Had the Dallas Cowboys showed up to play last Sunday they would be preparing to host the Lions in a rematch of last month’s game.
Who knows how the schedule would have played out if the 49ers were hosting Tampa Bay. Dallas might have been playing tonight instead.
But they didn’t take care of business so we are left to forever wonder what might have been.
Given how the final minutes played out last month, a Lions-Cowboys rematch would have been something to see.
Cowboys’ History In Divisional Games
The Cowboys are 15-13 (.536) overall in Divisional round games. They are 11-5 (.688) at home and just 4-8 (.333) on the road.
Dallas’ first three Divisional round games were all against the Browns before the 1970 mercer moved Cleveland to the AFC.
From 1960 – the Cowboys’ first season – through 1966 there were just two divisions. The divisional winners played for the NFL Championship and that was the playoff season.
But in 1967 the NFL split into four divisions of four teams each. The Divisional round of the playoffs was born.
Dallas’ first such game was held in Cleveland and the Cowboys dismantled the Browns 52-14.
The victory advanced them to the NFL Championship game against the Packers.
The next year the two teams met again in Cleveland, with the Browns winning 31-20. The next year, at the Cotton Bowl, the Browns rolled to a 38-14 win.
A rookie quarterback replaced Craig Morton late in the game and threw a five-yard pass to Lance Rentzel.
You might have heard of the guy. His name was Roger Staubach.
A New Decade Brings Excellence
With the arrival of the 1970s, the Cowboys continued their playoff run, beating the Lions in the 1970 Divisional round.
The Cowboys offense scored three points on a field goal. The defense scored two on a safety.
The Lions’ offense apparently forgot to show up at the Cotton Bowl that day.
In 1971, the Cowboys eased past the Vikings, 20-12, in Minneapolis.
In 1972’s Divisional game, Dallas scored 17 fourth quarter points for a 30-28 win at Candlestick Park.
While the 1971 NFC Championship game was the first-ever playoff game at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys’ first Divisional round game there wasn’t until the 1973 season.
The Cowboys cruised to a 27-16 win over the Rams that year. The Cowboys playoff streak was snapped at seven straight seasons when they missed the tournament in 1974.
They would play a Divisional round in the next eight straight years though.
The infamous “Hail Mary game” marked Dallas’s return to Divisional play in 1975. The 17-14 win is still a sore subject up north.
Three Staubach interceptions would help the Rams upend the Cowboys, 14-12, at Texas Stadium in 1976.
The Cowboys would crush the Bears at home, 37-7, in 1977. They escaped with the 27-20 Divisional round home win over Atlanta in 1978.
But the decade ended with a dud as the Rams invaded Texas Stadium and ended Staubach’s career with a 21-19 win in the 1979 Divisional round.
Promising Start Fades Quickly
With a new decade, and a new quarterback in Danny White, the Cowboys rolled on with three straight Divisional round wins.
After avenging the previous year’s loss to the Rams with a 34-13 Wild Card win, the Cowboys rallied for a 30-27 Divisional round win at Atlanta in 1980.
In 1981, at Texas Stadium, they crushed Tampa Bay 38-0. In 1982, also at home, they outgunned the Packers 37-26.
Their next playoff game would not come until the 1985 season and a 20-0 Divisional round loss to the Rams at Los Angeles.
It would be the final playoff game of the decade, and the last of Tom Landry’s career.
The 1990s: A New Hope
The Cowboys next Divisional round game would come in 1991. The 38-6 debacle in Detroit was merely a speedbump in what was to come.
Dallas would win its next four Divisional round games and all at Texas Stadium.
A 34-10 win over the Eagles in 1992; 27-17 over the Packers in 1993; 35-9 over Green Bay in 1994; and finally a 30-11 win over the Eagles in 1995.
The Carolina Panthers put an end to the streak in 1996, beating Dallas 26-17 in Charlotte. It would be 11 years before the Cowboys would play their next Divisional round game.
A Winless Century
The Cowboys have played in six Divisional round games in the 21st Century. The first was in 2007 and the last was in 2022.
They have lost all six with only two being played at home – one each at Texas Stadium (2007) and AT&T Stadium (2016).
A loss at home in 2007 to the Giants in the final playoff game held at Texas Stadium was followed in 2009 with a loss at Minnesota.
The Cowboys would not play their next playoff game until 2014.
After dispatching the Lions in the Wild Card, Dallas fell to the Packers in the Divisional game at Green Bay in 2014.
The 2016 rematch with the Packers at AT&T Stadium was the first Divisional round game played there. It ended with a loss.
In 2018, the Cowboys fell in the Divisional round to the Rams in Los Angeles. And in 2022 the 49ers won the Divisional round game at Levis Stadium.
Pigskin Prognostications
Okay, I went 4-2 in last weekend’s Wild Card round. Not bad.
I, like pretty much all of us, never saw that disaster coming at AT&T Stadium against the Packers.
And to be honest, the Lions need to never complain about officiating again.
Because they were beat if defensive pass interference was called when it should have been in their win over the Rams.
So, with that in mind, here’s my four picks for the Divisional round. Hey, no Cowboys playing, I have to do something, right?
Houston at Baltimore (Sat. 3:30 pm / ABC-ESPN).
Midnight strikes on Cinderella. The Texans have had an amazing run with a rookie quarterback and head coach.
But they are playing the Ravens and in Baltimore.
That slipper isn’t fitting this week. Ravens 27-13.
Green Bay at San Francisco (Sat. 7:15 pm / FOX).
You know what. I hate both teams this week.
Can I root for a 10.0 quake centered under and limited to Levis Stadium Saturday night? No?
Fine.
49ers 35-10.
Tampa Bay at Detroit (Sun. 2 pm/ NBC)
You know something? If the Lions hadn’t thrown such a hissy over their trick play tricking even the officials, I might cheer for them.
Put me on the Baker Mayfield bus. I’m going for the lone upset of the weekend.
Tampa Bay 17-14.
Kansas City at Buffalo (Sun. 5:30 pm / CBS)
It’s the first non-Super Bowl playoff road game for Patrick Mahomes.
I think that is going to be huge. That and the Chiefs have looked mortal while the Bills seem to have gotten their act together.
Buffalo 31-24 on a late Josh Allen TD pass to Dalton Kincaid.
All-Time Cowboys Vs. Divisional Playoff Opponents
- GIANTS (0-1)
- EAGLES (2-0)
- COMMANDERS (0-0)
- CARDINALS (0-0)
- RAMS (1-4)
- 49ERS (1-1)
- SEAHAWKS (0-0)
- FALCONS (2-0)
- PANTHERS (0-1)
- SAINTS (0-0)
- BUCCANEERS (1-0)
- BEARS (1-0)
- LIONS (1-1)
- PACKERS (3-2)
- VIKINGS (2-1)
- BROWNS (1-2 – Prior to 1970 merger)
