Although the Cowboys got their lunchbox handed to them by the Los Angeles Rams….and RB Eric Dickerson….who was part of The Pony Express along with RB Craig James at SMU in Dallas, TX from 1979 to 1983….as the future Pro Football Hall of Fame Member sliced up the Cowboys for a record 248 yards rushing in this game in the 1985 NFC Divisional Playoff Game by helping the Rams to a 20 – 0 victory over the Cowboys…..but the real story behind the story of the game….was the fact that this day marked the end of the Tom Landry Era as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Thomas Wade “Tom” Landry was an American football player and coach….who is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League (NFL) history….after creating many new formations and methods….with such innovations as the now popular 4–3 defense….and the “flexdefense” system….which was made famous by the “Doomsday Defense” squads he created during his 29-year tenure with the Dallas Cowboys….as Landry’s 29 consecutive years as the coach of one team are an NFL record along with his 20 consecutive winning seasons….still today in 2017.
Coach Landry won two Super Bowl titles (VI, XII)….five NFC titles….13 Divisional titles…..while compiling a 270–178–6 record….which are the fourth-most wins all-time for an NFL coach….as his 20 career playoff victories are the second most of any coach in NFL history. Tom Landry was named the NFL Coach of the Year in 1966….and the NFC Coach of the Year in 1975….as his most impressive accomplishment is his 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 – 1985….while from 1966 to 1982, the Cowboys played in 12 NFL or NFC Championship games in a span of 17 years. More impressive is the Cowboys’ appearance in 10 NFC Championship games in the 13-year span from 1970 to 1982….while leading the Cowboys to three Super Bowl appearances in four years between 1975 and 1978….and five in nine years between 1970 and 1978….plus being on television more than any other NFL team is what spawned the title of “America’s Team”….a title Landry did not appreciate because he felt it would bring on extra motivation from the rest of the league to compete with the Cowboys….which it indeed did.
Coach Tom Landry was in a league comprising of only a couple of other coaches that is very select….including Vince Lombardi, Joe Gibbs, Chuck Noll and Bill Belichick….so, the last quarter and post game interview with Coach Landry are MUST SEE TV for any fan of the best coaches in the game.
