It is Day 99 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are trying again on the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys historical past. The countdown will leads us proper up to the opening recreation of 2026. Our look again doesn’t depend upon only one standards for our rankings. We think about issues like how huge the sport was for the group, how memorable the sport was, games that had uncommon occasions happen, games which might be part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games the place the Cowboys simply plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have now all totally different sort of Cowboys games to evaluate. At the underside, we’ll hyperlink every day of the countdown so you possibly can return and take a look at any you missed.
At Day 99 of our we have a look at one of many oddest days in Cowboys historical past the place a loss is extra remembered thanks to one of many biggest performs in NFL historical past. Dallas performed in Minnesota on Monday Night Football and though the Vikings received the matchup, it was Tony Dorsett that received the evening.
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Monday, January 3, 1983 — 9:00 p.m. ET
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Final Score: Minnesota Vikings 31, Dallas Cowboys 27
The Cowboys jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, helped by an enormous 60-yard interception for a landing by Dennis Thurman. But Minnesota got here again to tie the rating at 10-10 by halftime after which took management of the second half. It’s began with (*99*) Brown catching a Tommy Kramer go for a 13-yard landing, a area purpose by Rafael Septien, then a killer blow to begin the fourth quarter with a tipped go by John Turner from Danny White to get a pick-six rating of their very own. That put the Vikings forward 24-13 and looking out to pin Dallas down within the remaining quarter.
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Then got here the second.
The ball was fumbled out of bounds from the kickoff on the one-yard line and issues appeared powerful. Dorsett took the handoff from Danny White and located the outlet shortly. He shortly bent towards the correct sideline, and from there he outran each Vikings defender and received a key half-block. A full 99 yards later Dorsett was within the endzone with the longest rush from scrimmage in NFL historical past. The run reduce the deficit to 24-20 and turned a irritating second half into one thing particular.
Dallas then retook the lead when (*100*) Springs scored from two yards out. But Minnesota answered again with a killer drive transferring 80 yards in 10 performs, changing a third-and-18 with a 23-yard completion to Terry LeCount, then discovering Rickey Young for a 14-yard landing. The Cowboys misplaced 31-27, however the recreation belonged to Dorsett.
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Interesting Facts About the Game
The play one way or the other turns into much more absurd while you discover out that Dallas had solely 10 gamers on the sphere throughout the 99-yard landing. (*100*) Springs was supposed to be within the play, however a misunderstanding left him on the sideline. Dorsett took the handoff anyway, and with out a lead blocker, he nonetheless went the size of the sphere.
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