From fumbles to interceptions, missed field goals to dropped passes every team makes mistakes that cause people to pull their hair out. This list has five of the worst in-game blunders for people to either laugh at, or cringe from depending on their point of view. I picked out instances that still hurt to this day, as well as ones that are going down in NFL history. So, without further ado I present to you the top five worst in game moments in the history of the Dallas Cowboys.
Worst moment # 1
On a cold January night in Seattle, WA the fans sitting inside Qwest Field held their breath as the Dallas Cowboys lined up for a 19 yard field goal to take the lead in the Wild Card playoff game against their Seattle Seahawks. That is when it happened. The ball was snapped to Tony Romo who was supposed to hold it for the kicker, but he dropped it and led to a scramble for a first down that ended a yard short giving the ball to the Seahawks on downs clinching their victory. This made my list because it still sickens me to think about it, especially since the kick was shorter than an extra point and cost them a playoff game.
Worst moment # 2
Snow in Texas on Thanksgiving is a story in itself, but unfortunately for the Cowboys that was not the half of what happened that day. With mere seconds to go in the 4th quarter, the Miami Dolphins lined up for a field goal on the snow covered turf of Texas Stadium trailing 14-13. The ball was snapped, the kick went up, and then was blocked. The game is over, right? In any other game, yes but Leon Lett saw to it that it did not end when he inexcusably and futilely tried to recover the loose ball making it live and allowing the Fins to recover it and successfully re-attempt the game winning field goal. This made my list because it was one of the most embarrassing plays in their history, and turned Leon Lett into a comic punch line.
Worst moment # 3
In Super Bowl XIII, which pitted the Cowboys versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jackie Smith dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone that would have tied the game, but instead forced them to kick a field goal which ended up being the difference in the game as the Cowboys lost to the Steelers 35-31. I don't have to explain why it made my list. Verne Lundquist said it best with this statement found on the Dallas Observer Blogs "Aw, bless his heart, he's got to be the sickest man in America".
Worst moment # 4
The 1982 NFC Championship Game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers ended in what is infamously known as "The Catch". With the Cowboys winning 27-21 late in the 4th quarter, the winner seemed all but certain. However, in his trademark fashion, Joe Montana led the 49ers down to the Cowboys six yard line. With less than a minute to go, he drops back to pass, gets flushed out of the pocket and is forced to throw a pass that seemed too high for anyone to catch. Dwight Clark proved everyone wrong by leaping up into the air and grabbing it with his fingertips to secure the victory for his team. It made my list because "The Catch" crushed the hopes of all the Cowboys faithful who had dreams of a Super Bowl win.
Worst moment # 5
On December 10th of 1995 The Dallas Cowboys were tied with the Philadelphia Eagles 17-17 with two minutes remaining in the game. Dallas was at their own 29 yard line facing a 4th and 1. Instead of doing the smart thing, Barry Switzer decides to go for it on a run up the middle. It gets stuffed almost immediately. The Cowboys lucked out however because the referee's forgot to blow the whistle for the two minute warning. So, when play resumed the previous play did not count so you would think they would have learned their lesson and punted but no they run the exact same play, and get the exact same result leading to a win for the Eagles. It's on my list because it was one of the most boneheaded series of plays in Cowboys history.
Source:
Richie Whitt "The Top 10 Announcers in Dallas Sports History" Dallas Observer Blogs
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