Which was the best era of Cowboys football: the 70s or the 90s?

[GMO415]

70s. We kicked arse for 23 years straight.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

When you can win a Super Bowl...with Barry Switzer as your head coach....that shows how talented that team was. How strong that culture was. And they went toe to toe with the 49ers and Packers....very solid organizations. And the NFC East was good back then. So I think it is the 90s hands down

 

[jnday]

The Baby Boom generation got to see both the 70s era and the 90s era. The 70s gave us the consistently dominating - but sometimes disappointing - Cowboys that won 2 of 5 Super Bowls and established the great tradition we enjoy today. The 90s gave us the brash and dominating Cowboys who talk trashed and backed in up on the field.

So which era do you think is the best?

With all due respect to Tom Landry, who I respect and had the privilege of interviewing prior to his death, I have to give it to 90s Cowboys.
The 70s teams could pull a victory out of the grips of defeat, but could also lose a winnable game as well.
The 90s teams were simply dominating and feared in a way I don't think the 70s Cowboys were. I never expected them to lose. I always felt they would find a way to win. Too bad the era was short-lived.

What say ye?

If I had to choose an entire decade with consistent winning teams, the Landry coached, 70s teams would be my choice. It I was trying to find the best teams over a short span of time, Jimmy’s teams would be my choice. I think Jimmy’s teams were the best to ever play the game and they played the type of smash-mouth football that I love. Landry’s teams were years ahead of the other teams in the league and they was smarter than any team that they faced.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

I'm a 90s baby, and unfortunately the first super bowl I remember watching was the Packers/Patriots.

The best Cowboys teams I've seen were in 2007 and 2014 (in 2016, I knew going in that defense was a liability). Sadly, those teams colossally underachieved.

I'd give the edge to the 90s because I love the fire, tenacity, and confidence Jimmy instilled in those teams, but I really love learning about the Cowboys of the 60s-80s.

 

[jazzcat22]

I bet no one says the Clapper Era.

I enjoyed both the 70's and 90's. But not sure which one is better, but lean toward the 90's.

For several reasons. The 70's I lived in Ohio, and seen maybe half of the Cowboys games. But also I was a teen and then getting into college. And other than a blurb in the local papers, and then a week later info from The Sporting News and the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, of course no mass media or internet. So not a lot of news.

In the 90's, I lived in South Florida, ESPN had started, as well, CNN even had sports shows then. I seen 10 to 12 games a year there, and the ones I did not see, family members would record them and send them to me.Dallas Cowboys weekly of course, and the Palm Beach Post had an excellent sports page and coverage for all teams. Also it was the resurgence of America's Team, and access to info was more abundant.

 

[landroverking]

70s. .648
90s. .584
It appears just from won/loss the 70s
Not one losing season in the 70s
Two in the 90s and an 8-8 season.
I think to really know you would have to take into account the opponents records in each decade.
That said the 70s were a great time to be a Cowboys fan, and I enjoyed those teams more than the 90s teams.

 

[stuckindc]

I was born in 72 so the first real Superbowl I got hooked on was when they lost to the Steelers the second time. Moved to the DMV the following year...was told the Cowboys sucked and everyone hated them...With the eventual rise of the Gibbs Skins just around the corner...So I had to suffer watching the Boys lose 3 straight NFC Championships to the Eagles, 49'ers ( if only Drew would have broke that tackle !) and the Skins..Listening the Skins fans for the next decade was beyond painful...So when I finally got to see them win it all and in the fashion they did...It was without question the best feeling ever...on so many fronts...Obviously seeing them win ...but watching/ listening to all the haters realizing their worst nightmare had come true...especially Skins fans...was almost as enjoyable....The people that said 92 was a fluke and them doing it again the following year....going 0-2 without Emmitt and then destroying the field...I will go with the 90's...although the Jimmy debacle derailed what could have been....Still take the 90s

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

70s were a much more consistent, sustained run of high quality play. The 90s, I believe that team of the early 90s could beat anybody, anywhere. Seriously, I believe they were the best team all time. But there are two part of the 90s. The early 90s were good. The late 90s was not good at all IMO. I'd have to go with the 70s as well.

 

[Cincycowboy]

The Baby Boom generation got to see both the 70s era and the 90s era. The 70s gave us the consistently dominating - but sometimes disappointing - Cowboys that won 2 of 5 Super Bowls and established the great tradition we enjoy today. The 90s gave us the brash and dominating Cowboys who talk trashed and backed in up on the field.

So which era do you think is the best?

With all due respect to Tom Landry, who I respect and had the privilege of interviewing prior to his death, I have to give it to 90s Cowboys.
The 70s teams could pull a victory out of the grips of defeat, but could also lose a winnable game as well.
The 90s teams were simply dominating and feared in a way I don't think the 70s Cowboys were. I never expected them to lose. I always felt they would find a way to win. Too bad the era was short-lived.

What say ye?

Best era - 70s, Best team - 92-93 team

 

[Plankton]

In the 1970's, the Cowboys:

• Won the NFC East 7 times, and finished second two of the other years.
• Made the playoffs 9 of 10 seasons.
• Made 7 NFC Championship Games, winning five of them.
• Made 5 Super Bowls, winning two of them.
• Won 105 games, and went 105-39 in the regular season. This was the most wins by any NFL team in the 1970's.
  
