1. Offseason
    Draft 

2. Regular season
    Schedule  Standings  Roster 

3. Game Summaries
    Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings  Week 2: vs. New York Giants  Week 3: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  Week 4: at St. Louis Cardinals  Week 5: vs. Washington Redskins  Week 6: at Philadelphia Eagles  Week 7: vs. Detroit Lions  Week 8: at New York Giants  Week 9: vs. St. Louis Cardinals  Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers  Week 11: at Washington Redskins  Week 12: vs. Philadelphia Eagles  Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers  Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos 

4. Postseason
    NFC Divisional Playoff  NFC Championship Game  Super Bowl XII 

5. Season recap

6. Awards and Records

7. Publications

8. References

9. External links

The 1977 Dallas Cowboys season was their 18th in the NFL. The club appeared twice on Monday Night Football. Tony Dorsett rushed for 1,007 yards and became the second member of the Cowboys (first since 1973) to have a 1,000-yard rushing season. During the season, the club scored 345 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while the defense only gave up 212 points. The Cowboys made it to their fourth Super Bowl and beat the Denver Broncos to capture their second Super Bowl Championship. They were the first team from the NFC East Division to win two Super Bowls. Their 15-2 record (.882, including the postseason) remains the highest single season winning percentage in team history.

Offseason

To improve their running game, the Cowboys orchestrated a big trade with the Seattle Seahawks, moving up in the NFL Draft to acquire running back Tony Dorsett.^[1]

With the retirement of Lee Roy Jordan, Bob Breunig was given the starting middle linebacker position, Randy White was moved to defensive tackle, and Thomas Henderson became a starter at strongside linebacker, turning the defense into a dominant unit.

Draft

Regular season

• December 4, 1977 – Tony Dorsett becomes the first player in franchise history to rush for at least 200 yards in a game. Against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dorsett had 23 rushes for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns including an 84-yard touchdown run which was the longest during the 1977 NFL Season.

Schedule

Standings

Roster

Game Summaries

Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 18-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick)

• DAL – Efren Herrera 40-yard field goal

• DAL – Preston Pearson 7-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• MIN – Fred Cox 35-yard field goal

• DAL – Roger Staubach 4-yard run (no PAT attempt)

• DAL – Roger Staubach 18/30, 196 yds, TD, lng 23, rate 90.4
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton 13/32, 182 yds, TD, 3 INT, lng 25, rate 31.0

• DAL – Preston Pearson 15 att, 63 yds, lng 22
• MIN – Chuck Foreman 22 att, 66 yds, lng 9

• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 4 rec, 57 yds, lng 23
• MIN – Chuck Foreman 5 rec, 56 yds, TD, lng 20

• DAL - Cliff Harris 2 INT
• DAL - Thomas Henderson 1 INT

• DAL - Butch Johnson 2 rt, 69 yds, 34.5 y/rt
• DAL - Larry Brinson 1 rt, 15 yds, 15.0 y/rt
• MIN - Brent McClanahan 2 rt, 40 yds, 20.0 y/rt
• MIN - Robert Miller 1 rt, 12 yds, 12.0 y/rt

• DAL - Butch Johnson 4 rt, 28 yds, 7.0 y/rt
• MIN - Bob Grim 3 rt, 10 yds, 3.3 y/rt

• DAL - Efren Herrera 1 XPM, 1 XPA, 1 FGM, 2 FGA
• MIN - Fred Cox 1 XPM, 1 XPA, 1 FGM, 2 FGA

• DAL - Danny White 9 pnts, 352 yds, 39.1 y/pnt
• MIN - Neil Clabo 5 pnts, 177 yds, 35.4 y/pnt

Week 2: vs. New York Giants

• DAL – Roger Staubach 2-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Preston Pearson 10-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Doug Dennison 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 11-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• NYG – Willie Spencer 1-yard run (Joe Danelo kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 37-yard field goal

• NYG – Bobby Hammond 68-yard punt return (Joe Danelo kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 41-yard field goal
• NYG – Doug Kotar 3-yard run (Joe Danelo kick)

