With the kickoff of Super Bowl LVIII less than 80 hours away we continue our recap of the eight Super Bowl games played by the Dallas Cowboys.
After going 2-3 in the championship game in the 1970s, Dallas endured a 13-year drought. Between 1979-1991 the Cowboys would not play for the title.
From 1980-82 they would play in three straight NFC Conference championship games and lose all three. They would go 6-7 in the playoffs during that stretch of 13 seasons.
After losing 31-14 to the Redskins in the 1982 conference title game Dallas would lose both Divisional round games they played in – 1985 and 1991.
But that all changed in 1992.
That season the Cowboys stormed to a 13-3 record, winning the NFC East and securing the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
The Cowboys crushed the Eagles 34-10 in the Divisional round. Dallas then slipped past the 49ers, 30-20, in the NFC title game in San Francisco.
They were finally back in the Super Bowl after a lost decade and the 14-5 Buffalo Bills were all that stood between them and a third Lombardi trophy.
The game was played on Jan. 31, 1993, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The same stadium Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman had called home while at UCLA.
Ghosts Of Super Bowl X
The Bills got the ball first and the Cowboys’ defense forced a punt after four plays. Dallas’ offense could not move the ball and readied to punt the ball after a three-and-out.
But Steve Tasker blocked Mike Saxon’s punt out of bounds at the Dallas 16.
Five plays later, Thurman Thomas rushed for a two-yard score and a 7-0 Buffalo lead with 10 minutes left in the quarter.
The blocked punt brought back unpleasant memories of Super Bowl X for older Cowboys fans. A blocked punt turned the game in favor of the Steelers, who went on to win the championship.
The Defense Stands Up
The unease likely increased when Dallas was forced to punt again on their next possession.
But the Dallas defense rallied, as James Washington picked off Jim Kelly to set up the offense at the Bills’ 47.
Aikman capped a six-play drive that took just 2:30 off the clock with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jay Novacek.
With the game now tied at 7-7, the defense took command. Charles Haley sacked Kelly on the first play after the ensuing kickoff.
Kelly fumbled and Jimmie Jones collected the ball at the Bills two and carried it across the goal line for a 14-7 lead with 82 second remaining in the quarter.
Kelly led the Bills on an 89-yard drive in response. But on fourth-and-goal from the one, Kelly’s pass in the endzone was picked off by Thomas Everett.
The Cowboys’ offense moved the ball out to midfield but was forced to punt.
Norton Jr. Delivers A Knockout
Kelly got the Bills out to their own 33 before getting knocked out of the game by Ken Norton Jr.
Frank Reich was called upon to keep moving the Bills downfield. Which he did until they got inside the five.
This time on third-and-one from the Cowboys’ three, Buffalo settled for a field goal to make it 14-10 Dallas with 3:46 left in the half.
The Cowboys answered with a five-play drive, highlighted by Emmitt Smith’s 38-yard run, and capped by Aikman’s 19-yard pass to Michael Irvin.
Now trailing 21-10 with less than two minutes left in the half, Reich’s pass on the very next play after the kickoff was to Thurman Thomas. Thomas fumbled and Jimmie Jones recovered.
On the very next play, Aikman hit Irvin for an 18-yard touchdown and a 28-10 lead with 100 seconds left in the half.
Reich tried one last time to move the Bills downfield. Larry Brown picked off a pass at the Cowboys’ 28 with 41 seconds to play to preserve the 18 point lead at halftime.
A Quiet Quarter
Dallas took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 77 yards in 11 plays. The drive stalled at the Bills’ two with nine minutes left in the quarter.
Lin Elliott booted a 20-yard field goal for a 31-10 lead.
The Bills punted on their next possession after six Reich passes – three falling incomplete. Dallas went for it on fourth down at the Bills 38 but failed to convert.
Reich hit Don Beebe on a 40-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the quarter to make it 31-17.
The Floodgates Open
The two teams exchanged punts in the first four minutes of the final quarter.
Aikman then hit Alvin Harper on a 45-yard scoring pass to make it 38-17. Two plays after the kickoff Reich was intercepted by Thomas Everett.
Emmitt Smith’s 10-yard touchdown run made it 45-17 with 8:43 left in the game.
Two plays later, Reich fumbled and Norton returned it for a 52-17 lead with 7:42 remaining.
The rout was on and the Bills were just hoping the clock would hurry up. But the insanity was just getting started.
Slippery Pigskin
ON the Bills’ next offensive play, Reich hit tasker for 16 yards. Tasker immediately fumbled and the Cowboys took over at the Bills 25.
Steve Beuerlein came in to replace Aikman. He promptly fumbled on his first play and the Bills recovered at their own 47 with 6:14 left in the game.
But wait, there’s more.
Reich moved the Bills out to the Cowboys 31 with five minutes to play. Reich was sacked and coughed up the ball again.
Leon Lett scooped it up and rumbled downfield for what looked to be a certain touchdown.
But Beebe chased him down and punched the ball free before Lett could score. The ball went through the endzone to give Buffalo back the ball at their own 20.
Reich moved the Bills again, going 60 yards in 12 plays to reach Dallas’ 20.
But Lett got a small measure of revenge, sacking Reich on the final play of the game.
The Final Numbers
The 52-17 win leveled the Cowboys’ Super Bowl record at 3-3 while serving as the Bills third-straight Super Bowl loss.
Dallas’ defense forced nine turnovers, recovering five of Buffalo’s eight fumbles along with four interceptions. Beuerlein’s fumble was the lone Dallas turnover.
While any of the Cowboys’ defensive players could have been named MVP, Aikman got the honor with his 22-for-30, 273-yard, four touchdown performance.
Emmitt Smith had 108 yards on 22 carries and another 27 yards on six catches. Irvin finished with 114 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.
Kelly was 4-of-7 for 82 yards, two interceptions, and one lost fumble before departing the contest.
Reich finished 18-of-31 for 194 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Reich fumbled three times with Dallas recovering two of them.
Kenneth Davis led the Bills with 86 yards on 15 carries while Thomas was held to 19 yards on 11 carries.
Andre Reed had 152 yards on 10 catches for the Bills.
The Bills’ star defensive lineman, Bruce Smith, was effectively neutralized and was held to just one sack for minus-2 yards and no tackles.
Cowboys Starters
Player Pos
Offense
- Troy Aikman QB
- Emmitt Smith RB
- Daryl Johnston FB
- Alvin Harper WR
- Michael Irvin WR
- Jay Novacek TE
- Mark Tuinei LT
- Nate Newton LG
- Mark Stepnoski C
- John Gesek RG
- Erik Williams RT
Defense
- Tony Tolbert LDE
- Tony Casillas LDT
- Russell Maryland RDT
- Charles Haley RDE
- Vinson Smith LLB
- Robert Jones MLB
- Ken Norton Jr. RLB
- Kevin Smith LCB
- Larry Brown RCB
- Thomas Everett SS
- James Washington FS
Special Teams
- Lin Elliott PK
- Mike Saxon P