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A LOOK BACK FOR STAUBACH : Former Cowboy Quarterback Recalls Those Playoff Games Against Rams; This Time, He’ll Be Home Watching

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Times Staff Writer

Next Saturday’s games at Anaheim will mark the eighth time in 13 years that the Rams have met the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League playoffs.

The Cowboys lead the series, four victories to three, but they played the first five games in the 1970s with an unfair advantage: Roger Staubach.

Staubach, after all, was not only a former Heisman Trophy winner and a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, but a quarterback capable of producing one of football’s most famous pass plays, the Hail Mary.

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That particular lightning bolt did not strike the Rams--it was Minnesota in 1975--but sparks always flew off the energy created by Staubach’s presence in the lineup. He threw nine touchdown passes in those five games against the Rams, who did well to win a pair by two points each.

Staubach, on the phone from Dallas, recalled some of the strange highs--and lows--of the series.

1973, divisional playoff at Dallas--Cowboys 27, Rams 16:

It was Chuck Knox’s first season as coach of the Rams, who won the first of seven straight NFC West Division titles. The Rams, perhaps nervous at being in the playoffs for the first time in four years, immediately self-destructed. John Hadl threw an interception to linebacker Lee Roy Jordan on the first series, and Lawrence McCutcheon fumbled on the second. Both errors led to quick Cowboy touchdowns and a 17-0 lead, but the game wasn’t over.

“They got off to a bad start and we got the jump on ‘em,” Staubach said. “Then it suddenly turned on us. The momentum drastically swung. It was like two different games. The whole second half was against us. After those first two touchdowns, they really shut us down.”

By the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were clinging to a 17-16 lead.

“We were backed up and Calvin Hill dislocated his elbow on a pitchout,” Staubach said. “I guess he fumbled and recovered his own fumble, and we were like third and 18. We came back with a play over the middle . . . went against the flow and I drilled the ball in to Drew (Pearson). In between were two or three players, and he went eighty-some yards for a touchdown.”

Precisely, 83 yards. Staubach, who had been sacked seven times, was scrambling for time when he saw Pearson at midfield.

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“All the defenders happened to be there, but Drew picked the

right spot and I threw it with a lot of velocity on it, and everybody kind of ran into each other,” Staubach said.

The Rams seemed to have the play covered, but safety Steve Preece and cornerback Eddie McMillan collided, leaving Pearson free to score.

“Other than that, I think we probably would have lost that game,” Staubach said. “That was a big play.”

1975, NFC championship game in Los Angeles--Dallas 37, Rams 7:

Staubach threw four touchdown passes as the Cowboys became the first wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl.

“That was one of those psychological deals,” he said. “We were the underdog going into the playoffs, and we went up and played Minnesota. We played ‘em a heck of a game and we won (17-14) on what we called the ‘Hail Mary’ pass (to Drew Pearson). L.A. knocked St. Louis off pretty good (35-23) and, psychologically, they didn’t want to go back to Minnesota and play in the cold.

“So when they saw us beat ‘em and got home-field advantage for the second game in the playoffs, I think they had a letdown, feeling they had it made, and we had the momentum coming off a game we probably should have lost.

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“We played well in the game. It was a nothing-to-lose type of game, and we just got off on top. We had the shotgun offense. It was brand new that year. That was when people were changing up their third-down defenses, and we had a lot of good plays against what they were trying to do, and I had a good day passing. Everything just went right. We caught ‘em a little off guard.”

Staubach had an unlikely co-star that day: halfback Preston Pearson, who had come from Pittsburgh on waivers at the start of the season. He caught three touchdown passes.

“Our game plan a lot of times was built around his catching ability, as well as his running,” Staubach said. “He caught a shovel pass out of the shotgun (for one touchdown), and we had some plays trying to beat their linebackers on play action passes. Preston was an excellent receiver for us. He was a catalyst for us and become a great clutch player for the Cowboys.”

Later, the Cowboys lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl, 21-17.

“I still have nightmares about that game,” Staubach said.

1976, divisional playoff at Dallas--Rams 14, Cowboys 12:

Another one that Staubach hasn’t gotten over. It was the Rams’ first playoff victory on the road.

“We had no running game that year,” Staubach said. “Preston was hurt, (Robert) Newhouse, too. I was throwing probably the best I’d ever thrown for about eight games until I broke a bone in my right hand, and our passing game dropped off tremendously. We didn’t have momentum going into the playoffs, so when we played the Rams we weren’t playing well offensively.”

