The Clint Longley Game (Thanksgiving 1974)

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, my friend Dave DePaola and I have a podcast on our most memorable Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving games. Dave and I have both been Cowboys fans since we were kids and we are in agreement that the 1974 game against the Washington Redskins is our most memorable Thanksgiving game.

But before we get to that game I will briefly discuss two other games that rank high on my list.

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1971 Thanksgiving Game

On November 25th, 1971, the 7–3 Cowboys played the 6–3–1 LA Rams. The Rams were battling the 49ers for first place in the NFC Western Division and held a half-game lead on SF going into this game. Likewise, the Cowboys had a half-game lead over Washington for first place in the NFC Eastern Division.

The game couldn’t have started any better for the Cowboys as backup defensive back Ike Thomas returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. But the Rams came back with two touchdowns of their own to take a 14–7 lead. Dallas tied the game when Roger Staubach connected with Bob Hayes for a 51-yard touchdown strike.

In the third quarter, Lance Alworth caught a 21-yard pass from Staubach to give Dallas a 21–14 lead. But the Rams weren’t done and tied it at 21 to end the third quarter. Duane Thomas scored the final touchdown on a five-yard run to give the Cowboys a 28–21 victory.

While the Cowboys’ offense wasn’t overpowering in this game, they played well enough and didn’t turn the ball over. The Doomsday Defense forced three turnovers and held the Rams’ running game to 86 yards.

1978 Thanksgiving Day Game

On November 23, 1978, Dallas played Washington with both teams sporting an 8–4 record. The Redskins had a new Head Coach in Jack Pardee, who had played linebacker for Washington in his last two seasons, 1971 and 1972.

Without George Allen there it seemed like the intense rivalry between these two teams would die down a little, but Joe Thiesmann kept it alive. On October 2nd Washington led Dallas 9–3 on Monday Night Football at RFK Stadium. The Redskins faced a 4th down with only seconds remaining in the game. They didn’t want to risk a turnover, so they took a safety.

Theismann ran to the end zone and instead of taking a knee he defiantly held the ball up. Defensive back Charlie Waters tackled him hard, hoping he would fumble the ball, which he did, but out of bounds. Theisman then picked up the ball and spiked it. This raised the ire of several Cowboys players who vowed revenge. Seven weeks later they got it.

The Thanksgiving game was never close. In the second quarter, Drew Pearson caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach and Dallas led 20–0 at halftime. Things only got worse in the second half.

In the fourth quarter backup fullback Larry Brinson ran for a 39-yard touchdown to give Dallas a 37–3 lead. Late in the fourth quarter, former Cowboy Jean Fuggett scored on a 16-yard pass reception to make the score slightly more respectable. The final was Dallas 37 Washington 10.

Dallas outgained Washington in total yardage 507 to 201. The Cowboys gained 289 yards rushing, led by backup fullback Scott Laidlaw who gained 122 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns. Drew Pearson gained 116 yards receiving while Tony Hill added another 94 yards.

Defensively the Doomsday Defense held John Riggins to 40 yards rushing, sacked Joe Theismann three times, and limited him to only ten completions for 150 yards.

The Cowboys went on to win their fifth NFC title before losing a close game to the Steelers in Super Bowl Xlll. The Redskins never recovered and lost their next three games, finishing the season at 8–8.

The Clint Longley Game (1974 Thanksgiving)

Now for our featured game. On November 28, 1974, the 6–5 Cowboys played the 8–3 Redskins. The surprising St. Louis Cardinals led the division with a 9–2 record. The Cowboys were in danger of not qualifying for the playoffs and needed to win this game to have any hope.

Washington won the coin toss and elected to receive but they quickly went three and out and punted. Dallas took possession on their 30-yard line and fullback Robert Newhouse ran for 11 yards on their first play from scrimmage. But the drive stalled quickly and the Cowboys lined up to punt.

But instead of punting, punter Duane Carroll threw the ball to defensive back Benny Barnes who gained 37 yards. After two runs by Newhouse gained nine yards, Walt Garrison gained five more to give Dallas a first down at the Washington 4-yard line.

After no gain on the next run, the Cowboys lost five yards via a penalty. Pat Fischer intercepted a pass intended for Billy Joe Dupree but Washington was penalized for holding. But the next three plays gained nothing and Dallas settled for a field goal.

Washington took possession on their 32. After a 16-yard completion to tight end Jerry Smith, three runs got them to the Cowboys 35-yard line. The next three plays gained little and a 45-yard field goal by kicker Mark Mosley tied the score.

Dallas took possession on their 20-yard line. On second down and eight running back Charles Young caught a 9-yard pass for a first down.

After an incomplete pass, Young ran for 11 yards. On a third and six, Staubach was intercepted by former Packers linebacker Dave Robinson who ran it to the Cowboys’ 20-yard line. But the Doomsday Defense held and Washington settled for a field goal and a 6–3 lead.


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11/26/2024 05:23 am GMT

After Mosley boomed another kickoff into the end zone Dallas began at their 20-yard line. Robert Newhouse ran for 8 yards and Staubach ran for 9 more, but the drive fizzled and Dallas punted.

Third-string quarterback Joe Thiesmann returned the kickoff for 11 yards but the Redskins went three and out.

The Cowboys’ next possession got off to a promising start after a 19-yard punt return by Dennis Morgan and a 6-yard run by Robert Newhouse. But Staubach was sacked on the next two plays by Diron Talbert and Dallas punted.

Cornerback Mark Washington broke up a pass to Roy Jefferson but on the next play, Billy Kilmer connected with Charley Taylor for a 13-yard gain. Former Cowboys running back Duane Thomas ran for five yards and Moses Denson gained 11 yards on a pass reception. Thomas then ran for twelve yards but the drive stalled and Mosley missed on a 50-yard field goal attempt.

