1974 Dallas Cowboys season

The 1974 Dallas Cowboys season was their 15th in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 10–4, winning only eight games.[1] They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons and this marked the only season from 1966 to 1983 (18 seasons) that the Cowboys missed the playoffs.

1974 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerClint Murchison, Jr.
Head coachTom Landry
General managerTex Schramm
Home fieldTexas Stadium
Results
Record8–6
Division place3rd NFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone

The Cowboys began with a 1–4 start and although they went 7–2 afterwards, it was not enough to overcome the slow start.

The season featured one of the most memorable Thanksgiving Day games in Cowboys history. Trailing 16–3 in the second half (and having already lost quarterback Roger Staubach to injury), little used backup Clint Longley threw two touchdown passes to lead the team to a 24–23 victory over the Redskins at Texas Stadium.

1974 was also a season of transition; as it would be the final season of future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Bob Lilly. Also finishing their careers that season would be fullback Walt Garrison; and center Dave Manders. Also, this would be the final season for wide receiver Bob Hayes (who would finish his career with the San Francisco 49ers the following year); running back Calvin Hill (who departed for the Hawaiians of the World Football League); defensive end Pat Toomay (who left for the Buffalo Bills); guard John Niland (who left the following year for the Philadelphia Eagles) and quarterback Craig Morton (traded early in the season to the New York Giants) in a Cowboy uniform.

Offseason

Draft
Main article: 1974 NFL Draft
1974 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 1 Ed Jones *  DE Tennessee State
1 22 Charley Young  RB NC State
3 53 Danny White *  QB Arizona St
3 72 Cal Peterson  LB UCLA
4 97 Ken Hutcherson  LB Livingston
4 101 Andy Adrade  LB Northern Michigan
5 126 John Kelsey  OT Missouri Signed with the WFL
6 151 Jim Bright  S UCLA Signed with the WFL
7 176 Raymond Nester  LB Michigan State
8 205 Mike Holt  DB Michigan State
8 230 Bill Dulin  OT Johnson C. Smith
10 255 Dennis Morgan  RB Western Illinois
11 280 Harvey McGee  WR Southern Mississippi
12 309 Keith Bobo  QB SMU
13 334 Fred Lima  K Colorado
14 359 Doug Richards  DB BYU
15 384 Bruce Craft  OT Geneva College
16 413 Gene Killian  OG Tennessee
17 438 Lawrie Skolrood  OT North Dakota Signed with the CFL
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[2]

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game Site Attendance Recap
1 September 15 at Atlanta Falcons W 24–0 1–0 Atlanta Stadium 52,332 Recap
2 September 23 at Philadelphia Eagles L 10–13 1–1 Veterans Stadium 64,089 Recap
3 September 29 New York Giants L 6–14 1–2 Texas Stadium 45,841 Recap
4 October 6 Minnesota Vikings L 21–23 1–3 Texas Stadium 57,847 Recap
5 October 13 at St. Louis Cardinals L 28–31 1–4 Busch Memorial Stadium 49,885 Recap
6 October 20 Philadelphia Eagles W 31–24 2–4 Texas Stadium 43,586 Recap
7 October 27 at New York Giants W 21–7 3–4 Yale Bowl 57,381 Recap
8 November 3 St. Louis Cardinals W 17–14 4–4 Texas Stadium 64,146 Recap
9 November 10 San Francisco 49ers W 20–14 5–4 Texas Stadium 50,018 Recap
10 November 17 at Washington Redskins L 21–28 5–5 RFK Stadium 54,395 Recap
11 November 24 at Houston Oilers W 10–0 6–5 Houston Astrodome 49,775 Recap
12 November 28 Washington Redskins W 24–23 7–5 Texas Stadium 63,243 Recap
13 December 7 Cleveland Browns W 41–17 8–5 Texas Stadium 48,754 Recap
14 December 14 at Oakland Raiders L 23–27 8–6 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 45,840 Recap

Division opponents are in bold text [3]

Game summaries

Week 3 vs Giants
See also: 1974 New York Giants season and Cowboys–Giants rivalry
New York Giants (1–1) at Dallas Cowboys (1–1)
1 2 34Total
Giants 0 14 0014
Cowboys 0 0 066

at Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas

  • Date: September 29
  • Game time: 2:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C) • Wind 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
  • Game attendance: 45,841
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com

Week 6 vs Eagles
Week 6: Philadelphia Eagles (4–1) at Dallas Cowboys (1–4)
1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 17 7024
Cowboys 0 14 10731

at Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas

  • Date: October 20
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C) • Wind 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h; 5.2 kn)
  • Game attendance: 43,586
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com

Week 12 vs Redskins
Washington Redskins (8–3) at Dallas Cowboys (6–5)
1 2 34Total
Redskins 3 6 7723
Cowboys 3 0 14724

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Thanksgiving Day

Roger Staubach was knocked out of the game.

Standings
NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
St. Louis Cardinals 10 4 0 .714 7–1 8–3 285 218 W1
Washington Redskins 10 4 0 .714 5–3 8–3 320 196 W2
Dallas Cowboys 8 6 0 .571 4–4 6–5 297 235 L1
Philadelphia Eagles 7 7 0 .500 3–5 5–6 242 217 W3
New York Giants 2 12 0 .143 1–7 1–10 195 299 L6

Roster
Dallas Cowboys 1974 roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

 Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

 Reserve Lists

Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
46 Active, 0 Inactive

Publications
  • The Football Encyclopedia ISBN 0-312-11435-4
  • Total Football ISBN 0-06-270170-3
  • Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes ISBN 0-446-51950-2

References
  1. 1974 Dallas Cowboys
  2. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1974.htm
  3. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1974.htm
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