Cowboys Scoragami: The high-scoring games

In this third and final part of the Cowboys’ Scoragami series, we’ll take a look at the 431 games the Cowboys have played where the winning team scored 30 points or more.

Over those 431 games, Dallas is 260-169-2.

In the 617 games that neither team scored at least 30 points in Cowboys’ history, Dallas is 338-275-4.

Their combined record in those 1,048 games is 598-444-6. There has been 416 unique final scores over those 64 seasons.

When the winning team’s score is between 30-39 points, Dallas is 190-125-2.

The Cowboys have only played in 97 games where the winning team scored between 40-49 points. They are 57-40 in those contests.

When the winning team’s score is 50 or more, Dallas is an impressive 13-4.

The Highest Of The Highs

The highest combined score involving the Cowboys came during the 2013 season. On Oct. 6th – the fifth game of that season – the Denver Broncos arrived at AT&T Stadium and a shootout broke out.

Tony Romo and Peyton Manning put on a show for the ages.

Romo was 25-for-36 for 506 yards. He threw for five touchdowns and one interception.

Terrance Williams had four catches for 151 yards and an 82-yard touchdown. Dez Bryant had two touchdowns on six catches for 141 yards.

Jason Witten added 121 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.

Cole Beasley caught the other touchdown pass from Romo.

Manning responded with a 33-for-42 performance for 414 yards. He had four touchdown passes and an interception for Denver.

Manning also had one of the longest one-yard touchdown runs – based on total elapsed time – in NFL history.

He was running a naked bootleg and went untouched. It still seemed to take forever.

The Broncos scored 10 unanswered points in the final 160 seconds for the 51-48 victory – capped by Matt Prater’s 28-yard field goal.

59 Is Just Fine

The Cowboys have scored 59 points twice in their history but have never cracked the 60-point barrier.

The first time they posted 59 on the board in a winning effort was in the season-opener in 1968. Dallas rolled to a 59-13 victory over Detroit at the Cotton Bowl.

The Lions actually took an early 6-0 lead then literally got run over by Dallas.

The Cowboys got four rushing touchdowns – two each by Dan Reeves and Walt Garrison – along with two touchdown passes by Don Meredith, and another by Craig Morton.

Chuck Howley added a 35-yard pick six just for good measure in the rout.

The second time came 12 years later, in the sixth week of the 1980 season.

This time the victim was the 49ers in an Oct. 12th game at Texas Stadium. Danny White threw three touchdown passes to Drew Pearson in the first half.

The Cowboys scored the first 24 points of the game and took a 38-7 halftime lead over San Francisco.

They kept on rolling to a 59-14 victory.

The Most Frequent Result

Among games where the winner scores at least 30 points, the most common result is 31-21. This has happened in 10 of the Cowboys games over 64 seasons.

Dallas is 8-2 all-time in those 10 games. They have won the last three games that have ended with a 31-21 score.

Those wins have come in the 2004, 2024, and most recently in the 2019 season.

The last time Dallas was on the losing side of a 31-21 final came in the 10th week of the 1996 season. They lost to the Eagles in that game at Texas Stadium.

The Thirties

The Cowboys have had 317 games end with neither they or the opposition has failed to reach 40 points in the game.

Dallas is 190-125-2 in those games.

Score – Games (Record)

30-3 – 2 (2-0)

30-6 – 3 (2-1)

30-7 – 3 (2-1)

30-10 – 3 (2-1)

30-11 – 1 (1-0)

30-13 – 2 (1-1)

30-16 – 3 (1-2)

30-17 – 2 (2-0)

30-20 – 1 (1-0)

30-21 – 2 (0-2)

30-22 – 2 (1-1)

30-23 – 1 (1-0)

30-24 – 4 (1-3)

30-27 – 5 (3-2)

30-28 – 3 (1-2)

30-29 – 1 (1-0)

31-0 – 1 (0-1)

31-2 – 1 (1-0)

31-6 – 1 (1-0)

31-7 – 6 (5-1)