Dallas took over on their 32-yard line and Walt Garrison fumbled. The Redskins recovered it and after a 9-yard completion to Thomas, Mosley kicked a field goal to give Washington a 9–3 halftime lead.

Dallas began the second half at their 23-yard line. Walt Garrison burst up the middle for a 15-yard gain but was stripped of the ball by linebacker Chris Hanburger, (a master of stripping the ball from opponents). The Redskins recovered and went for the kill, as Kilmer connected with Charley Taylor who ran the ball to the one-yard line before getting tackled. But the play was nullified because of an illegal motion penalty.

On third and eleven Denson ran for twelve yards and a first down. On second and ten Roy Jefferson caught a pass for eleven yards. Kilmer then connected with Duane Thomas for a 10-yard touchdown to give Washington a 16–3 lead.

Mosley once again kicked the ball into the end zone, forcing a touchback. On a second and ten Staubach connected with Robert Newhouse for a 21-yard gain. On a third and seven play, Staubach ran for nine yards before a hard but clean tackle by Dave Robinson knocked Roger out of the game with a concussion. It had been a tough day for Roger, who completed only three of eleven passes for 32 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

On third and eight rookie quarterback Cling Longley completed a pass to Walt Garrison that gained 9 yards. On second and ten Longley hit tight end Billy Joe Dupree for a 35-yard touchdown strike.

The Redskins went three and out on their next possession and after a long punt by Mike Bragg, the Cowboys took over on their 30-yard line. On a second and seven, Longley connected with Dupree again, this time for a 20-yard gain. A long pass to Golden Richards was overthrown. It had been a frustrating day for Richards who kept getting open, only to have the ball thrown off target.

After a nine-yard reception by Pearson, Newhouse gained seven yards on a run. On a third and eight, Longley hit Charles Young for a gain of fourteen. Young was normally a backup running back but got the start in this game due to a Calvin Hill injury.

On a second down and seven, Longley threw to Newhouse in the end zone and Dave Robinson was called for interference. Walt Garrison plowed in from the one-yard line to give Dallas a 17–16 lead. The ten-play 70-yard drive was the most impressive drive of the day for either team.

But there was still a full quarter to play and on third and eight, Kilmer connected with Roy Jefferson for a 39-yard gain, just before getting leveled by defensive end Harvey Martin. From the Cowboys 20-yard line, Duane Thomas, looking as smooth and graceful as he did three years earlier playing for Dallas, took it in for a touchdown.

Starting from their 17-yard line, Longley threw a long accurate pass to Pearson, but Pat Fischer broke it up. On the next play, Charles Young fumbled and Washington took possession at the 16-yard line. On a third and four, linebacker DD Lewis managed to trip up Duane Thomas just shy of the first down. A chip shot field goal by Mark Mosley was blocked by rookie Ed “Too Tall” Jones.

From their 20-yard line, Newhouse ran for eight yards. On third and two Pearson caught a pass to gain ten yards and a first down. Longley got drilled by Diron Talbert just as he released the ball. On the next play, Pearson caught a pass for a 19-yard gain. From there the drive fizzled out and Dallas punted. But the Redskins couldn’t do anything with their possession and punted it right back to Dallas.

After a Cowboys penalty on first down, Charles Young ran for 14 yards on a draw play. Newhouse gained 11 yards on a sweep and then Dupree gained 10 yards on a pass reception to get the ball to the Redskins 30-yard line. But then Longley got sacked by Bill Brundidge and Verlon Biggs for a 15-yard loss. Next, Pat Fisher forced a fumble after a reception by Drew Pearson.

Mike Bass recovered the fumble for Washington but once again the Redskins offense was shut down by the Doomsday Defense. The Redskins punted and Dallas took possession at their 42-yard line. After a facemask penalty on Washington, Longley threw to Golden Richards, but the pass was too low to catch. It was the ninth time in the game that Richards had a pass thrown to him with almost every pass being way off the mark.

The next two plays produced little gain and it was now fourth down and six yards to go. Enter future Hall of Famer Bob Hayes, who was in his final season with the Cowboys and no longer a starter. Hayes, who lined up in the backfield on this play, caught his only reception of the day and got just enough yardage for the first down.

Next, Longley threw an incompletion to Pearson. On second down Longley dropped back and with excellent pass protection, he let it fly. The result was a 50-yard touchdown strike to Pearson. It was sweet redemption for Drew who two weeks earlier against the Redskins, had misjudged a pass in the end zone that would have tied the score and sent the game into overtime. It was a costly loss for the Cowboys.

The Redskins got the ball back with 28 seconds left. Kilmer dropped back to pass and was hit by defensive tackle Jethro Pugh, causing Kilmer to fumble the ball. Harvey Martin recovered it and the game was over!

The Cowboys had 23 first downs compared to only 11 for the Redskins and 373 total yards to the Redskins 207. But the Cowboys turned the ball over five times and the Redskins capitalized on those turnovers.

The game will forever be known as “The Clint Longley Game”. Longley threw 20 passes and completed 11 for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Drew Pearson caught 5 passes for 108 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown.

The Cowboys defeated the Cleveland Browns 41–17 the following week to improve their record to 8–5 but failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1965.

Washington won their final two games of the regular season to finish with a 10–4 record qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card. But they lost their playoff game to the Rams 19–10.

Mark Morthier is the host of Yesterday’s Sports, a podcast dedicated to reliving memorable sports moments from his childhood days and beyond. He grew up in New Jersey just across from New York City, so many of his episodes revolve around the great sport’s teams of the 70s for the New York area.

He is also an author of No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training (Second Edition): A Guide for People with Limited Time and Running Wild: (Growing Up in the 1970s)