The 1985 Season

Record: 10-6
NFC Eastern Division Champions

Synopsis:

Dallas began the 1985 season with serious problems. The failures of the previous drafts were catching up with the Cowboys and this draft did not help much in the present. One pick, though, did hold the key to the future. In the fifth round, the Cowboys selected Herschel Walker. Walker was currently with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL and wouldn't play with Cowboys until after the USFL went bust, which it did before the start of the next season.

The season began with much promise, and possibly once last chance for glory. Dallas won 5 of the first 6 before settling down to basically alternating wins and losses. Of most concern were a couple of losses to the best in the league. The most perplexing was the 44-0 loss to the Chicago Bears led by former Cowboy Mike Ditka and future enemy buddy ryan. Dallas did finish with a 10-6 record and the NFC Eastern Division Crown, winning the tie-breaker with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants. The offense improved over last year to score 357 points, but the defense allowed 333 points.

The playoffs began and ended with the Los Angeles Rams. It seemed that if it would be a short run through the playoffs, the Los Angeles Rams were the cause of end it. The Los Angeles Rams dominated the Cowboys 20-0. The Cowboys wouldn't be in the playoffs again for 6 years.

Notables:

• Roger Staubach inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 3
• New Training Headquarters at Valley Ranch opens on August 27
• Last Year of Long Playoff Run (18 of last 20 years)
• Dallas sacks Warren Moon (Houston) an NFL record 12 times on Sept. 29.

see 1985 NFL Standings