Cowboys’ Scoragami: The low-scoring games

In the first post on Scoragami in the NFL – and the Cowboys’ own Scoragami history – we noted that the Cowboys have played a combined 1,048 regular season and playoff games.

Dallas’ overall record stands at 598-444-6 in 64 seasons. They’ve produced 416 unique final scores in those games.

Roughly two-thirds of those games have ended with neither the Cowboys, nor their opponents, scoring more than 29 points in the contest.

Of those 617 games where neither team scored 30 or more, the Cowboys are 338-275. The other four games ended in a tie.

When the winning team scored nine points or less, Dallas is 6-3.

When the winning score is between 10 and 19 points the Cowboys hold a slight edge at 82-81-2 overall.

The majority of Dallas’ games have ended with the winning team scoring between 20-29 points. In those games, the Cowboys are 250-191-2 overall.

Frequent Final Score

Out of these 416 unique scores, the most frequent final score for Dallas is 20-17.

That score has ended 22 of the Cowboys’ games over the years. In those 22 games, though, Dallas is just 11-11.

They’ve had to win the last three games that ended at 20-17 just to even that record.

They’ve won a game by that score each of the last three years.

It remains to be seen if the Cowboys can keep that particular streak going in 2024. But it’s something to watch out for in the next 18 weeks to come.

The second-most frequent final score has been 17-14.

It’s happened 14 times, but not since the eighth week of the 2002 season.

The Seattle Seahawks visited Texas Stadium on Oct. 27^th of that season. The loss denied Dallas a chance to even their season record to 4-4.

Rian Lindell’s 20-yard field goal with 25 seconds left sealed the Cowboys’ fate.

The most infamous of the 17-14 games will always be the 1975 Divisional round game played at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis.

The Hail Mary was born on Dec. 28, 1975. Roger Staubach’s 50-yard heave hauled in by Drew Pearson sent Dallas onto an eventual third Super Bowl appearance.

Vikings’ fans are still muttering curses under their breath about that day nearly 50 years later.

The Biggest Games

Two of the bigger games among these lower scoring contests also happened to be the biggest games of their respective seasons. And they happened only 364 days apart.

In Super Bowl V, at the end of the 1970 season, on Jan. 17, 1971, the Cowboys fell to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13.

It wasn’t the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in NFL history. But it was probably one of the ugliest.

The Cowboys held leads of 6-0 in the second quarter and 13-6 at halftime thanks to a Craig Morton pass of seven yards to Duane Thomas for the Cowboys’ lone touchdown.

They couldn’t hold the lead though.

The Colts had seven turnovers – three interceptions and four fumbles. The Cowboys also had three passes intercepted and lost one fumble.

What killed Dallas in the game played at the Orange Bowl was 10 penalties for 133 yards.

The Colts’ big play was a 75-yard pass from Johnny Unitas to John Mackey that tied the game at 6-6.

The offense struggled so badly that Cowboys’ linebacker Chuck Howley was named the game’s MVP. It’s the only time a player from the losing team has been the Super Bowl MVP.

Less than a year later, on Jan. 16, 1972, in New Orleans, Dallas was back in the Super Bowl.

This time they took care of the ball and scored 24 points. The defense throttled the Dolphins all game, holding Miami to just a single field goal.

Dallas had just one fumble while Roger Staubach threw two touchdowns.

Duane Thomas added a touchdown run for good measure.

Miami had three turnovers. Bob Griese was sacked just once, but it was for a 29-yard loss.

Single Digit Finals

Dallas has played nine games that have finished with neither team scoring more than nine points in the game.

The Cowboys are 6-3 in those games overall.

Score – Games (Record)

• 5-0 – 1 (1-0)
• 6-0 – 1 (1-0)
• 6-2 – 1 (1-0)
• 7-6 – 1 (1-0)
• 9-3 – 1 (1-0)
• 9-5 – 1 (0-1)
• 9-6 – 1 (0-1)
• 9-7 – 2 (1-1)

The Teens

Dallas has played in 165 games where neither they, nor their opponent, scored 20 points in the contest. The Cowboys record in these games stands at 82-81-2.

Score – Games (Record)

• 10-0 – 1 (1-0)
• 10-6 – 5 (2-3)
• 10-7 – 3 (1-2)
• 10-9 – 1 (1-0)
• 10-10 – 1 (0-0-1)
• 12-0 – 1 (0-1)
• 12-6 – 1 (1-0)
• 12-7 – 1 (0-1)
• 12-10 – 3 (0-3)
• 13-0 – 2 (2-0)
• 13-3 – 2 (1-1)
• 13-6 – 1 (0-1)
• 13-7 – 5 (2-3)
• 13-9 – 4 (2-2)
• 13-10 – 9 (3-6)
• 13-12 – 4 (0-4)
• 13-13 – 1 (0-0-1)
• 14-3 – 4 (2-2)
• 14-6 – 2 (1-1)
• 14-7 – 4 (2-2)
• 14-9 – 1 (1-0)
• 14-10 – 4 (4-0)
• 14-12 – 1 (0-1)
• 14-13 – 3 (2-1)
• 15-0 – 1 (0-1)
• 15-10 – 2 (0-2)
• 16-0 – 1 (0-1)
• 16-3 – 1 (1-0)
• 16-6 – 3 (1-2)
• 16-8 – 1 (0-1)
• 16-10 – 5 (4-1)
• 16-13 – 7 (4-3)
• 16-14 – 4 (2-2)
• 17-0 – 1 (1-0)
• 17-3 — 6 (5-1)
• 17-6 – 1 (1-0)
• 17-7 – 5 (2-3)
• 17-9 – 2 (1-1)
• 17-10 – 12 (6-6)
• 17-13 – 6 (4-2)
• 17-14 – 14 (10-4)
• 17-15 – 1 (1-0)
• 17-16 – 2 (1-1)
• 18-7 – 1 (1-0)
• 18-10 – 1 (1-0)
• 18-16 – 1 (1-0)
• 19-3 – 3 (2-1)
• 19-7 – 1 (0-1)
• 19-9 – 1 (0-1)
• 19-10 – 3 (0-3)
• 19-12 – 2 (1-1)
• 19-13 – 4 (1-3)
• 19-14 – 4 (2-2)
• 19-15 – 1 (0-1)
• 19-16 – 3 (1-2)
• 19-17 – 1 (0-1)

The Twenties

Dallas has played 443 games in its 64 seasons where neither team scored in the 30s in the contest. The Cowboys are 250-191-2 in those games all-time.

