15. 1953 LOS ANGELES RAMS at 2. 1993 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DALLAS COWBOYS
2. 1993 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DALLAS COWBOYS
Record: 12-4
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 2nd
1st NFC East
d. Packers Div Rnd 27-17
d. Niners NFC Title 38-21
d. Bills Super Bowl 30-13
HC: Jimmy Johnson, OC: Norv Turner, DC Butch Davis
Texas Stadium: 55 degrees
Brad Sham/Dale Hansen
Offense
QB Troy Aikman (27 UCLA)
RB Emmitt Smith (24 Florida) All Pro
FB Moose Johnston (27 Syracuse)
WR Alvin Harper (25 Tenn)
WR Michael Irvin (27 Miami)
TE Jay Novacek (31 Wyoming)
LT Mark Tuinei (31 Hawaii )
LG Nate Newton (32 Florida A&M)
C Mark Stepnowski (26 Pitt)
RG Kevin Gogan (29 Wash)
RT Erik Williams (25 Cen St) All Pro
Defense
LDE Tony Tolbert (26 UTEP)
LDT Tony Casillas (30 Oklahoma)
RDT Russell Maryland (24 Miami)
RDE Charles Haley (29 J Madison)
LLB Dixon Edwards (25 Mich St)
MLB Ken Norton (27 UCLA)
RLB Darrin Smith (23-R Miami)
LCB Kevin Smith (23 A&M)
RCB Larry Brown (24 TCU)
SS Darren Woodson (24 Ariz St)
FS Thomas Everett (29 Baylor)
K Eddie Murray (37 Tulane)
P John Jett (25 E Carolina)
KR/PR Kevin Williams (22 Miami)
One team left to move on in Region 2 - each Super Bowl Champion has advanced so far and here's the 2nd seeded team in the Region - the 31st overall seed in the tournament - the 1993 Dallas Cowboys. 2nd in both offense and defense. 8 offensive starters named to the Pro Bowl, 27 year old Troy Aikman threw for 15 scores and 6 picks; nearly 1500 yards on the ground for 24 year old All Pro Emmitt Smith. RT Erik Williams is 25, he also was named All Pro. Defensively, 23 year old Kevin Smith had 6 picks. 26 year old Tony Tolbert had 7.5 sacks.
15. 1953 LOS ANGELES RAMS
Record: 8-3-1
Pythag: 9-3
Off: 2nd
Def: 5th
Did not make playoffs
HC: Hampton Pool
Offense
QB Norm Van Brocklin (27 Oregon)
RB Dan Towler (25 Wash&Jeff)
RB Skeets Quinlan (25 S Diego St)
RB Tom McCormick (23-R Pacific)
WR Crazy Legs Hirsch (30 Michigan) All Pro
WR Bob Boyd (25 Loyola)
LT Bob Fry (23-R Kentucky)
LG Duane Putnam (25 Pacific)
C Leon McGlaughlin (28 UCLA)
RG Dick Daugherty (24 Oregon)
RT Tom Dahms (26 S Diego St)
Defense
LDE Larry Brink (30 N Illinois)
LDT Charlie Toogood (26 Nebraska)
MG Stan West (27 Oklahoma)
RDT Frank Fuller (24-R Kentucky)
RDE Andy Robustelli (28 Arnold) All Pro
LLB Harland Svare (23-R Wash St)
RLB Don Paul (28 UCLA) All Pro
LCB Jack Dwyer (26 Loyola)
RCB Night Train Lane (25 W Nebraska)
LS Norb Hecker (26 Baldwin Wallace)
RS Woodley Lewis (28 Oregon)
K Ben Agajanian (34 N Mexico)
P Norm Van Brocklin (27 Oregon)
KR/PR Woodley Lewis (28 Oregon)
The Rams are swimming upstream here; they're a 15 seed, they didn't make the playoffs, they have a middling defense, they're playing a Super Bowl Champion 40 years in their future. 2nd best offense from '53, Van Brocklin is 27, 19 scores and 14 picks. Crazy Legs Hirsch is the 30 year old All Pro with 61 catches. 28 year old Andy Robustelli and 25 year old Night Train Lane are both on this defense.
Rams head to Texas Stadium - winner here will face the '98 Falcons. Last game in Region 2, Round 1. Here's the kick.
First Qtr
The Cowboys start at the 23.
3 and out. Rams will start at their own 43.
3 and out including Charles Haley ripping Norm Van Brocklin's head off.
Dallas the 31. 10:25.
1/10 - Troy Aikman completes his first pass, to Moose Johnston for 11.
1/10 - Aikman goes downfield to Alvin Harper, Night Train Lane will be shadowing Michael Irvin all day, that means Harper could be the go to guy. 27 yards and the first down at the Falcon 31.
1/10 - Emmitt Smith busts one for 16.
1/10 - Aikman now throws to Emmitt for 6.
2/4 - Aikam goes to Kevin Williams, he is down right at the goal line, Cowboys just rolling now.
1/goal - Emmitt easy into the endzone. TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS - Dallas goes 69 yards in less than 4 minutes; LA to start at the 28, 6:29.
3 and out. Another sack, this time Kenny Norton getting to NVB.
Dallas starts at their 45 - 2 Emmitt carries gain 9 yards - he picks up the first down on a third carry but is leveled by Andy Robustelli and fumbles - the Rams get the ball back at their own 37.
3 and out. Rams do not have a first down, Tony Tolbert with the third Dallas sack of the quarter. Cowboys will start at the 34. 1:06.
1/10 - Emmitt gets 7.
