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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 23:34:09 GMT 10
Sunday Jan 17, 1993 Start Time: 4:00pm |
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 23:34:47 GMT 10
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 23:35:08 GMT 10
The Giants might have pulled off a great victory in 2012. But the Dallas Cowboys’ win over the 49ers in the 1992 NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park burns a little more.
Why? Well, it ended one dynasty and began another. And San Francisco was no longer the NFL’s top dog.
The only point at which the Niners led was in the first quarter, thanks to a 1-yard scramble by quarterback Steve Young. And then Dallas took over, with quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith doing the lion’s share of work.
In the fourth quarter, the 49ers found themselves trailing 24-13. But the Niners looked like their vintage selves, driving 93 yards and capping it off with a 5-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Jerry Rice at the 4:22 mark.
All that was needed was a defensive stop and another touchdown. Easy, right?
Well, it didn’t happen.
Cowboys wideout Kelvin Martin scored three plays later, putting Dallas up 30-20 and ending the Niners dynasty of the 1980s.
Worse yet, this was the game in which then-Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson infamously said, “How ’bout them Cowboys!” when the game was over.
No 49ers fan ever likes hearing that.
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 23:35:33 GMT 10
 Running back Ricky Watters #32 of the San Francisco 49ers run past defensive tackle Russell Maryland #67 of the Dallas Cowboys. |
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 23:35:54 GMT 10
The Niners’ playoff runs in 1992 and 1993 were tough to admit. After all, following San Francisco being the “team of the decade” in the 1980s, the Cowboys were now becoming the primary force in the 1990s.
Two back-to-back losses in the NFC Championship those seasons marked the transition from one dynasty to another, and the second of those heartbreaking defeats makes this list at No. 8.
The game itself wasn’t overly spectacular. The SF 49ers led only once in the game following a touchdown run by Steve Young in the first quarter. And while the Niners managed to stay in contention for the rest of the bout, it was pretty clear Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith were taking over.
Aikman outdueled Young by tossing two touchdowns against zero interceptions against Young’s two picks thrown. And while San Francisco closed the gap late to make it 24-20, a late touchdown pass from Aikman to wide receiver Kelvin Martin sealed the deal.
The loss wouldn’t have been so bad from the SF 49ers’ vantage point if it weren’t for Dallas’ head coach, Jimmy Johnson, shouting “How ’bout them Cowboys?” in the locker room after the game:
To this day, when that sound clip airs, no Niners fan likes to recall that was after Dallas pulled off the victory over San Francisco.
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 23:36:26 GMT 10
 Running back Emmitt Smith #22 of the Dallas Cowboys. |
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Post by NFL Historian on Nov 1, 2023 21:51:45 GMT 10
Game information
Even though the Cowboys had only one more yard of total offense than the 49ers (416–415), Dallas forced four critical turnovers that helped them earn the win. On San Francisco's first drive of the game, a controversial holding penalty on guard Guy McIntyre nullified a 63-yard touchdown completion from quarterback Steve Young to wide receiver Jerry Rice, and the 49ers had to punt. Despite a 19-yard reception from Michael Irvin on the Cowboys first play, they also had to punt, but returner Alan Grant fumbled after a hit from Dixon Edwards and Dallas fullback Daryl Johnston recovered on the 49ers 22. The Cowboys restarted their drive with a completion to Irvin, this one a 21-yard gain to the 1-yard line. But the San Francisco defense managed to hold them up on three consecutive plays, forcing Dallas to settle for Lin Elliott's 20-yard field goal.
San Francisco running back Marc Logan returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to the Cowboys 48-yard line. Aided by a 16-yard run from Ricky Watters, San Francisco drove 48 yards and scored with Young's 1-yard touchdown run to take a 7–3 lead. Dallas was forced to punt on their next drive after Troy Aikman was sacked twice (one by Bill Romanowski and the other by Martin Harrison) for 19 total yards, and Grant returned the football to the Cowboys 47-yard line. San Francisco then drove to the Dallas 29-yard line, but the drive stalled there and Mike Cofer missed a 47-yard field goal try. After a punt, Watters lost a fumble that was recovered by defensive back Kevin Smith. Aided by a defensive holding call against Pierce Holt for holding up running back Emmitt Smith at the line on third down (the 49ers objected, stating that Holt was fooled by a fake handoff into thinking Smith actually had the ball), Dallas took a 10–7 lead with Smith's 4-yard touchdown run. A 21-yard reception by Rice sparked a 49ers drive to the Cowboys 10-yard line where Cofer made a 28-yard field goal to tie the game with less than two minutes left in the second quarter. Cofer's kickoff went out of bounds, giving Dallas a chance to score before the end of the half. Aikman managed to lead them to the 49ers 25-yard line, but Elliott's 43-yard field goal attempt went wide right and it was tied at 10 going into halftime.
After receiving the second half kickoff, the Cowboys marched 78 yards, featuring a 38-yard leaping catch by Alvin Harper over Eric Davis, to score on Johnston's 3-yard touchdown run to take a 17–10 lead.
The 49ers struck back with a 35-yard completion from Young to Rice that set up a 43-yard field goal by Cofer, cutting the score to 17–13. However, Dallas put together a 79-yard drive which consumed nine minutes with a key 31-yard reception by tight end Jay Novacek. This second long drive was capped by Aikman's 16-yard touchdown pass to Smith, giving the Cowboys a 24–13 advantage.
On the ensuing drive for San Francisco midway into the fourth, Cowboys linebacker Ken Norton Jr. intercepted a pass from Young and returned it to the 49ers 45-yard line, and Dallas subsequently marched to the 7. Rather than attempt a field goal on fourth down and 1, Smith attempted to run for the first down, but was tackled by linebacker Michael Walter for no gain. The 49ers then drove 93 yards to score on Rice's 5-yard touchdown reception, cutting the lead to 24–20 with 4:22 left in the game. But on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Aikman threw a 14-yard pass to Harper, who ended up running for a 70-yard gain to the San Francisco 9-yard line. Three plays later, wide receiver Kelvin Martin scored on a 6-yard touchdown reception, making it 30–20 (the extra point was blocked) with 3:43 to play. The 49ers attempted one last drive to come back, but Young was intercepted, this time by free safety James Washington at the 2:00 warning, thus ending any hope of a 49er comeback.
Aikman threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Smith rushed for 24 carries and 114 yards, caught seven passes for 59 yards, and scored two touchdowns. Harper caught three passes for 117 yards. Defensive tackle Tony Casillas recorded three sacks. Meanwhile, Young recorded 313 passing yards and one touchdown, but threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter. Rice caught eight passes for 123 yards and a score. Watters rushed for 69 yards and caught six passes for 69. In the Cowboys post-game locker room speech cameras caught coach Jimmy Johnson saying "How Bout Them Cowboys" which has become a popular expression. This game stood as the last road playoff win for the Cowboys until 30 years later in the 2022-23 playoffs.
This was later featured on NFL's Greatest Games as Changing of the Guard.
This was the fifth postseason meeting between the Cowboys and 49ers. Dallas won three of the four meetings.
Wikipedia
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