The 1978 Season
Record: 12-4
NFC Eastern Division Champion
NFC Champion
Synopsis:
- Dallas began the defense of the Super Bowl with essentially the same roster
as the 1977 season. Though it was an unusually poor draft for the Cowboys, the
Cowboys also didn't lose any of the stars either.
- Dallas got off to their normal slow start and after five games, they stood 3-2
before reeling off three straight games against division foes. They then dropped
back-to-back games to Minnesota and Miami. It would be the last games the Cowboys
would lose in the regular season. Dallas reeled off six straight to end the season
and appeared to have peaked just in time for the playoffs. Dallas finished with
12-4 record and another NFC Eastern Division title. More than that, Dallas scored
the most points in the NFL with 384 and allowed the fewest with only 208.
- Dallas faced Atlanta in their first playoff game. Atlanta had just won the
first wild-card game in the NFL's new playoff format. Atlanta hung tough, but
Dallas prevailed 27-20 after trailing at half-time. In the NFC Championship game,
they played the Los Angeles Rams. Dallas completed a 28-0 shutout and returned for
their second straight Super Bowl, this time against the team they thought would be
there last year: The Pittsburgh Steelers. Super Bowl XIII
is still heralded as one of the best. The game remained close, but Pittsburgh
led in the fourth quarter 21-17. Pittsburgh opened up the with two touchdowns to
lead 35-17 and stopped a Dallas comeback to win 35-31. Dallas wouldn't return for
14 years.
Notables:
- Roger Staubach is NFC Passing Champion
| Preseason |
|---|
| Week | Date | Opponent | W/L | Score |
|---|
| - | Aug 5 | San Francisco | W | 41-24 |
| - | Aug 12 | at Denver | W | 21-14 |
| - | Aug 19 | Houston | L | 13-27 |
| - | Aug 26 | Pittsburgh | W | 16-13 |
Regular Season
|
|---|
| Week | Date | Opponent | W/L | Score |
|---|
| 1 | Sept 4 (Mon) | Baltimore | W | 38-00 |
| 2 | Sept 10 | at NY Giants | W | 34-24 |
| 3 | Sept 17 | at Los Angeles | L | 14-27 |
| 4 | Sept 24 | St. Louis | W | 21-12 |
| 5 | Oct 2 (Mon) | at Washington | L | 09-05 |
| 6 | Oct 8 | NY Giants | W | 24-03 |
| 7 | Oct 15 | at St. Louis | W | 24-21 (OT) |
| 8 | Oct 22 | Philadelphia | W | 14-07 |
| 9 | Oct 26 (Thurs) | Minnesota | L | 10-21 |
| 10 | Nov 5 | at Miami | L | 16-23 |
| 11 | Nov 12 | Green Bay @Milwaukee, WI | W | 42-14 |
| 12 | Nov 19 | New Orleans | W | 27-07 |
| 13 | Nov 23 (Thurs) | Washington | W | 37-10 |
| 14 | Dec 3 | New England | W | 17-10 |
| 15 | Dec 10 | at Philadelphia | W | 31-13 |
| 16 | Dec 17 | at NY Jets | W | 30-07 |
Playoffs
|
|---|
| Week | Date | Opponent | W/L | Score |
|---|
| Div | Dec 30 (Sat) | Atlanta | W | 27-20 |
| NFC | Jan 7 | at Los Angeles | W | 28-00 |
| SB XIII | Jan 21 | Pittsburgh @Miami, FL | L | 31-35 |
Last Updated: August 10, 2000
jrbeasley@email.msn.com