Coming into the 2004 season hopes were running high in Dallas that a return to past glory was imminent. Those hopes couldn’t have been any more false.
Questions of Quincy Carter’s inconsistent play at quarterback – and concerns about his failing drug tests – loomed overhead.
In response, the Cowboys brought in 41-year-old veteran Vinny Testaverde just in case.
They also signed another former Major League baseball pitcher in Drew Henson. Henson had beat out Tom Brady at quarterback at Michigan.
Suddenly Tony Romo was the fourth quarterback on the roster and in jeopardy of being a training camp cut.
The Cowboys also traded Joey Galloway to Tampa Bay in exchange for another Parcells-player, Keyshawn Johnson. The Cowboys defense transitioned to a Parcells’-preferred 3-4 defense.
First Signs Of Trouble
Overall Dallas had another solid draft in 2004, selecting running back Julius Jones in the second round.
They landed receiver Patrick Crayton and defensive back Jacques Reeves in the seventh round.
While Jones would rush for 819, 993, 1,084 and 588 yards in his four seasons in Dallas, the Cowboys blundered badly in selecting him.
Dallas had traded out of the first round and passed on running back Stephen Jackson – who had eight straight 1,000+-yard seasons for the Rams.
They also missed out on Kevin Jones who put up over 1,000 yards in his rookie year in Detroit. Dallas would add Eddie George to try to bolster the backfield.
Carter Shown The Door
Romo’s career – and the Cowboys’ future – was saved in shocking fashion during training camp.
Carter was expected to remain the starter with Testaverde there to help mentor him.
But in the first week of camp, Carter did not suit up for practice and he was seen being escorted off the premises.
Though never confirmed by anyone officially, rumored failed drug tests appear to have triggered the decision to part ways with Carter.
The Cowboys would start the season with Testaverde at quarterback and Henson as the backup. Romo would remain as the team’s third quarterback.
He would never take a snap during the season. But saw action in the preseason and showed promise.
A Promising Start
Despite the hiccups, and a season-opening 35-17 loss to the Vikings thanks to two Randy Moss touchdowns, Dallas got off to a 2-1 start.
Dallas rebounded with a 19-12 home win over the Browns. They welcomed Joe Gibbs back into the NFL with a 21-18 win over the Redskins in D.C.
Coming out of a Week 4 bye, the Cowboys appeared to primed for another playoff run.
The Wheels Come Off
The Giants scored the final 23 points of the game for a 26-10 victory at Texas Stadium. The Steelers followed suit the next week with 14 unanswered for a 24-20 win over Dallas.
A 41-20 loss at Green Bay followed before the Cowboys snapped the skid with a 31-21 home win over the Lions.
But blowout losses to the Bengals (26-3), Eagles (49-21), and Ravens (30-10) dropped Dallas to 3-7 on the season.
Henson got his one and only NFL start the next week on Thanksgiving Day. He proved ineffective but still was credited with the 21-7 win over the Bears.
Testaverde replaced Henson and threw two fourth quarter touchdowns to secure the victory over Chicago.
A wild shootout at Seattle featured 10 touchdowns and four field goals in a 43-39 Cowboys’ win.
Dallas stood at 5-7 and owners of a two-game winning streak. If they could win out a 9-7 finish would get them into the playoffs.
Crash And Burn
The Cowboys would get the season sweep over the Redskins in their home finale on the next-to-last game of the year.
Patrick Crayton’s 39-yard catch of a Testaverde pass gave Dallas the 13-10 win over their long-time rivals.
But the Cowboys would fall to the Saints (27-13) and the Eagles (12-7) in the two weeks prior to the victory over Washington.
In the season finale, the Cowboys took a 16-7 lead over the Giants into the final quarter in New York. But the Giants got three touchdowns for a 28-24 victory.
The Cowboys had taken a massive step backward in 2004, finishing 6-10 and in third place in the NFC East.
They would head into the 2005 season with a huge question mark over the franchise: Which season had been the fluke, 2003 or 2004?