There was, though, much more to this game. Dallas showed the resolve of a champion, even if the Cowboys ran out of time to complete a comeback that could have taken the game into overtime.
Dallas fell behind early when the defense gave up a 76-yard drive capped off by a touchdown pass from Bart Starr to Elijah Pitts. Mel Renfro fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which was returned 18 yards by Jim Grabowski for a touchdown.
Green Bay led 14-0 before Dallas had touched the ball. But the Cowboys did not give up, and touchdown runs by Dan Reeves and Don Perkins tied the game at 14 by the end of the first quarter.
Dallas continually had to play catch-up. In the second quarter, Starr hit Carroll Dale on a 51-yard score, giving Green Bay a 21-14 lead. Dallas kicked a field goal before the half, then kicked another to cut the score to 21-20.
Touchdown receptions by Boyd Dowler and Max McGee gave the Packers a 34-20 lead, though, and all appeared lost. But when Bob Lilly blocked an extra point with 5:20 remaining in the game, the Cowboys had some hope.
Dallas cut the lead to seven when Don Meredith hit Frank Clarke on a 68-yard touchdown on deep post route. The Packers focused much of their attention on Bob Hayes, and when safety Willie Wood hesitated after Hayes faked a fly route, Meredith was able to find Clarke over the middle on the deep throw.
The Dallas defense held on the next possession, and when Don Chandler’s kick went off the side of his foot, the Cowboys had the ball inside Green Bay territory. Dallas went deep to Clarke again, and when an official flagged Tom Brown for pass interference, the Cowboys had the ball on the Packer 1-yard line.
Dallas had four plays to tie the game up, but the team’s luck ran out.
1st Down, GB 1: Dan Reeves ran up the middle for no gain.
2nd Down, GB 1: Tackle Jim Boeke was called for a false start, moving the ball back to the GB 6.
2nd Down, GB 6: Reeves dropped a pass attempt in the flat.
3rd Down, GB 6: Meredith hit Pettis Norman, who was knocked out of bounds at the 2. The shot at the top of this post shows Norman landing out of bounds after making the catch.
4th Down, GB 2: Green Bay LB Dave Robinson rushed Don Meredith, forcing the Dallas QB to throw a desperation pass into the end zone. Tom Brown picked off the pass, ending the Dallas season.
For more on this game, check out:
Green Bay Rolls High (Sports Illustrated, Jan. 9, 1966)
Before the Ice Bowl (Cold, Hard Football Facts, Sept. 21, 2008)
Best Cowboy Year 2 Yards Too Short (Dallas Morning News, Jan. 2, 1966)
Box Score (Pro-Football-Reference)
I hope folks are following this series closely. This game defined so much about the early Cowboys, dubbed “Next Year’s Champions” until 1971-72. I was only 11 at the time, but this game stuck with me over the years–it was so darned exciting. Sure wish their was a replay available. Younger fans would certainly find it inspiring.
I forget where I read this, but Reeves blamed himself for the Cowboys’ failure on the last drive.
In fact, there was plenty of blame to go around, including Boeke, Coach Landry, Hayes and Meredith, although, as you say, fans only remember Meredith’s desperation INT.
Reeves apparently had his eye scratched or a contact popped out, or something like that, so his vision was blurred when he tried to make the 2nd down catch. Had Boeke not jumped, Norman’s 3rd down catch would’ve been a TD (as Dandy Don says, “if wishes and buts were candies and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas!”).
On the pivotal 4th down play, there was a substitution error made by coach Landry. On short yardage or goal-line situations, Hayes was normally taken out and Frank Clarke put in for his bigger bulk.
For some mysterious reason, Landry left Hayes in. On the climactic play, Clarke was supposed to block down on Robinson. Instead, Hayes merely chipped him (if that) on his way out on his pattern.
Of course, Robinson blew right past Hayes on a perfectly timed blitz and was in Meredith’s face before Don even had a chance to cock his throw.
His desperation pass (the play was actually a run-pass option, which was the Cowboys’ bread-and-butter play the entire season) landed in Tom Brown’s waiting arms; Hayes had no chance and the game was over.
So many things conspired in the final minutes to bring the Cowboys down, but it was a glorious effort for their first time, against the three-time defending champs.