NFL team season
The Cowboys playing the Eagles in the1980 NFC Championship Game The1980 Dallas Cowboys seasonleague . The team improved to 12-4 followingRoger Staubach 's retirement after the 1979 season.[ 1]
Going into the final week of the season, Dallas (11–4) playedPhiladelphia (12–3) at Texas Stadium. Under that season's NFL tiebreakers, Dallas had to beat the Eagles by 25 points or greater to win the NFC East, entering the NFC postseason as the number two seed while Philadelphia would be a wildcard team. The Eagles win NFC East should the Cowboys lose, tie or win by 24 points or fewer.
Dallas was leading the final regular season game 35–10 in the fourth quarter; however, the Eagles scored 17 unanswered points to pull within 35–27. Dallas had to play an extra week in the Wild Card round and as visitors in the following weekroad game in Atlanta in the Divisional Round . Dallas lost at Philadelphia in theNFC Championship Game .
Undrafted free agents [ edit ] Week Date Opponent Result Record Game Site Attendance Recap 1 September 8 atWashington Redskins W 17–31–0 RFK Stadium 55,045 Recap 2 September 14 atDenver Broncos L 20–411–1 Mile High Stadium 74,919 Recap 3 September 21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 28–172–1 Texas Stadium 62,750 Recap 4 September 28 atGreen Bay Packers W 28–73–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,776 Recap 5 October 5 New York Giants W 24–34–1 Texas Stadium 59,126 Recap 6 October 12 San Francisco 49ers W 59–145–1 Texas Stadium 63,399 Recap 7 October 19 atPhiladelphia Eagles L 10–175–2 Veterans Stadium 70,696 Recap 8 October 26 San Diego Chargers W 42–316–2 Texas Stadium 60,639 Recap 9 November 2 atSt. Louis Cardinals W 27–247–2 Busch Memorial Stadium 50,701 Recap 10 November 9 atNew York Giants L 35–387–3 Giants Stadium 68,343 Recap 11 November 16 St. Louis Cardinals W 31–218–3 Texas Stadium 52,567 Recap 12 November 23 Washington Redskins W 14–109–3 Texas Stadium 58,809 Recap 13 November 27 Seattle Seahawks W 51–710–3 Texas Stadium 57,540 Recap 14 December 7 atOakland Raiders W 19–1311–3 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,194 Recap 15 December 15 atLos Angeles Rams L 14–3811–4 Anaheim Stadium 65,154 Recap 16 December 21 Philadelphia Eagles W 35–2712–4 Texas Stadium 62,548 Recap
Division opponents are inbold text
Game information First quarter
Second quarter
DAL – Rafael Septién 19-yard field goal.Cowboys 10–0.Drive: Third quarter
Fourth quarter
WSH –Mark Moseley 45-yard field goal.Cowboys 10–3.Drive: DAL –Ron Springs 4-yard run (Rafael Septién kick).Cowboys 17–3.Drive: Top passers Top rushers Top receivers DAL –Tony Hill – 3 receptions, 69 yards WSH – Clarence Harmon – 7 receptions, 67 yards
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 0 10 3 7 20 • Broncos 7 17 14 3 41
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Bucs 7 10 0 0 17 • Cowboys 7 7 7 7 28
Date: Sunday Sept 21, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m.EST Game weather: Sunny; 86 °F (30 °C)Referee: Chuck HeberlingTV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 7 7 7 7 28 Packers 0 7 0 0 7
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Giants 0 0 0 3 3 • Cowboys 3 14 0 7 24
Date: Sunday Oct 5, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m.EST Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C)
Team 1 2 3 4 Total 49ers 0 7 0 7 14 • Cowboys 14 24 14 7 59
Date: Sunday Oct 12, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m.EST Game weather: Sunny; 86 °F (30 °C)Referee: Pat HaggertyTelevision network: CBS
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 7 3 0 0 10 • Eagles 0 10 0 7 17
Date: October 19Location: Veterans Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m.EST Game attendance: 70,696Game weather: Sunny; 69 °F (21 °C)Referee: Cal Lepore TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Scoring summary Q1 DAL Hegman recovered fumble in end zone (Septién kick) DAL 7–0 Q2 PHI Franklin 35 yard field goal DAL 7–3 Q2 PHI Carmichael 5 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 10–7 Q2 DAL Septién 33 yard field goal Tie 10–10 Q4 PHI Smith 15 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 17–10
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Chargers 3 21 0 7 31 • Cowboys 7 7 21 7 42
Date: Sunday Oct 26, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 9:00 p.m.EST Game weather: Clear; 55 °F (13 °C)Referee: Dick JorgensenTelevision network: ABC
Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 0 10 3 14 27 Cardinals 7 3 7 7 24