Cowboy safety Charlie Waters blocked two punts by the Rams’ Rusty Jackson, but the Rams took the lead at 14-10 when McCutcheon scored--or did he?--from one yard out on the first play of the last quarter. Cowboy Coach Tom Landry insisted later that films showed McCutcheon was stopped short.

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There was another similar, critical play with 1:29 remaining. On fourth down deep in Ram territory, Staubach passed over the middle to tight end Billy Joe DuPree. Ram safeties Bill Simpson and Dave Elmendorf and the ball all reached DuPree simultaneously.

“We felt we had a first down,” Staubach said. “Where he caught the ball was definitely a first down, then they hit him and carried him back.”

Later, the game ended with Jackson allowing himself to be tackled in his own end zone for a safety, just to keep the ball out of Staubach’s hands once more.

“It ended about the way the season was for us,” Staubach said.

1978, NFC championship game in Los Angeles--Dallas 28, Rams 0:

“That was mainly a defensive struggle,” Staubach said. “Neither offense did much. There was a little controversy before the game . . . some name-calling and stuff. We had a good team. We had won the Super Bowl the year before against Denver. We were on a seven-game winning streak. Both defenses played well, and then we got the turnovers. It was kind of a blah game, really.”

The highlights for the Cowboys were Waters’ two interceptions off Pat Haden, who broke a thumb, and a third by linebacker Thomas (Hollywood) Henderson, who returned his 68 yards for the last touchdown and spiked the ball over the crossbar.

1979, divisional playoff at Dallas--Rams 21, Cowboys 19:

Vince Ferragamo threw three touchdown passes, including the game-winner to Billy Waddy with 2:06 to play; Jack Youngblood broke his leg, and the Rams were on their way to the Super Bowl.

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“He (Youngblood) went out for a while, but he was one of the really great players I ever played against,” Staubach said. “He always harassed me physically. He never quit.

“I remember him coming back in that game. That’s the kind of player he was. He was tough and mean and probably one of the few guys that could play with a broken leg or a broken arm.

“We had beaten ‘em pretty good in the regular season (30-6), but (Tony) Dorsett had separated his shoulder a little against Philadelphia, and (safety) Randy Hughes dislocated his shoulder, and he was the guy that got beat just before the half when Ron Smith caught that pass. Drew (Pearson) had twisted his knee trying to spike the ball against the Giants, so he was about half-speed. We just didn’t have it that game.

“We went ahead at the end but, defensively, we couldn’t do much. It was a disappointing game because I thought we were a better team. I think they were 9 and 7.”

Staubach pointed out that the Cowboys’ romp in Los Angeles in 1975 “started a trend of beating them in Los Angeles, and they beat us twice in Dallas.”

Later, with Danny White at quarterback in ‘80, the Cowboys beat the Rams at Dallas, 34-13, and in ’83 the Rams won there, 24-17. But the Rams remain 0-2 against the Cowboys in playoff games at home.

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Staubach: “I don’t know who has the advantage in this one. The home field has worked the other way.”

One thing is apparent, however: The Cowboys may have lost their magic touch for pulling games out of the fire. In his career, Staubach had the touch in the final two minutes of 14 games.

“They’ve had some moments when they’ve pulled things out,” Staubach said, “but it’s kind of an internal thing on the team. They’ve got to believe. They’ve had to have gone through it and done it. There are still a lot of new players on this team, but they have a lot of firepower, too, and the capability.

“Their comebacks have been more from game to game. They get their tails beat one week and you don’t know what they’re gonna do the next week. They’re just a little inconsistent right now.

“They’re a little bit like the Rams this year: unpredictable. If I had to predict this one I’d have to go to a psychiatrist. I don’t know what to expect.”

Much of the blame for the inconsistency has fallen on Staubach’s successor, Danny White.

“Danny has done a tremendous job,” Staubach said. “I think they made a big mistake when they second-guessed him a year ago and didn’t start him. Nothing against (Gary) Hogeboom, but Danny, to me, I didn’t think he had lost his job. He had played at a high level, and the rest of the players were trying to catch up to his level.

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“The players recognized that, and he has his leadership role back and he’s had a very good season. He’s been fantastic at times but, like the team, he’s been inconsistent in a few games.”

White has thrown five touchdown passes in his two playoffs against the Rams.

“He’s a big-play type of player,” Staubach said. “I’ve never lost confidence in him because I know what he can do. I used to compete against him, whether it was playing basketball or whatever. He’s a determined, never-give-up guy. He’s the key to their team right now. The way he plays is going to determine what happens in the game.”

Perhaps, but the Rams will feel better Saturday knowing that Staubach will be in Dallas, watching on television.

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