Football: Dallas Cowboys QB Danny White (11) in action vs Chicago Bears at Texas Stadium. Irving, TX 11/17/1985CREDIT: John Biever (Photo by John Biever /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)(Set Number: X32388 TK1 R11 F27 )
DOG COMMENTARY:
The Dallas Cowboys finished the 1985 season….their 25th Anniversary season in the NFL with a record of 10 – 6…. which was good enough for first place in the NFC East….while earning a trip to the playoffs….which turned out to be the final postseason appearance for the Cowboys under Coach Tom Landry….when they lost in a divisional playoff game to the Los Angeles Rams.
Coach Landry’s team got off to a fast start by opening the season with 44-14 trouncing of their longtime nemesis, the Redskins….and later defeating the Steelers in their first victory over Pittsburgh since 1972 to give the team a 5–1 record and an early two-game lead over the rest of their division. However, the team was up and down the rest of the way….finishing out the season 5–5 and allowing both the Giants and Redskins to catch up with them at 10–6. Two wins each over both the Giants and Redskins allowed the Cowboys to win the division based on the tie-breaking rules…. as the Cowboys suffered two of the most embarrassing defeats in team history during the inconsistent stretch toward the end of the season,…when on November 17, the undefeated Chicago Bears came to Texas Stadium and gave the Cowboys a 44–0 beating that was the worst loss in team history….which was also the first time in 218 games that the Cowboys had not scored….then, three weeks later the team traveled to Cincinnati….where the Bengals handed them a 50–24 loss after piling up 570 yards in the process….which was the most yards the Cowboys had given up in team history. The Cowboys proved to be a resilient bunch however….winning a crucial game at home against the Giants the following week that gave them their first division title since 1981 and the final for Tom Landry. That game would prove to be the last highlight of the season….as the team was shut out in the playoffs for the first time in team history by a score of 20–0 at the hands of the Rams….which proved to be the final playoff appearance for the Cowboys under Landry.
With the previous season’s quarterback controversy behind him….Danny White led the Cowboys’ passing game to number three overall in the league….as WR Tony Hill posted career highs in receptions and receiving yards….while Mike Renfro blossomed in his second season with the Cowboys….as TE Doug Cosbie had another pro bowl season. Turnovers proved to be a problem though….as White and backup QB Gary Hogeboom combined to throw 24 interceptions….for RB Tony Dorsett was the only reliable ball carrier on the roster….while rushing for 1,307 yards on the season and going over 10,000 yards for his career. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys registered 62 sacks and 33 interceptions….with CB Everson Walls becoming the first player to ever lead the league in interceptions three times in registering nine picks for the season….for the big plays covered up a pass defense that ranked 27th in the league….and a defense that ranked 23rd overall. The secondary allowed big plays through the air throughout the season….as the defense allowed running back Eric Dickerson to rush for a playoff record 248 yards in their playoff game against the Rams.