2/3 - Johnston runs for 23 - time expires, Dallas at the LA 36.
2nd Qtr
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Michael Irvin's first catch is 5 yards.
3/5 - And his second catch is 23 yards - the Playmaker is down to the 8 yard line, Night Train Lane flagged for pass interference, he's draped all over Irvin but couldn't prevent the completion.
1/goal - Emmit for 3
2/goal - Derrick Lassic checks in - he gets the carry - and he scoots his way home TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS Dallas is up 2 scores, LA will open at the 21. 12:12.
1/10 - Dan Towler for 3.
2/7 - Skeets Quinlan turns the corner - Quinlan's got a step - Quinlan goes 62 yards down the sideline, big, big play for LA - all the way to the Dallas 14 yard line.
The next 3 plays lose 2 yards -- and then LA misses the short FG.
Just feels like too much today for the Rams.
Dallas to start at the 23. 8:37 left.
1/10 - Aikman goes to Jay Novacek for 6.
2/4 - Aikman hits Michael Irvin, 21 big yards - that takes the Cowboys to midfield.
1/10 - Aikman to Alvin Harper, Dallas it opening it up now - 14 yards.
1/10 - Aikman to Emmitt for 3.
2/7 - Big Daddy Lipscomb is a rookie in the DL rotation, he sacks Aikman.
3/13 - Aikman goes downfield for Kevin Williams - it's a first down 20 to the LA 12 with 4:22 left in the half.
1/10 - Aikman to Emmitt for 3, nothing but passes on this drive.
2/7 - Aikman to Jay Novacek in the endzone TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS -- Dallas is rolling just as was expected; huge 21-0 lead - LA will be starting at their own 8 yard line with 3:28 left.
3 and out. Short punt. Dallas starts at the Rams 33 yards line. 1:46.
1/10 - Emmitt runs for 11, Dallas timeout. Brutal day for LA.
1/10 - Aikman to Novacek for 13. Dallas at the 9.
1/goal - Emmitt for 5.
2/goal - Emmitt's in the end zone - TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS - in 2 and a half minutes the Cowboys are in the endzone twice, it's 28-0 and just a brutal whipping.
Rams start at the 37, :52 seconds left.
1/10 - Tom McCormick for 13.
1/10 - Van Brocklin finds Crazy Legs Hirsch for 8.
2/2 - Russell Maryland splats NVB - he loses 7, LA gets 5 back on an offsides.
3/4 - Van Brocklin to Bob Boyd for 13 to the 31. 21 seconds left.
2 incomplete passes and a FG end the half.
Third Quarter
So, this one is done, 28-3 - not a surprise, Super Bowl Champion against a non playoff team from 40 years prior. It's unclear how any pre-Super Bowl team will compete in the tournament, but you can't have everything.
Rams to start at the 32. They will get a first down on a Dan Towler 11 yard run, but that's all, the punt goes to the Dallas 19.
Dallas gets a first down, Emmitt gaining 24 yards on 3 carries, but that's all, and the punt goes to the LA 20.
3 and out. Dallas at their own 47.
3 and out. Rams get a nice Woodley Lewis return and are at the Dallas 46 yard line.
The first play gets them to the Cowboy 9 - NVB to Tank Younger for 37.
But the drive stops there and LA settles for the FG. 28-6
Dallas starts at the 25, runs one play, Aikman to Irvin for 12. And it ends the third.
4th Qtr
Dallas takes their foot off the gas in the third, lot of simple runs.
9 more for Emmitt and a first down - but that's all, Dallas punts. Rams to start at the 12.
1/10 - Younget stopped at the line.
2/10 - Younger for 5.
3/5 - NVB just escapes the heat and makes his way for 5.
1/10 - Towler for 3.
2/7 - NVG to Tom Fears for 6.
3/1- NVB to Hirsch - Dallas at midfield with 8:51 left. First down.
1/10 - NVB to Hirsch for 2.
2/8 - NVB hits Hirsch for 15 and the first down.
1/10 - NVB to Skeets Quinlan - Rams at the 23.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - NVB goes to Norb Hecker - in the end zone -- TOUCHDOWN RAMS - LA will miss the 2 pt conversion, they trail 28-12, Dallas taking over at their own 23, 7:25.
3 and out.
Rams take over at the 31. 5:04.
1/10 - NVB to Tom Fears for 13.
1/10 - Tony Tolbert plants NVB into the ground.
3 straight incomplete passes and the Cowboys take over at the LA 31. 4:20.
Bernie Kosar now makes his way to the field to finish up for Aikman.
1/10 - Derrick Lassic for 8.
2/2 - Lassic picks is up.
1/10 - Moose Johnston rumbles for 19 yards -- he is all the way into the end zone with the TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS - Dallas goes up 35-12.
Rams start at the 29 - 4 plays and they turn it over on downs - Kosar takes 3 knees and time expires.
Final: Cowboys 35 Rams 12
Never in doubt, Dallas rolls on into Round 2. Aikman with 2 incompletions all day.
Aikman 19-21 201 yards, 1 TD
Van Brocklin 12-22 166 yards 1 TD
Emmitt 20 carries 102 yards 2 TD
Quinlan 8 carries, 7 yds
Irvin 5 catches 67 yds
Hirsch 4 catches 44 yds
Player of the Game - TROY AIKMAN
And that ends Region 2, Round 1.
Next time we come back...
2007 Chargers at 1985 Bears
2015 Seahawks at 1968 Chiefs
2006 Patriots at 1997 Broncos
1998 Falcons at 1993 Cowboys
Region 2/Round 1 - MVP: LaDainian Tomlinson
