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NFL team season
The Cowboys playing the Eagles in the 1980 NFC Championship Game .
The 1980 Dallas Cowboys season was their 21st in the league . The team improved their previous output of 11–5, winning twelve games.[ 1] They qualified for the playoffs as an NFC Wild Card, but lost in the Conference Championship.
The season featured a very unusual end to the regular season. Going into the final week of the season, Dallas (11–4) played Philadelphia (12–3) at Texas Stadium. Under the NFL's tiebreaking rules, if Dallas could beat the Eagles by 25 points, they would earn the NFC East title and the number two seed in the NFC playoffs while Philadelphia would be a wildcard team. However, if the Cowboys lost (or won by less than 25) then the roles would reverse. Atlanta (12-4) had the number one NFC seed over either team in any scenario since they beat Philadelphia head-to-head and enjoyed a better conference record (10-2 vs. 9-3) over Dallas.
Dallas led the game 35–10 in the fourth quarter, but the Eagles rallied to lose only 35–27. This forced Dallas to play an extra week in the playoffs and a road game in Atlanta in the divisional round. Dallas ultimately lost at Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Undrafted free agents
Schedule
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Game Site
Attendance
Recap
1
at Washington Redskins
W 17–3
1–0
RFK Stadium
55,045
Recap
2
September 14
at Denver Broncos
L 20–41
1–1
Mile High Stadium
74,919
Recap
3
September 21
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
W 28–17
2–1
Texas Stadium
62,750
Recap
4
September 28
at Green Bay Packers
W 28–7
3–1
Milwaukee County Stadium
54,776
Recap
5
October 5
New York Giants
W 24–3
4–1
Texas Stadium
59,126
Recap
6
October 12
San Francisco 49ers
W 59–14
5–1
Texas Stadium
63,399
Recap
7
October 19
at Philadelphia Eagles
L 10–17
5–2
Veterans Stadium
70,696
Recap
8
October 26
San Diego Chargers
W 42–31
6–2
Texas Stadium
60,639
Recap
9
November 2
at St. Louis Cardinals
W 27–24
7–2
Busch Memorial Stadium
50,701
Recap
10
November 9
at New York Giants
L 35–38
7–3
Giants Stadium
68,343
Recap
11
November 16
St. Louis Cardinals
W 31–21
8–3
Texas Stadium
52,567
Recap
12
November 23
Washington Redskins
W 14–10
9–3
Texas Stadium
58,809
Recap
13
November 27
Seattle Seahawks
W 51–7
10–3
Texas Stadium
57,540
Recap
14
December 7
at Oakland Raiders
W 19–13
11–3
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
53,194
Recap
15
at Los Angeles Rams
L 14–38
11–4
Anaheim Stadium
65,154
Recap
16
December 21
Philadelphia Eagles
W 35–27
12–4
Texas Stadium
62,548
Recap
Division opponents are in bold text
Game summaries
Week 1 at Redskins
Week One: Dallas Cowboys (0–0) at Washington Redskins (0–0)
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Cowboys
7
3
0 7 17
Redskins
0
0
0 3 3
at RFK Stadium , Washington, D.C.
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
DAL – Rafael Septien 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 Septien 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
Week 2
1
2 3 4 Total
Cowboys
0
10 3 7
20
• Broncos
7
17 14 3
41
Date: September 14, 1980Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 74,919Game weather: Sunny; 67°FReferee: Jerry MarkbreitTelevision network: CBS
Week 3
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°FReferee: Chuck HeberlingTV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Week 4
1
2 3 4 Total
• Cowboys
7
7 7 7
28
Packers
0
7 0 0
7
Week 5
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
Week 6
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°FReferee: Pat HaggertyTelevision network: CBS
Week 7
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°FReferee: Cal Lepore TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Scoring summary Q1 DAL Hegman recovered fumble in end zone (Septien 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 Septien 33 yard field goal Tie 10–10
Q4 PHI Smith 15 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 17–10
Week 8
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°FReferee: Dick JorgensenTelevision network: ABC
Week 9
1
2 3 4 Total
• Cowboys
0
10 3 14
27
Cardinals
7
3 7 7
24
Week 10
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, wind 12 mphReferee: Ben DreithTV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach
Week 11
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, wind 18 mph
Week 12
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, wind 8 mphReferee: Fred SilvaTV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Week 13
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, wind 14 mphReferee: Pat HaggertyTV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Week 14
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 Septien kick) TIE 7–7
Q2 DAL Rafael Septien 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 Septien 34 yard field goal DAL 10–19
Q3 OAK Chris Bahr 38 yard field goal DAL 13–19
Week 15
1
2 3 4 Total
Cowboys
0
0 0 14
14
• Rams
7
21 10 0
38
Date: Monday December 15, 1980Location: Anaheim Stadium , Anaheim, CA Game start: 9:00 p.m. Game weather: 60 F, wind 5 mphReferee: Gene Barth
Week 16
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 Septien kick)Cowboys 14–0
2 DAL Preston Pearson 9 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septien 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 Septien 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 Septien kick)Cowboys 35–10
4 PHI Rodney Parker 30 yard pass from Ron 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]
Playoffs
Wildcard Round
1
2 3 4 Total
Rams
6
7 0 0
13
• Cowboys
3
10 14 7
34
Date: December 28, 1980Location: Texas Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 64,533Game weather: Sunny; 49°F
Divisional Round
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 Septien 38 yard field goal ATL 10-3
Q2 DAL Billy Joe DuPree 5 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septien 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 Septien 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 Septien kick) ATL 27-24
Q4 DAL Drew Pearson 23 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septien kick) DAL 30-27
Conference Championship
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°FReferee: 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 (Septien 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 the 1980 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, January 11, 1981.
Standings
Roster
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
46 Active, 3 Inactive
References
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (25) Conference championships (10) League championships (5) Media Current league affiliations