31-9 – 1 (1-0)

31-10 – 7 (3-4)

31-12 – 1 (1-0)

31-13 – 4 (2-2)

31-14 – 5 (2-3)

31-15 – 1 (1-0)

31-16 – 2 (1-1)

31-17 – 7 (3-4)

31-19 – 1 (1-0)

31-20 – 4 (2-2)

31-21 – 10 (8-2)

31-22 – 1 (1-0)

31-23 – 1 (1-0)

31-24 – 7 (2-5)

31-26 – 1 (1-0)

31-27 – 4 (2-2)

31-28 – 6 (4-2)

31-29 – 2 (0-2)

31-30 – 3 (2-1)

31-31 – 1 (0-0-1)

32-13 – 1 (1-0)

32-21 – 1 (0-1)

32-28 – 1 (1-0)

32-31 – 1 (0-1)

33-10 – 3 (2-1)

33-13 – 1 (1-0)

33-14 – 1 (0-1)

33-17 – 1 (1-0)

33-19 – 1 (1-0)

33-20 – 1 (1-0)

33-24 – 3 (2-1)

33-27 – 1 (0-1)

33-30 – 1 (1-0)

33-31 – 2 (0-2)

34-0 – 2 (2-0)

34-3 — 3 (2-1)

34-6 – 1 (1-0)

34-7 – 4 (2-2)

34-9 – 1 (1-0)

34-10 – 3 (2-1)

34-12 – 1 (1-0)

34-13 – 2 (2-0)

34-14 – 4 (2-2)

34-16 – 1 (1-0)

34-17 – 3 (2-1)

34-18 – 1 (0-1)

34-20 – 2 (1-1)

34-21 – 2 (2-0)

34-23 – 1 (0-1)

34-24 – 6 (3-3)

34-27 – 3 (0-3)

34-28 – 2 (2-0)

34-30 – 1 (0-1)

34-31 – 8 (3-5)

34-33 – 1 (0-1)

35-0 – 1 (1-0)

35-7 – 3 (2-1)

35-9 – 1 (1-0)

35-10 – 2 (2-0)

35-13 – 1 (0-1)

35-14 – 2 (1-1)

35-16 – 1 (0-1)

35-17 – 6 (3-3)

35-19 – 1 (1-0)

35-20 – 1 (1-0)

35-21 – 1 (1-0)

35-22 – 1 (1-0)

35-23 – 1 (1-0)

35-24 – 1 (0-1)

35-27 – 2 (2-0)

35-28 – 2 (1-1)

35-29 – 1 (1-0)

35-30 – 2 (1-1)

35-31 – 3 (0-3)

35-32 – 1 (1-0)

35-34 – 1 (1-0)

35-35 – 1 (0-0-1)

36-3 – 1 (0-1)

36-10 – 1 (1-0)

36-14 – 1 (1-0)

36-20 – 1 (1-0)

36-22 – 1 (0-1)

36-28 – 3 (1-2)

36-31 – 1 (1-0)

36-33 – 1 (0-1)

36-35 – 1 (1-0)

37-0 – 1 (1-0)

37-3 – 1 (1-0)

37-6 – 1 (1-0)

37-7 – 8 (6-2)

37-9 – 1 (0-1)

37-10 – 3 (2-1)

37-13 – 2 (2-0)

37-17 – 1 (1-0)

37-18 – 1 (1-0)

37-20 – 3 (2-1)

37-21 – 2 (1-1)

37-24 – 1 (1-0)

37-26 – 1 (1-0)

37-27 – 1 (1-0)

37-31 – 2 (1-1)

37-34 – 2 (1-1)

37-35 – 1 (0-1)

37-36 – 1 (0-1)

38-0 – 3 (2-1)

38-3 – 3 (3-0)

38-6 – 1 (0-1)

38-7 – 2 (2-0)

38-10 – 7 (6-1)

38-13 – 2 (1-1)

38-14 – 3 (1-2)

38-17 – 5 (4-1)

38-20 – 4 (3-1)

38-21 – 1 (1-0)

38-23 – 1 (1-0)

38-24 – 4 (2-2)

38-27 – 2 (2-0)

38-28 – 2 (1-1)

38-31 – 2 (0-2)

38-33 – 1 (1-0)

38-35 – 2 (1-1)

39-28 – 1 (0-1)

39-31 – 2 (1-1)

The Forties

The Cowboys are 57-40 in the 97 games they’ve played where neither team has scored in the 50s.

