to Harper slant 92 NFC Championship. Tell me yours.

I agree completely. That was the most important play of the dynasty team from the 1990's, and my all-time favorite play. Great choice.

 

[Coy]

That play gets my vote for the modern era. It was huge.

Scary thing is, it was a mistake.

What was the mistake? I only know that Irvin was supposed to be in Harper's spot but when he came out of the huddle he went to Harper's original spot because he thought that was where the pass would go.
Is at what you are talking about?

 

[KJJ]

The Hail Mary was the greatest, most famous play in Cowboys history but the Aikman to Harper slant in the 92 NFC title game was hands down the most important play. It came at the most critical moment against a great 49ers team that had just moved within 4 points of the Cowboys with just over 4 minutes to play. When the Cowboys began that drive it was one of the most NERVOUS moments of my entire Cowboys life. SF had the momentum and the home crowd on their side with the ghost of "The Catch" still haunting the Cowboys organization from 11 years earlier.

The Cowboys were a young team and could have very easily folded in that situation but they did what great teams do they made the biggest play at the most critical moment and it took the wind right out of SF and their fans. The slant to Harper was the crowning moment that helped seal the game and propelled the Cowboys into a dynasty and the undisputed team of the 90s. Things could have gone much different during that decade had SF won that game.

They were very comparable to the Cowboys with some future HOF players but we landed the knockout punch and it set us off on one of the greatest SB runs ever with 3 championships in 4 years. On that same field 11 years earlier "The Catch" propelled SF into a dynasty that dominated the 80s. It felt great to get some playback in 92 after the heartbreak in 81. The pain from the 81 title game loss will never go away but the 92 win and the championships that followed made that loss a little easier to deal with.

 

[Floatyworm]

This franchise hasn't been the same since......This was the beginning of the end.

 

[JoeKing]

Biggest plays that weren't made...

1. Roger Staubach to Jackie Smith, SB XIII... Sickest Man in America
2. Tony Romo to Dez Bryant, 2014 Divisional playoffs... the Non-Catch Catch

 

[KJJ]

This franchise hasn't been the same since......This was the beginning of the end.

The beginning of the end started in 96 with the loss of players to free agency starting to catch up with the team. Other teams started to catch up with us and by 96 the Cowboys were 10-6 and the win over the Vikings in the wildcard round was the Cowboys last playoff win until 2009. In 97 we were a 6-10 team with our big 3 intact. In 98 the year prior to Irvin going down in Philly the Cowboys lost to a Jake Plummer led Cardinals team at home in the playoffs. You could clearly see the Cowboys weren't nearly the same team they were in the early 90s.

Irvin going down in week 4 of the 99 season may have helped derail that season but the Cowboys wouldn't have gotten very far anyway, they certainly wouldn't have gotten past the great 99 Rams that went 13-3 and won the SB that season. When a team falls apart due to a WR going down they have other issues. With Aikman, Emmitt and Rocket there was no excuse to go 8-8 in 99. That was all due to the Cowboys being in decline, they went 5-11 the following season.

 

[Mauricio]

Hail Mary

 

[percyhoward]

Hail Mary

Because it decided the game, I have to go with this one by a nose, just ahead of Lilly's sack of Griese.

 

[Plankton]

The beginning of the end started in 96 with the loss of players to free agency starting to catch up with the team. Other teams started to catch up with us and by 96 the Cowboys were 10-6 and the win over the Vikings in the wildcard round was the Cowboys last playoff win until 2009. In 97 we were a 6-10 team with our big 3 intact. In 98 the year prior to Irvin going down in Philly the Cowboys lost to a Jake Plummer led Cardinals team at home in the playoffs. You could clearly see the Cowboys weren't nearly the same team they were in the early 90s.

Irvin going down in week 4 of the 99 season may have helped derail that season but the Cowboys wouldn't have gotten very far anyway, they certainly wouldn't have gotten past the great 99 Rams that went 13-3 and won the SB that season. When a team falls apart due to a WR going down they have other issues. With Aikman, Emmitt and Rocket there was no excuse to go 8-8 in 99. That was all due to the Cowboys being in decline, they went 5-11 the following season.

Agreed on 1996. You also had Jay Novacek and Charles Haley's careers in Dallas end that year (they never adequately replaced Novacek). Couple that with Leon Lett getting suspended for the playoffs, and the bus was now sliding down the hill.