These two rivals went back and forth, winning and losing, taunting each other, too, in one of the NFL’s most memorable rivalries.
Houston stops Garrison in that famous goal-line play (photo, Washington Redskins)
In 1973, the Cowboys looked forward to getting revenge in a Week 4 game played at RFK Stadium on Monday Night Football. The Cowboys led 7-0 after three quarters in a hard-hitting defensive game, but the Redskins came back to take a 14-7 lead.
In a memorable conclusion, the Cowboys came within one yard of tying the game as time expired. Defensive back Ken Houston, who had been acquired recently from the Oilers, stopped Cowboys’ fullback Walt Garrison from scoring on fourth down.
Dallas got a measure of revenge in a Week 13 game, winning 27- 7. But there would be no rematch in the postseason. Washington lost to Minnesota in a playoff game. Dallas got to play the Vikings the following week and lost, too.
1974 did not go well for the Cowboys. Many of their leading players had retired during the off-season. Others, including players past their prime, were traded. They lost to Washington in Week 10, 28-21, and that loss left the team with a 5-5 record and with a slim chance of reaching the playoffs.
Long TD pass seals Cowboy’s win (photo, The Washington Post)
They met again only 11 days later on Thanksgiving Day. Diron Talbert predicted that the Redskins would knock Roger Staubach out of the game, and that’s precisely what happened. Behind 23-17 with time running out, back-up quarterback Clint Longley threw a 50 yard pass to receiver Drew Pearson, and the Cowboys stole one, 24-23. But Dallas finished 8-6 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1965. Washington finished 10-4 but had to settle for a Wild Card spot and were quickly eliminated by the Rams.
The Cowboys started the 1975 season with a 5-1 record, but the habit of losing at RFK continued in Week 7 with a 30-24 OT loss. Likewise, the Redskins’ lousy luck at Texas Stadium continued. They were humiliated, 31-10, in Week 13. The win was sweet for Dallas because it knocked the ‘Skins out of the playoffs. Dallas, on the other hand, made it to the Super Bowl but lost a close game to the Steelers 21-17.
In Week 8 of the 1976 season, the Cowboys finally beat the Redskins at RFK, 20-7, but then lost to them in Week 14 at Texas Stadium, 27-14. Dallas won the division with an 11-3 record. Washington had to settle for the Wild Card spot again. It didn’t matter, though, as both teams lost opening-round games.
In Week 5 of the 1977 season, the Cowboys easily defeated the Skins, 34-16. They met again in Week 11, and the Cowboys won again, 14-7, eliminating the Redskins from the playoffs. It was the first time since 1970 that Dallas had beaten the Redskins twice in the same season. Better yet, the Cowboys finished the season hoisting their second Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Joe Theismann of the Washington Redskins (photo, Twitter)
The Redskins 1978 season started out with a new head coach, Jack Pardee, and a new starting quarterback, Joe Theismann. Theisman had played several seasons in the CFL before joining the Redskins in 1974, but, first, he had to compete with vets Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer for playing time. He finally got a chance to start.
But with George Allen out of the picture, the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry seemed to have lost some luster. The shine came back quickly in an October Monday Night game at RFK. With a 9-3 lead and time running out in the 4th, the Redskins took a safety rather than punt the ball. As QB Joe Theismann ran around the end zone to run out the clock, he held up the ball, taunting the Cowboys’ defense.
The Cowboys vowed revenge and they got it on Thanksgiving Day, winning 37-10 in a rout. What’s more, Dallas went on to play in the Super Bowl. Washington? The Redskins finished 8-8 after starting 6-0.
The Redskins got a bit of payback in Week 12 of the 1979 season, winning 34-20. But Dallas had the last laugh, eliminating the ‘Skins (once again) from playoff contention in the regular season’s final game.
The win was made even sweeter because a pre-game taunt went sour. A funeral wreath was delivered to the home of Cowboys’ DE Harvey Martin with a card attached that read, “From the Redskins.” Martin brought the wreath to the game and was happy to throw it into the Redskins’ locker room after the Cowboys’ win. But unbeknownst to Martin, the wreath didn’t come from the Redskins. It was a stunt, delivered by a Cowboys’ fan, designed to get Martin fired up for the game. It worked, too.
‘The Rivalry’ was anything but dead!
