After the Cowboys' Danny Villanueva missed a 25-yard field goal, Jurgensen led an 80-yard drive that ended with a 26-yard pass to Taylor in the end zone. The extra point was blocked, however, and Dallas took a 21-6 lead into halftime.
The second half brought more misery. The Redskins fumbled two more times, Dallas quarterback Don Meredith escaped a seemingly certain sack and completed a 19-yard pass, and Villanueva kicked a 29-yard field goal that lifted Dallas to a 24-6 lead midway through the third quarter. But Jurgensen produced an 82-yard scoring drive near the end of the quarter, sneaking in himself from the one. Then reserve halfback Danny Lewis capped a surge at the start of the fourth period with a two-yard dive that narrowed the Dallas lead to 24-20.
Dallas quickly increased that to 31-20 after an interception by Cowboys linebacker Dave Edwards. Receiver Frank Clarke took a short Meridith pass near midfield and raced into the end zone. Fewer than six minutes remained.
On the Redskins' next possession, Jurgensen was aided by Angelo Coia's acrobatic catch of a 39-yard pass at the Dallas 10. One play later, Jurgensen hit Mitchell in the end zone. Huff and the defense held — and Jurgensen got the ball on the Redskins 20. Left on the clock: 1:41.
Jurgensen promptly fumbled, then just as promptly picked the ball up and scrambled for a nine-yard gain. Pass interference provided another nine yards. Jurgensen next hit rookie tight end Jerry Smith for 22 more yards. From the Cowboys' 40, Jurgensen lofted a pass that Mitchell grabbed at the five an instant before being belted by Dallas defensive back Cornell Green. On the clock: 1:14. Washington called time.
On the next play, Coia faked a block inside and then cut outside. Backpeddling, Jurgensen floated a pass over the Dallas defenders and into his arms. From the 21-0 hole, the Redskins had climbed into a 34-31 lead.
Dallas, however, had a minute to rally. Meridith quickly completed a 20-yard pass to Pete Gent and later hit Hayes with a 35-yarder to the Washington 37. With only seven seconds left, Villaneuva tried a 45-yard field goal. But Huff and Fred Williams pushed the Cowboys interior linemen back — and Lonnie Sanders burst through to block the kick and preserve the Redskins victory.
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Other Pages in Chapter 2: 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78
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Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Names, Numbers Trivia Quiz Index |
