COWBOYS vs Bengals SBXVI at Pontiac, 1/24/82

[74_75_78_79_]

I know that this hypothetical has been discussed here-and-there on this site, but in the event of...Pearson wearing a tighter jersey (slipping Wright's grasp) following that end-of-the-game reception two weeks earlier at Candlestick, how do both 12-4 teams match up for all-the-marbles?

Would Gregg setting up that uptight pre-game atmosphere (a la Vermeil a year prior) do Cincy in as well here? Or does Landry, despite he and his team's obvious big-game-experience going in, try to overthink/outsmart himself as he would at times in previous big games?

[Brian wolf]

In a hypothetical matchup between these two teams, the key would have been Dorsett ...

Would he still be affected by the eye injury from the SF game or run with authority ? He played well in his first two SBs with the Cowboys and was instrumental in the victory against Denver but was fumbling a lot by 1981, especially at the worst times. A close matchup indeed but though Dallas had a slow secondary and linebacker corps, they were very creative getting to the QB, especially with their front four and I believe, win a close game.

[racepug]

Pfft. The only reason that team from Texas was even in the game that late was because the 49ers coughed the ball up a bunch of times. The N.F.C. entry from Texas had gone to San Francisco a few weeks earlier and had gotten absolutely ambushed by the 49ers.

[Brian wolf]

That team from Texas, who forced six turnovers, should have won the game. After Pearson was tackled by Wright, they only needed another 15 yards to get into kicker, Septien's range. Instead, on the next play, Pillars for the Niners, blows up the Cowboy guard, hits Danny White and forces a fumble recovered by Stuckey. White was a good QB but would fumble in all three NFC Championship games he played. Had he gotten through this game, he might have been more relaxed for the Super Bowl but we will never know ...

[IrishJimmy]

I always love the hypotheticals like this. Not sure on this one. I always wonder what happens in Super Bowl itself if Anderson doesn't throw that early red zone INT.

[Brian wolf]

The Collinsworth fumble and interception of Anderson from Eric Wright, who was in on both plays, cost the Bengals dearly. Wright was excellent in postseason.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Impossible to say. Tony Hill and Drew Pearson might have been a tough matchup for that Bengals secondary. I always thought the Bengals that played the 49ers a few years later were much better although admittedly I wasn't able to watch very many of their regular season games.

[Gary Najman]

I think that the Bengals LB at the time (JIm LeClair, Glenn Cameron, Bo Harris and Reggie Williams) were very underrated, but I think the Cowboys had a better team back then. The 1982 matchup at Riverfront Stadium (which originally was a back-then rare Sunday NIght game) was cancelled due to the strike, and three years later (also at Riverfront) the Bengals scored 50 points against the Cowboys (I remember the game vividly; James Brooks and Cris Collinsworth had great days, and the Bengals were shutout in the second quarter), and is one of the few games in the last 40 years that three quarterbacks from the same team (Boomer Esiason, Turk Schonert, and, yes, Ken Anderson) had at least 4 passing attempts each in a single game.

[racepug]

I have no idea but my guess is that Tom Landry would've found a way to get his team a win against the upstart Bengals that year had they had the opportunity. I thank the San Francisco 49ers all the time for keeping us from ever having to find out.

[sheajets]

Impossible to say. Tony Hill and Drew Pearson might have been a tough matchup for that Bengals secondary. I always thought the Bengals that played the 49ers a few years later were much better although admittedly I wasn't able to watch very many of their regular season games.

Lawrence Billups

But as the adage goes, if he could catch that ball, he would be a wide receiver. That was Cinci's year. But Walsh pulled the 9ers together and got a bit of luck when he needed it

Brooks and Woods were incredible that year. 5+ ypc each. And Boomer with his play action. It all clicked for them that year