COWBOYS TAME PANTHERS 17-3 (Recap and photos)

[dogwood30]

TODAY IN THE NJLMFL- WHERE THE LEGENDS PLAY

NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF

DALLAS COWBOYS at CAROLINA PANTHERS

RECAP- The story of this game was domination. A legendary coach with a brilliant game plan and a team who executed it to near perfection. The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Carolina Panthers 17-3 in a very one sided game. Things started off badly for the Panthers when Steve Smith fumbled on the opening kickoff and the Cowboys recovered on the Panthers 35. The Dallas game plan was to run the ball, control the clock and keep the ball away from the explosive Panthers. On their opening drive they used Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett to run the ball further into Panther territory. Once inside the 10 the Panthers defense manned up and on 3rd and goal from the 3 Staubach rolled left holding off Juleius Peppers with a stiff arm and tried to force a pass to Tony Dorsett in the endzone but the weak pass was intercepted by LB Dan Morgan to stop the Cowboy drive. Carolina took over at their own 4. QB Kerry Collins found Steve Smith for 16 yards out to the 20 for a first down. The Panthers went three and out from there as the quarter ended scoreless. The 2nd Quarter began with a 75 yard punt and a touchback. The Cowboys started from their own 20 and the domination began. The Cowboys used Smith and Dorsett and a few timely 3rd down completions to move the ball down the field on an 11 play drive. A Staubach scramble got the ball to the Carolina 8 just inside 2 minutes to go. Smith and Dorsett got the ball to the 2 yard line. Instead of risking another pass the Cowboys tried running Emmitt Smith on a sweep to the right. Peppers blew up the play and hit Smith for a 2 yard loss back to the 4. Raphiel Septien came in and kicked a 21 yd FG and the half ended with Dallas up 3-0.

After keeping the ball for the entire second quarter the Cowboys got the second half kick and picked up where they left off using short runs and passes to move the Panthers back. Staubach hit a key 3rd down pass to Michael Irvin for 18 yards to keep the drive going. Finally Tony Dorsett scored on a 2 yd run with 6:39 to go in the 3rd quarter and a 10-0 Cowboy lead. The Cowboys had the ball for 21 minutes and 39 seconds before they gave the ball back to Carolina. When Carolina returned the kick to their own 43 their offense came on the field after spending over an hour on the sideline and locker room. To this point they had only run 4 offensive plays. Kerry Collins hit Smith for 12 yards and DeAngelo Williams ran for another 9. Carolina needed points and when Collins missed Smith on 3rd and 10 from the Dallas 33 head coach John Fox called on John Kasay for a long field goal attempt. Kasay barely got the kick over the crossbar and Carolina was on the board 10-3. Most important it was back to a one score game with 1:11 to go in the 3rd quarter. The Panthers defense was tough but the Dallas line was stronger and Smith and Dorsett continued their ground attack into the final quarter. On a key 3rd down play Emmitt Smith broke off a 38 yard run down to the Carolina 6. Smith then ran to the 3 and Dorsett got to the 1 setting up a 3rd and goal. On the 3rd down play Carolina stopped Dorsett for no gain but were hit with a facemask penalty. First down Dallas inside the 1. Emmitt Smith scored on the next play which was too close to call. Smith may have been just over the goal line at impact and it was ruled a TD. Carolina challenged the call but the play stood and the Cowboys opened up a 17-3 lead with 5:49 to go in the game. Collins then put together Carolina’s best drive of the day featuring a 35 yard pass to Mussin Muhammad down the Dallas 18. On the next play the Cowboys blitzed but Collins got the ball to Smith at the Dallas 4. Charlie Waters hit Smith and jarred the ball loose and Mel Renfro recovered on the Dallas 6 to snuff out the drive and the game. The Cowboys used Smith, Dorsett and Darryl “Moose” Johnston to run out the clock and a 17-3 victory. The Cowboys will now play some old friends when they go out to San Jose to play the Breakers for the NFC Championship. Danny White, Robert Newhouse and Tony Hill are amongst the former Cowboys who are now with the Breakers. This should be an interesting game.

SCORING TURNOVERS Dallas- 1 Carolina- 2

DALLAS 0-3-7-7 17
CAROLINA 0-0-3-0 3

Ist Qtr.- No Scoring

2nd Qtr.
DAL- Septien 21 yd FG………………………………………… ……3-0 :04

3rd Qtr.
DAL- Dorsett 2 yd run (Septien kick)……………………………….10-0 6:39
CAR- Kasay 50 yd FG………………………………………… …….10-3 1:11

4th Qtr
DAL- Smith 1 yd run (Septien kick)…………………………………17-3 5:49

INT- Carolina- Morgan

PHOTOS
1. Dorsett 2 yd TD
2. Emmitt gets close
3. Staubach to Pearson
4. Panthers goal line stand
5. E. Smith 38 yd run
6. NFL FILMS SHOT OF THE GAME- BE-WARE

[Treks1]

Nice teams!

[The Rookie]

Go Cowboys once again