Score – Games (Record)

• 20-0 — 2 (1-1)
• 20-3 – 2 (0-2)
• 20-6 – 2 (1-1)
• 20-7 – 11 (6-5)
• 20-8 – 1 (1-0)
• 20-10 – 8 (5-3)
• 20-12 – 1 (1-0)
• 20-13 – 8 (5-3)
• 20-14 – 4 (2-2)
• 20-15 – 1 (1-0)
• 20-16 – 5 (2-3)
• 20-17 – 22 (11-11)
• 20-19 – 4 (3-1)
• 21-0 – 1 (1-0)
• 21-6 – 2 (2-0)
• 21-7 – 5 (5-0)
• 21-10 – 5 (2-3)
• 21-12 – 2 (1-1)
• 21-13 – 2 (2-0)
• 21-14 – 5 (3-2)
• 21-16 – 3 (2-1)
• 21-17 – 8 (2-6)
• 21-18 – 1 (1-0)
• 21-19 – 3 (2-1)
• 21-20 – 7 (4-3)
• 22-3 – 2 (1-1)
• 22-6 – 1 (0-1)
• 22-9 – 1 (0-1)
• 22-10 – 2 (2-0)
• 22-13 – 2 (1-1)
• 22-19 – 2 (1-1)
• 22-20 – 1 (0-1)
• 22-21 – 2 (1-1)
• 23-0 – 1 (0-1)
• 23-3 – 1 (0-1)
• 23-6 – 2 (2-0)
• 23-7 – 4 (2-2)
• 23-9 – 2 (1-1)
• 23-10 – 3 (3-0)
• 23-13 – 2 (1-1)
• 23-14 – 4 (3-1)
• 23-16 – 2 (1-1)
• 23-17 – 9 (4-5)
• 23-19 – 3 (1-2)
• 23-20 – 4 (3-1)
• 23-21 – 3 (1-2)
• 24-0 – 3 (2-1)
• 24-3 – 4 (4-0)
• 24-6 – 4 (3-1)
• 24-7 – 4 (4-0)
• 24-9 – 1 (0-1)
• 24-10 – 6 (5-1)
• 24-12 – 1 (1-0)
• 24-13 – 3 (1-2)
• 24-14 – 6 (4-2)
• 24-16 – 2 (1-1)
• 24-17 – 13 (8-5)
• 24-18 – 1 (1-0)
• 24-19 – 2 (0-2)
• 24-20 – 9 (4-5)
• 24-21 – 11 (6-5)
• 24-22 – 3 (1-2)
• 24-23 – 6 (2-4)
• 24-24 – 1 (0-0-1)
• 25-3 – 2 (1-1)
• 25-7 – 1 (0-1)
• 25-10 – 1 (1-0)
• 25-13 – 1 (1-0)
• 25-17 – 1 (0-1)
• 25-22 – 2 (0-2)
• 25-24 – 2 (1-1)
• 26-3 – 2 (0-2)
• 26-6 – 1 (0-1)
• 26-7 – 3 (1-2)
• 26-9 – 1 (1-0)
• 26-10 – 4 (3-1)
• 26-14 – 4 (2-2)
• 26-15 – 1 (0-1)
• 26-17 – 3 (1-2)
• 26-18 – 1 (1-0)
• 26-20 – 4 (3-1)
• 26-21 – 2 (0-2)
• 26-22 – 1 (1-0)
• 26-23 – 1 (0-1)
• 26-24 – 3 (1-2)
• 27-0 – 5 (3-2)
• 27-3 – 3 (2-1)
• 27-6 – 3 (1-2)
• 27-7 – 8 (5-3)
• 27-10 – 8 (6-2)
• 27-13 – 8 (5-3)
• 27-14 – 6 (2-4)
• 27-15 – 1 (0-1)
• 27-16 – 3 (3-0)
• 27-17 – 10 (7-3)
• 27-20 – 11 (8-3)
• 27-21 – 5 (2-3)
• 27-23 – 6 (3-3)
• 27-24 – 9 (6-3)
• 27-25 – 1 (0-1)
• 27-26 – 2 (1-1)
• 28-0 – 3 (2-1)
• 28-6 – 2 (1-1)
• 28-7 – 9 (6-3)
• 28-10 – 3 (3-0)
• 28-13 – 5 (4-1)
• 28-14 – 3 (1-2)
• 28-16 – 2 (0-2)
• 28-17 – 7 (4-3)
• 28-18 – 1 (0-1)
• 28-20 – 1 (1-0)
• 28-21 – 6 (3-3)
• 28-23 – 2 (1-1)
• 28-24 – 6 (3-3)
• 28-27 – 3 (2-1)
• 28-28 – 1 (0-0-1)
• 29-3 – 1 (0-1)
• 29-10 – 3 (1-2)
• 29-14 – 1 (0-1)
• 29-17 – 1 (1-0)
• 29-20 – 1 (1-0)
• 29-21 – 2 (1-1)
• 29-23 – 2 (2-0)
• 29-24 – 1 (0-1)