Dallas began its title defense in the draft with three solid picks – but only managed to keep two of them in the fold.
The Cowboys selected defensive end Larry Bethea in the first round, and defensive back Dennis Thurman in the 11th. But the player they let get away was their second round pick out of BYU – Todd Christensen.
The big tight end never play a single down in Dallas but went on to have a stellar career with the Raiders instead.
Still, the Cowboys seemed primed for yet another Super Bowl run as the 1978 season kicked off.
Off To An Early Start
After a scoreless first quarter against the Colts in the season opener at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys broke open the game in the second quarter.
Doug Denison scored the only points Dallas would need on a one-yard run. Roger Staubach connected with Tony Dorsett on a 91-yard touchdown, then found Billy Joe Dupree on a short pass for a 21-0 halftime lead.
The Cowboys trounced Baltimore 38-0. Dorsett finished with 147 yards rushing and 107 yards receiving.
Dorsett added 111 yards rushing the next week as Dallas held off the Giants 34-24 to go to 2-0 on the season.
Inconsistent Play Strikes Dallas
The Cowboys would split their next eight games evenly. A 27-14 loss to the Rams was followed by a 21-12 win over the Cardinals.
An ugly field goal fest on Monday Night resulted in a 9-5 loss to the Redskins – Randy White got a late safety to break up the three-point run.
The Cowboys rebounded with three-straight NFC East wins – 24-3 over the Giants, 24-21 over the Cardinals in overtime, and 14-7 over the Eagles.
But a 21-10 loss to Minnesota and a 23-16 loss to Miami that really wasn’t that close dropped Dallas to 6-4 on the season.
Suddenly making the playoffs had become a matter of great concern rather than a given.
Remarkable Home Stretch
The Cowboys’ offense ignited during a 42-14 win over Green Bay. Both Dorsett (149) and Robert Newhouse (101) rushed for over 100 yards and both scored two touchdowns.
Dorsett marched through the Saints’ defense for 152 yards and a touchdown in a 27-7 win. The Cowboys avenged their miserable loss to Washington with a 37-10 win at home.
Two Roger Staubach touchdown passes brought the Cowboys back from a 10-3 halftime deficit for a 17-10 win over the Patriots. Dallas easily dispatched the Eagles 31-13 the following week.
Danny White started the season finale at Shea Stadium, the Cowboys having no trouble putting away the Jets 30-7. Dorsett scored the second of his touchdowns on a 54-yard fumble return.
The Cowboys had closed out the season on a six-game win streak and at 12-4 had the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Only the Steelers at 14-2 had a better record in the NFL.
Staubach finished the year as the NFL’s top rated passer with an 84.9 rating and 3,190 yards. The Cowboys’ defense was ranked No. 1 against the run.
Playoff Run
Dallas’ title defense got off to a poor start. Hosting the wild card Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys found themselves trailing 20-13 at the half.
The Cowboys had fumbled the ball three times in the first half. Making matters worse, Staubach was knocked out of the game.
Danny White came off the bench and led a second-half comeback. White tied the game with a two-yard pass to Jackie Smith in the third quarter.
Scott Laidlaw won it with a one-yard plunge in the fourth and Dallas escaped with a 27-20 win.
In the NFC Conference championship game against the Rams, the Cowboys had it much easier. Staubach was back and dealing, throwing a pair of touchdown passes.
Dorsett rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown and Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson capped the scoring with a 68-yard interception return.
The 28-0 victory sent Dallas to Miami for Super Bowl XIII and a rematch with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Little did anyone know at the time, but it was the last time Staubach would win a playoff game.
Super Bowl XIII
For the third time in nine years, the Cowboys headed to Miami to play a Super Bowl in the Orange Bowl. It was also the third time in the last four years the Cowboys would play in a Super Bowl.
They became the first team to play in five Super Bowls — half of all played in the 1970s — and over a third played all time.
Unfortunately, by the time the game was over, they also were the first team to lose a Super Bowl after winning one the year before.
In an oddity, Dallas’ three Super Bowl losses have all come when playing in Miami. They have won every Super Bowl they’ve been in when the game wasn’t played in Miami.
Still the game remains a classic among the Super Bowls. Mike Hegman’s 37-yard fumble return for a score gave Dallas a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.
The Steelers rallied to take a 21-14 lead at halftime and led 21-17 after the third quarter. Both teams posted a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns and Pittsburgh held on for a 35-31 victory.
The iconic moment of the game came with just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter. On 3rd-and-3 from the 10-yard line, Staubach dropped back to pass and saw tight end Jackie Smith wide open in the end zone. The pass was on target and one of the most reliable set of hands in the NFL didn’t haul it in. Dallas settled for a field goal and those four missed points have haunted Smith and the franchise ever since.
The Aftermath For “America’s Team”
NFL Films produced highlight reels for every NFL team at the end of the season. When the narrator and editor combed through the Cowboys highlights, they noticed a trend.
There were a whole lot of Cowboys fans at every road game. The term “America’s Team” was born in the NFL Films studio. When Pat Summerall repeated the phrase the next season, it stuck.
