(1) Emmitt Breaks Rushing Record vs (9) Defending The Star - click to watch video
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Emmitt Breaks Rushing Record [72%]
With 9:28 left in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks, running back Emmitt Smith burst up the middle 11 yards to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher passing Walter Payton's mark of 16,726 career rushing yards. Smith finished his Cowboys' 13-year career with 17,162 yards.
Defending The Star [28%]
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Long before Terrell Owens became a Cowboy, he became the villain on a September day in 2000 when he twice celebrated touchdowns, as a member of the 49ers, on the Cowboys' midfield star at Texas Stadium. The first time, he simply raised his arms upward to the open sky. That was retaliated by Emmitt Smith, who spiked the ball at midfield in anger after a score. But later in the game, T.O. scored again and this time as he sprinted to the star, he was followed by safety George Teague, who decked him to the ground, starting quite an altercation and instantly starting a feud between one player and a team. Who knew they would unite some six years later?
It was the last game of the regular season, Cowboys-Redskins. Turned out to be last regular-season game of Roger Staubach's career. The winner was claiming the NFC East title. The loser, as it turned out, would not make the playoffs. And there the Cowboys were, trailing 34-21, with only 6:54 to play before Captain Comeback put on his cap, capping one of the most dramatic comebacks in Cowboys history with his seven-yard touchdown pass to Tony Hill.
No, Leon, No! [72%]
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Eleven months after his fumble in the waning moments of the Cowboys' blowout Super Bowl XXVII victory, defensive tackle Leon Lett made another notorious mistake on a sleet-filled 1993 Thanksgiving Day. This time, it cost the Cowboys. Leading 14-13 in the final seconds, Lett senselessly attempted to recover a blocked field goal but slipped on the ice and lost control of the ball. The Dolphins recovered at Dallas' 1-yard line and kicked the game-winning field goal.
(3) Longley Saves Day vs (6) First Playoff Game Turns Super - click to watch video
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Longley Saves Day [63%]
In one of the most memorable Thanksgiving Day games in Cowboys history, little-known backup quarterback Clint Longely came off the bench to replace an injured Roger Staubach in the second half. Trailing 16-3, he led the Cowboys to a pair of third-quarters to take a one-point lead.
But after the Redskins regained the lead with a touchdown in the fourth, followed by a fumble recovery with less than three minutes to play, all hope seemed lost. But Longley got the ball back with more shot and with 35 seconds remaining, he fired a perfect 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson, giving the Cowboys an improbable 24-23 Turkey Day win.
First Playoff Game Turns Super [37%]
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For the second straight year, the Cowboys met the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. But unlike the year before when Dallas pulled off the upset in San Francisco, the Cowboys played host this year, and did so at the brand-new Texas Stadium for the site's first playoff game. The Cowboys didn't disappoint the home fans, dusting off the 49ers, 14-3 behind a pair of touchdown runs from Calvin Hill and Duane Thomas. Roger Staubach actually led the team in rushing with 55 yards on a day when he threw for just 108. The Cowboys cruised on to Super Bowl XI where they demolished the Dolphins, 24-3 to claim their first ever NFL championship.
While Jason Garrett was a backup quarterback for the majority of his career, his most memorable moment of his career occurred in a 1994 Thanksgiving classic, when he ignited a second-half rally past the Packers at Texas Stadium. Trailing 17-6 at halftime, Garrett threw two second-half scores and passed for a total of 311 yards and led the Cowboys to 36 points in the final two quarters. Garrett out-dueled Packers quarterback Brett Favre, who threw four touchdowns to Sterling Sharpe.
Romo Says Thanks x 5 [36%]
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In just his fifth career start, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo put on a Thanksgiving Day show at Texas Stadium, torching the hapless Buccaneers with five touchdowns as the Cowboys routed Tampa Bay 38-10. Romo improved to 4-1 as a starter by spreading the wealth. He threw two touchdowns each to Terry Glenn and Marion Barber and then a fifth score to Terrell Owens. Romo finished the day 22-of-29 passing for 306 yards and five scores, tying a Cowboys single-game record.
