NFL team season
The 1984 Dallas Cowboys season was the team's 25th in the National Football League. The Cowboys finished the season with a record of 9–7, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1974. A division record of 3–5 caused them to finish fourth in the NFC East, despite equaling the overall records of the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
After 14 games, the Cowboys had a 9–5 record and would have made the playoffs had they won one of their two remaining games, or win the division had they won both games. However, the team gave up a 15-point lead against the Washington Redskins in week 15, and then lost to the Miami Dolphins by a touchdown surrendered with less than a minute to play in the final week of the season. The season was overshadowed by a quarterback controversy between Danny White and Gary Hogeboom, with Hogeboom getting the majority of the starts.
The season's nadir occurred in week 12, when the 0-11 Buffalo Bills defeated the visiting Cowboys 14-3.
Offseason
The Cowboys went through major changes during the offseason, as key players Drew Pearson, Billy Joe Dupree, Harvey Martin, Robert Newhouse, and Pat Donovan all retired, and Butch Johnson was traded to the Denver Broncos.
NFL Draft
Roster
Schedule
Division opponents are in bold text
Season summary
Week 1
Week One: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
at Anaheim Stadium
- Date: Monday, September 3, 1984
- Game time: 9:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 71 degrees, relative humidity 77%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 65,403
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford (play-by-play), Don Meredith and O. J. Simpson (color commentators)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 2
Week Two: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
at The Meadowlands
- Date: Sunday, September 9, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 66 degrees, relative humidity 69%, wind 13 mph
- Game attendance: 75,921
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers (CBS): Jack Buck (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 3
Week Three: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, September 16, 1984
- Game time: 4:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 69 degrees, relative humidity 49%, wind 13 mph
- Game attendance: 64,521
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Hank Stram (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 4
Week Four: Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, September 23, 1984
- Game time: 4:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 80 degrees, relative humidity 67%, wind 11 mph
- Game attendance: 64,222
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 5
Week Five: Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears – Game summary
at Soldier Field
- Date: Sunday, September 30, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 44 degrees, relative humidity 64%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 63,623
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 6
Week Six: St. Louis Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, October 7, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 71 degrees, relative humidity 82%, wind 11 mph
- Game attendance: 61,438
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber (play-by-play) and Dick Vermeil (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 7
Week Seven: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins – Game summary
at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
- Date: Sunday, October 14, 1984
- Game time: 4:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 63 degrees, relative humidity 61%, wind 14 mph
- Game attendance: 55,431
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 8
Week Eight: New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, October 21, 1984
- Game time: 9:45pm(ET)
- Game weather: 59 degrees, relative humidity 88%, wind 13 mph
- Game attendance: 50,966
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford (play-by-play), Don Meredith and O. J. Simpson (color commentators)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 9
Week Nine: Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, October 28, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 67 degrees, relative humidity 71%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 58,724
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 10
Week Ten: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, November 4, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 61 degrees, relative humidity 78%, wind 15 mph
- Game attendance: 60,235
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 11
Week Eleven: Dallas Cowboys at St. Louis Cardinals – Game summary
at Busch Stadium
- Date: Sunday, November 11, 1984
- Game time: 4:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 36 degrees, relative humidity 84%, wind 19 mph, wind chill 26
- Game attendance: 48,721
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 12
In their first visit to Rich Stadium and first overall to Buffalo since 1971, the Cowboys lost for the first time in four meetings with the Bills. The teams did not meet again until Super Bowl XXVII.
Week Twelve: Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
at Rich Stadium
- Date: Sunday, November 18, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 38 degrees, relative humidity 70%, wind 17 mph, wind chill 29
- Game attendance: 74,391
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Hank Stram (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 13
Week Thirteen: New England Patriots at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Thursday, November 22, 1984
- Game time: 4:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 41 degrees, relative humidity 68%, wind 5 mph
- Game attendance: 55,341
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 14
Week Fourteen: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
at Veterans Stadium
- Date: Sunday, December 2, 1984
- Game time: 1:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 40 degrees, relative humidity 61%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 66,322
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Hank Stram (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 15
Week Fifteen: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at Texas Stadium
- Date: Sunday, December 9, 1984
- Game time: 4:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 58 degrees, relative humidity 67%, wind 13 mph
- Game attendance: 64,286
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 16
Week Sixteen: Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
at Orange Bowl
- Date: Monday, December 17, 1984
- Game time: 9:00pm(ET)
- Game weather: 73 degrees, relative humidity 68%, wind 16 mph
- Game attendance: 74,139
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford (play-by-play), Don Meredith and O. J. Simpson (color commentators)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Standings
Season recap
The Cowboys announced that they would celebrate their 25th anniversary during the 1984 season under the theme "Silver Season".
The sale of the franchise from the Murchison family to an 11-member limited partnership headed by Dallas businessman Harvey Roberts ("Bum") Bright was approved by NFL owners on March 19 and the sale was completed on May 18.
Gary Hogeboom replaced Danny White as the starting quarterback in the preseason, and a quarterback controversy ensued throughout the season. After a 4–1 start, Hogeboom played poorly in losses to St. Louis and Washington, and was replaced by White in both games. The following week against New Orleans, White had to relieve Hogeboom again, this time after Hogeboom injured his right wrist early in the second half. White led the Cowboys to victory, overcoming a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
White started the next two games, but after a poor performance by both quarterbacks against the Giants, Hogeboom regained the starting position. The constant change at quarterback didn't help the team's inconsistent play, and they reached their lowest point at Buffalo late in the season, suffering a humiliating 14–3 loss at the hands of the winless Bills. Afterwards, White would go on to start at quarterback for the rest of the season. Still, despite all the turmoil surrounding the Cowboys, they held a 9–5 record going into the season's final two weeks and were tied for the division lead. However, two heartbreaking losses to the Redskins (a game in which the Cowboys led 21–6 at halftime) and Dolphins ended the Cowboys' string of postseason appearances at nine.
The Cowboys perennially potent offense fell into disarray during the 1984 season. The offensive line was ravaged by injury and retirement, and Cowboy quarterbacks were under duress all season. The line also struggled to open holes for the running game, despite another productive season from running back Tony Dorsett, who rushed for 1,189 yards. Turnovers were another source of frustration, as the offense turned it over 42 times. The defense once again featured a strong pass rush, led by perennial all-pro defensive tackle Randy White, as well as an opportunistic secondary, with safety Michael Downs leading the way with seven interceptions. However, stopping the run was a problem throughout the season, as the defense allowed 4.4 yards per carry.
Awards
The Cowboys had three players represent them in the Pro Bowl: Randy White, Doug Cosbie, and Bill Bates, who became the first player to be chosen for the Pro Bowl for outstanding play on special teams coverage units.[1] White was named to the associated press' All-NFL first team for his play at defensive tackle, while safety Michael Downs was named second team All-NFL, despite being overlooked for the pro bowl.
Publications
References
- ^ "The Nevada Daily Mail - Búsqueda en el archivo de Google Noticias".
External links
- 1984 Dallas Cowboys
- Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Dallas Cowboys Official Site
- Dallas Cowboys 1984 season Archived 2013-03-13 at the Wayback Machine