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 7 14 14 0 35 • Giants 7 21 0 10 38
Date: Sunday Nov 9, 1980Location: Giants Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m.EST Game weather: Overcast; 44 °F (7 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)Referee: Ben DreithTV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 14 7 0 0 21 • Cowboys 7 10 7 7 31
Date: Sunday Nov 16, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m.EST Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C), wind 18 mph (29 km/h)TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Redskins 0 3 0 7 10 • Cowboys 7 0 0 7 14
Date: Sunday Nov 23, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m.EST Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C), wind 8 mph (13 km/h)Referee: Fred SilvaTV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Seahawks 0 0 0 7 7 • Cowboys 9 21 0 21 51
Date: Thursday Nov 27, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m.EST Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C), wind 14 mph (23 km/h)Referee: Pat HaggertyTV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 7 9 3 0 19 Raiders 7 3 3 0 13
Scoring summary Q1 OAK Raymond Chester 6 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Chris Bahr kick) OAK 7–0 Q1 DAL Tony Dorsett 20 yard rush (Rafael Septién kick) TIE 7–7 Q2 DAL Rafael Septién 52 yard field goal DAL 7–10 Q2 DAL Ron Springs 2 yard rush DAL 7–16 Q2 OAK Chris Bahr 22 yard field goal DAL 10–16 Q3 DAL Rafael Septién 34 yard field goal DAL 10–19 Q3 OAK Chris Bahr 38 yard field goal DAL 13–19
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 0 0 0 14 14 • Rams 7 21 10 0 38
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 0 10 17 27 • Cowboys 7 14 7 7 35
Scoring summary 1 DAL Danny White 1 yard run (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 7–0 2 DAL Tony Hill 36 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 14–0 2 DAL Preston Pearson 9 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 21–0 3 PHI Louie Giammona 1 yard run (Tony Franklin kick) Cowboys 21–7 3 DAL Drew Pearson 11 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 28–7 3 PHI Tony Franklin 29 yard field goal Cowboys 28–10 4 DAL Billy Joe DuPree 15 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 35–10 4 PHI Rodney Parker 30 yard pass fromRon Jaworski (Tony Franklin kick) Cowboys 35–17 4 PHI Tony Franklin 19 yard field goal Cowboys 35–20 4 PHI Wilbert Montgomery 6 yard run (Tony Franklin kick)Cowboys 35–27
[ 2]
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Rams 6 7 0 0 13 • Cowboys 3 10 14 7 34
Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 3 7 0 20 30 Falcons 10 7 7 3 27
Scoring summary Q1 ATL Tim Mazzetti 38 yard field goal ATL 7–0 Q1 ATL Alfred Jenkins 60 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick) ATL 10-0 Q1 Dal Rafael Septién 38 yard field goal ATL 10-3 Q2 DAL Billy Joe DuPree 5 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick) Tie 10-10 Q2 ATL Lynn Cain 1 yard rush (Tim Mazzetti kick) ATL 17-10 Q3 ATL William Andrews 12 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick) ATL 24-10 Q4 DAL Robert Newhouse 1 yard rush (Rafael Septién kick) ATL 24-17 Q4 ATL Tim Mazzetti 34 yard field goal ATL 27-17 Q4 DAL Drew Pearson 14 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick) ATL 27-24 Q4 DAL Drew Pearson 23 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick) DAL 30-27
Conference Championship [ edit ] Team 1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 0 7 0 0 7 •Eagles 7 0 10 3 20
Date: January 11, 1981Location: Veterans Stadium Game start: 12:30 p.m.EST Game attendance: 70,696Game weather: Sunny; 17 °F (−8 °C)Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Scoring summary Q1 PHI Montgomery 42 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 7–0 Q2 DAL Dorsett 3 yard run (Septién kick) Tie 7–7 Q3 PHI Franklin 26 yard field goal PHI 10–7 Q3 PHI Harris 9 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 17–7 Q4 PHI Franklin 20 yard field goal PHI 20–7
Veterans Stadium during the1980 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, January 11, 1981.
Dallas Cowboys 1980 roster Quarterbacks Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen Defensive linemen
Linebackers Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists Rookies in italics 45 active, 4 inactive
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (25) Conference championships (10) League championships (5) Media Current league affiliations
