Phil Pozderac - Remember that name.
This right tackle singlehandedly reversed the Dallas Cowboys 20 year dynasty.
He is the one most responsible for the firing of Tom Landry.
He opened the door for the Giant's success in the late eighties to the early nineties, launching the legendary careers of both Bill Parcells and Bill Belicek.
He unleashed the stench of losing Cowboy seasons.
Perhaps I'm exaggerating. You may even think that I'm being rather harsh......You be the judge.
I give you "The Dark Legend of Phil Pozderac".
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It's 1986 and the Cowboys have received glorious news. The U.S.F.L. has folded, meaning that the game's most dynamic RB is now free to enter the NFL and play for the team with the foresight to draft him, despite the risk of the new league succeeding. That player is Herschel Walker and the team is the Dallas Cowboys. Paired with Tony Dorsett, the Cowboys now feature a running game with the two best RB's on the planet.
The Cowboys last 20 seasons have all been winning seasons and the acquisition of Walker practically guarantees a continuation of this success. Besides getting Walker, the Cowboys are excited about their new #1 draft pick, a speedy receiver by the name of Mike Sherrard. Both Walker and Sherrard have olympic speed.
Eight games into the season the Cowboys have the #1 offense in points scored, #2 in yards. The defense is #9 in least opponent points, #7 in allowed yards.
Game #9 is against the Giants who are 6-2. The Cowboys are 6-2. After eight games the Cowboy QB, Danny White, is ranked 2nd in passer rating. The Cowboys are firing on all cylinders.
The Cowboys had beaten the Giants earlier in the season 31-28. A victory for the Cowboys would therefore give them a two game lead over the Giants. The Giants are coached by Bill Parcells, his DC is Bill Belicek.
Phil Pozderac, five year Cowboy veteran, is the starting right tackle with a propensity for being penalized. However, in this game, Pozderac takes it to a new level. In fact, as Madden notes, he is the catalyst for an NFL record for penalties in a single drive, the drive that ended up as the most important for the Cowboys that season. Phil Pozderac is the reason that Chaz Green must be listed as only 2nd place in the history of Dallas Cowboy offensive line futility.
Danny White goes down halfway through the 2nd quarter when there is a blitz from Pozderac's side. Keep in mind this is a Giant 3-4 defense. Pozderac did not adjust to the blitz. Danny White is not just lost for the game, he is lost for almost the rest of the season. Enter Steve Pelluar who actually does a pretty decent job....handing the ball to Walker and Dorsett, and passing....to Walker and Dorsett.
Now fast forward to 3 minutes left in the game:
It's 17-14 Giants and the Cowboys manage to bring the ball down to the 35 yard line. Septien is preparing for a field goal just in case. However, the Cowboys execute a perfect swing pass to Newsome who takes it down to the 6. The Cowboys are in business!.....not!.... Phil Pozdeac is flagged for holding and the play is not only erased, but it takes the ball out of field goal range.
The Cowboys fight back all the way to the Giant 25, it looks as though Septien will get his chance to at least make it an overtime game. Nope! Pozderac is flagged again for holding. Then he misses his man, Marshall, and Pelluar is sacked deep....out of field goal range again.
With 35 seconds left, the Cowboys are now without Dorsett and Walker. Dorsett aggravates a previous injury and then Walker gets beat up. The RB's are now Robert Lavette and Timmy Newsome who fight hard enough to where the Cowboys make it to the 35 of the Giants........but Pozderac is flagged a third time in this drive, this time for illegal motion.
The Cowboys were penalized 9 times for 116 yards. Six of the penalties belong to Pozderac. You can also attribute four sacks to him, one was fumbled. The Cowboys had a 150 yard advantage, almost double the first downs, ten more minutes in possession....and they lose.
The loss combined with White's injury puts the Cowboys in a slow excruciating tailspin The following week Pelluar is the new starter and he is harassed by the Raider line to the tune of 5 INT's. The Cowboys are penalized 9 times. Pozderac contributes to this stat. The Cowboys lose by 4 points while again leading in yardage and 1st downs.
the Cowboys go on to lose 5 of their last 6 games and end up 7-9, the first losing season in 21 years, the first of three losing seasons that culminate in the sale of the team to Jerry Jones and the subsequent dismissal of Tom Landry.
Meanwhile, the Giants go on to defeat the Commanders in the NFC championship game and then defeat the Broncos to win the 1986 SB.
After the 1987 season Phil Pozderac retired during the strike after only 6 seasons, citing emotional stress.
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