• Never had a losing season (worst year was the non-playoff season of 1974, when they went 8-6).
• Head Coach Tom Landry is in the Hall of Fame.
• Franchise architect Tex Schramm and personnel guru Gil Brandt are also in the Hall of Fame
  
• The team had 8 Hall of Fame players on the roster that played in this decade (Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach, Mel Renfro, Randy White, Tony Dorsett, Rayfield Wright, Bob Hayes and Cliff Harris). NOTE: these players are considered Cowboys for their careers. Other players who were also HOF members that played with Dallas in this decade include Forrest Gregg, Lance Alworth, Mike Ditka, Herb Adderley and Jackie Smith.
• The team had 6 players on the 1970's All Decade Team (Bob Lilly, Drew Pearson, Rayfield Wright, Roger Staubach, Cliff Harris and Harvey Martin).

In the 1990's, the Cowboys:

• Won the NFC East 6 times, and finished second two of the other years.
• Made the playoffs 8 of 10 seasons.
• Made 4 NFC Championship Games, winning three of them.
• Made 3 Super Bowls in 4 seasons, winning all three.
• Won 101 games, and went 101-59 in the regular season. This was fourth place for most wins by any NFL team in the 1990's (behind San Francisco, Buffalo and Kansas City).
  
• Had two losing seasons in the decade.
• Head Coach and personnel guru Jimmy Johnson will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
• Owner Jerry Jones is also in the Hall of Fame.
• The team had 4 Hall of Fame players on the roster that played in this decade (Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Larry Allen). NOTE: these players are considered Cowboys for their careers. Other players who were also HOF members that played a big role with the Cowboys in this decade include Charles Haley and Deion Sanders.
• The team had 5 players on the 1990's All Decade Team (Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Mark Stepnoski, Larry Allen and Deion Sanders).

 

[MWH1967]

70's for me But on a Talent level the 90's teams would have beat the wheels off the 70's teams. It's not fault of theirs, just the laws of nature. Bigger, stronger, faster. The 70's starting O-Line was smaller than LVE.

 

[Redball Express]

Because of the consistency OVER TIME have to give it to the 70's teams. I saw them both as I've been a fan since the Ice Bowl. Now, If I had to pit one against the other I think the 90's team would beat the 70's team simply because of the OL.

One other thing ... the early 70's team was not the same as the later 70's team. With the coming of the Dirty Dozen, the team changed, especially the D.

Ernie Stautner was the best DC I ever saw for us.

You always knew his teams came to play for 60 minutes.

Good times.

 

[GoCowboysGo]

60s-70s twenty straight winning seasons. Twenty straight years being a year in/year out Super Bowl contender.

This versus the 6-8 year run that they had in the 90s.

it really isn’t close.

 

[slick325]

The 70's were sustained greatness BUT the sheer talent and dominance of the 90's championship teams (including the '94 mob that lost in the NFC Championship) makes me think of them as the best era. Three SBs in 4 years is not too shabby.

 

[Redball Express]

60s-70s twenty straight winning seasons. Twenty straight years being a year in/year out Super Bowl contender.

This versus the 6-8 year run that they had in the 90s.

it really isn’t close.

I agree.

Not close.

Just remember the phrase..

"Tomorrows Champions"

It was something we had to live with until the SBs of '71 and '72 came.

 

[Sarge]

70’s...by far....

 

[cowboyec]

70's...LANDRY...STAUBACH...72/54...
'MERICA'S TEAM

 

[Whyjerry]

I am going to be annoying and say it is a tie. Great eras for different reasons. The 70s Cowboys were a model of professionalism. Always solid. Ahead of their time. A team you could be proud of because they did it the right way. Also very consistent.

The 90s Cowboys were coming off a terrible run. Everyone had doubts Jimmy Johnson's first year. They were bad. Then they had a turnaround for the ages and built one of the greatest teams of all time. That '92-95 squad was as good as any team in history. So dominate. Then of course Jerry had to ruin everything to satisfy his immense ego.

 

[LifetimeBoysFan]

I’m going 70s. If for no other reason they trickled into the early 80s with Danny White too. So it spanned a longer time period than just the early 90s. Plus it’s how we got the name America’s team. I loved the Jimmy era too. No doubt.

 

[plasticman]

90's was way too short and the 70's actually lasted for 20 consecutive seasons from 1966 to 1985.

If you counted the NFL/AFL pre-merger playoffs in the same format of today, with the NFL and AFL championships similar to conference championships then the Cowboys went to 12 conference championship games winning 5. They went to 5 Super Bowls winning 2.

The Cowboys' three Super Bowl losses were all by less than a TD. They also lost three conference championships by a TD or less. All Super Bowl victories have been by double digits. They were a great team but very seldom lucky. Had they won just half of those that they lost then nobody would be talking about the Patriots, their achievements would have redundant at best.
The Cowboys accomplished this with one Head Coach and two completely different teams. They literally had two of the best defenses in history. They literally had two of the best offenses in history. Their rebuilding seasons in between never existed.