1970: The Cowboys rushed toward the NFL summit in a chaotic season

Chaos might be the best word to describe the Dallas Cowboys as they began their second decade in the NFL. Starting with their first draft pick in 1970.

With the merger of the NFL and AFL to start the 1970 season, the league was split into two conferences. The 10 AFL teams would populate the AFC.

But with 16 NFL franchises carrying over, that meant three original NFL teams were going to have to join the AFC. Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh drew the short straw.

The two conferences were split into three divisions – East, Central, and West – with the Eastern Division getting five teams and the other divisions just four.

The Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, Cardinals, and Eagles found themselves in the NFC East. Dallas would start loading up for the season in that spring’s draft.

The Mercurial Mr. Thomas

Picking 23rd in the first round – now that the 26 teams participated in the same draft – the Cowboys selected running back Duane Thomas out of West Texas State.

Thomas had played full back there with Mercury Morris as a very talented backfield in the Texas Panhandle. They would also add Charlie Waters (3rd round) and center John Fitzgerald (4th round).

But Thomas would make an immediate impact in his rookie season. Teaming up with Calvin Hill, Walt Garrison, and Dan Reeves, Thomas would finish with 803 yards and was eighth in the NFL among running backs.

Duane Thomas (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr. /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images/Getty Images)

The Cowboys four-headed monster in the backfield would help the team pile up 2,300 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground in 1970.

They ranked first in the NFL in attempts and yards. The Cowboys were third in league in rushing touchdowns. Thomas wouldn’t make his first start until the fifth game. But once he got in, he was a headache on the field for opposing defenses. He would prove to be a bigger headache off the field for the front office.

A Hot Start Fizzles

Dallas got off to a 2-0 start on the season, beating the Eagles on the road 17-7. They returned to the Cotton Bowl for a 28-10 win over the Giants.

The Cowboys came out flat in Week Three in St. Louis, falling 20-7. They weren’t much better at home the following week, but still blanked the Falcons 13-0.

The offensive woes continued in Minnesota as the Vikings got a blocked punt and an interception return for touchdowns in a 54-13 drubbing.

Dallas righted the ship somewhat with back-to-back wins over Kansas City (27-16) and Philadelphia (21-17).

But consecutive losses to the Giants (23-20) and a 38-0 blowout at the hands of St. Louis, dropped Dallas to 5-4 on the season.

The Cowboys’ streak of double-digit wins in a season – and the playoffs – was in dire jeopardy.

The Turnaround

Over the first nine games, the Cowboys’ offense had surpassed 300 yards only twice. Both Craig Morton and Roger Staubach were throwing far too many interceptions.

But against the Redskins in D.C. in Week 10, something clicked. Morton stopped throwing interceptions and Thomas went into beast mode.

The rookie rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries. Mark Washington returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score in a 45-21 Cowboys’ victory.

Bob Hayes scored the only touchdown, a 13-yard run, in a 16-3 win over the Packers. The Cowboys thumped the Redskins 34-0 at home to improve to 8-4 on the year.

In what is likely the ugliest game in Cowboys’ history, Dallas went to Cleveland and somehow left with a 6-2 victory. A pair of Mike Clark field goals accounted for Dallas’ scoring.

Craig Morton looks for room in a muddy 6-2 victory over Cleveland on December 12, 1970.

A punt return for minus-10 yards by Bob Hayes resulted in a safety and a brief Browns’ lead.

In the season finale against the Oilers, Morton threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns. Morton connected with Hayes on four straight scoring passes in a 52-10 victory.

The Cowboys had somehow managed to get a third-straight, double-digit winning season at 10-4. But they had bigger goals in mind.

Driving For Miami

The Cowboys playoff run got off to an ominous start. Hosting the Lions, Dallas’ offense was nearly non-existent.

Fortunately, the defense showed up and pitched a shutout.

Clark’s 26-yard field goal in the first quarter would be the only points the offense would generate. George Andrie and Jethro Pugh would sack Greg Landry in the endzone for a safety and a 5-0 Dallas win.

In the first-ever NFC Championship game, the Cowboys headed to San Francisco and found themselves tied at 3-3 at halftime.

Thomas, who finished with 143 yards, and Walt Garrison scored third-quarter touchdowns. The defense made it stand up with a 17-10 win over the 49ers.

The Dallas Cowboys had finally advanced to their first Super Bowl. The Baltimore Colts awaited them.

Super Bowl V

It might still rank as one of the ugliest Super Bowls in the history of the NFL. The teams would combine for 11 turnovers. The Cowboys would be called for 10 penalties for 133 yards.

How bad was the game? The MVP was Cowboys’ linebacker Chuck Howley. To date, the only player from the losing team to be named a Super Bowl MVP.

UNITED STATES – JANUARY 17: Football: Super Bowl V, Dallas Cowboys Chuck Howley (54) in action, making tackle vs Baltimore Colts Norm Bulaich (36), Miami, FL 1/17/1971 (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The Colts tied the game at 6-6 on a 75-yard pass from Johnny Unitas to John Mackey then promptly missed the extra point.

Thomas, held to just 35 rushing yards for the game, caught a seven-yard pass from Morton for a 13-6 lead going into the final quarter.

But the Colts tied the game and then got a 32-yard field goal from Jim O’Brien to win it. Dallas had lost yet again in a championship game.

As chaotic, and as disappointing, as the 1970 season was for the Cowboys, they hadn’t seen anything yet.

Before the next season would kick off the Cowboys would find themselves in the middle of a hurricane named Duane Thomas.