The two games that ended with a 40-34 score both happened in the same season. They even happened in back-to-back weeks.

In 2022, the Cowboys lost at Jacksonville 40-34 in the 15th week on an overtime pick six.

The very next week, Dallas rebounded at home to beat the Eagles, 40-34.

Score – Games (Record)

40-0 – 1 (1-0)

40-3 – 2 (2-0)

40-7 – 1 (1-0)

40-10 – 1 (1-0)

40-15 – 1 (1-0)

40-18 – 1 (0-1)

40-21 – 1 (0-1)

40-34 – 2 (1-1)

40-38 – 1 (0-1)

40-39 – 1 (1-0)

41-7 – 1 (0-1)

41-10 – 2 (1-1)

41-14 – 2 (0-2)

41-16 – 1 (0-1)

41-17 – 2 (2-0)

41-19 – 1 (1-0)

41-20 – 2 (0-2)

41-21 – 3 (3-0)

41-22 – 1 (1-0)

41-24 – 2 (0-2)

41-28 – 2 (2-0)

41-31 – 1 (0-1)

41-33 – 1 (1-0)

41-35 – 3 (2-1)

41-37 – 1 (1-0)

42-7 – 2 (2-0)

42-10 – 2 (0-2)

42-14 – 2 (2-0)

42-17 – 3 (0-3)

42-21 – 1 (1-0)

42-23 – 1 (0-1)

42-27 – 1 (1-0)

42-31 – 2 (2-0)

42-35 – 1 (1-0)

43-3 – 2 (1-1)

43-7 – 1 (0-1)

43-20 – 1 (1-0)

43-39 – 1 (1-0)

44-0 – 1 (0-1)

44-6 – 1 (0-1)

44-7 – 1 (1-0)

44-13 – 1 (0-1)

44-14 – 1 (1-0)

44-17 – 1 (1-0)

44-20 – 1 (1-0)

44-21 – 2 (2-0)

44-24 – 1 (1-0)

44-38 – 1 (0-1)

45-7 – 2 (0-2)

45-10 – 2 (2-0)

45-13 – 1 (1-0)

45-14 – 2 (1-1)

45-17 – 1 (0-1)

45-21 – 3 (2-1)

45-28 – 2 (1-1)

45-35 – 1 (1-0)

46-21 – 1 (1-0)

46-36 – 1 (0-1)

47-14 – 1 (1-0)

47-16 – 1 (1-0)

48-7 – 2 (1-1)

48-27 – 1 (0-1)

48-32 – 1 (0-1)

49-14 – 1 (1-0)

49-17 – 2 (1-1)

49-21 – 1 (0-1)

49-29 – 1 (1-0)

49-37 – 1 (1-0)

49-38 – 1 (0-1)

The Fifties

Dallas has had just 17 games out of the 1,084 they have played where they, or their opponent, scored 50 points or more.

None of the games has seen both teams break over 50 points. The Cowboys are 13-4 in those games.

Score – Games (Record)

50-24 – 1 (0-1)

51-7 — 1 (1-0)

51-26 – 1 (1-0)

51-48 – 1 (0-1)

52-7 – 1 (1-0)

52-10 – 2 (2-0)

52-14 – 1 (1-0)

52-17 – 1 (1-0)

52-20 – 1 (0-1)

52-21 – 1 (1-0)

54-13 – 1 (0-1)

54-19 – 1 (1-0)

56-7 – 1 (1-0)

56-14 – 1 (1-0)

59-13 – 1 (1-0)

59-14 – 1 (1-0)