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 34-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• NYG – Joe Pisarcik 9/23, 129 yds, 2 INT, lng 54, rate 21.8
• DAL – Roger Staubach 18/29, 235 yds, TD, lng 4, rate 2.8

• NYG – Larry Csonka 9 att, 39 yds, lng 14
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 7 att, 62 yds, 2 TD, lng 6

• NYG – Johnny Perkins 1 rec, 54 yds, lng 14
• DAL – Drew Pearson 6 rec, 97 yds, lng 13

• DAL - Randy Hughes INT, 8 yds, lng 8
• DAL - Aaron Kyle INT, 9 yds, lng 9
• DAL - D.D. Lewis INT, 29 yds, lng 29

• DAL - Larry Brinson 2 rt, 43 yds, 21.5 y/rt
• NYG - Bobby Hammond 3 rt, 85 yds, 28.3 y/rt
• NYG - Gordon Bell 2 rt, 48 yds, 24.0 y/rt
• NYG - Emery Moorehead 1 rt, 24 yds, 24.0 y/rt
• NYG - Beasley Reece 1 rt, 16 yds, 16.0 y/rt

• DAL - Butch Johnson 6 rt, 61 yds, 10.2 y/rt
• DAL - Tony Hill 1 rt, 4 yds, 4.0 y/rt
• NYG - Bobby Hammond 3 rt, 72 yds, 24.0 y/rt, TD

• DAL - Efren Herrera 5 XPM, 5 XPA, 2 FGM, 3 FGA

• DAL - Danny White 6 pnts, 259 yds, 43.2 y/pnt
• NYG - Dave Jennings 8 pnts, 331 yds, 41.4 y/pnt

Week 3: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• DAL – Efren Herrera 32-yard field goal
• DAL – Thomas Henderson 79-yard interception return (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 17-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• TB – Richard Wood 37-yard fumble return (Allan Leavitt kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 19-yard field goal

• DAL – Efren Herrera 20-yard field goal

• TB – Gary Huff 8/23, 107 yards, 2 INT, lng 30, rate 14.2
• DAL – Roger Staubach 15/24, 212 yards, INT, lng 24, rate 73.6

• TB – Anthony Davis 15 att, 30 yards, lng 9
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 16 att, 73 yards, TD, lng 17

• TB – Morris Owens 4 rec, 57 yards, lng 24
• DAL – Preston Pearson 5 rec, 65 yards, lng 21

• TB - Richard Wood 1 INT, 29 yards, lng 29
• DAL - Thomas Henderson 2 INT, 79 yards, TD

• TB - Isaac Hagins 5 rt, 118 yards, 23.6 y/rt
• TB - Anthony Davis 1 rt, 19 yards, 19.0 y/rt
• DAL - Butch Johnson 2 rt, 39 yards, 19.5 y/rt

• TB - Isaac Hagins 2 rt, 1 yd, 0.5 y/rt
• TB - Danny Reece 1 rt, 3 yds, 3.0 y/rt
• DAL - Butch Johnson 6 rt, 88 yds, 14.7 y/rt

• DAL - Efren Herrera 2 XPM, 2 XPA, 3 FGM, 4 FGA

• TB - Dave Green 10 pnts, 415 yds, 41.5 y/pnt
• DAL - Danny White 5 pnts, 216 yds, 43.2 y/pnt

Week 4: at St. Louis Cardinals

• STL – Jim Bakken 32-yard field goal
• DAL – Efren Herrera 29-yard field goal
• STL – Terry Metcalf 62-yard run (Jim Bakken kick)

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 77-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• STL – Mel Gray 60-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 40-yard field goal

• DAL – Efren Herrera 44-yard field goal
• STL – Charles Davis 35-yard fumble return (Jim Bakken kick)

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Golden Richards 17-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Roger Staubach 18/29, 153 yards, TD, lng 17, rate 87.3
• STL – Jim Hart 9/32, 186 yards, TD, 2 INT, lng 60, rate 35.7
• STL - Terry Metcalf 1/2, 9 yards, lng 9, rate 62.5

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 14 att, 141 yards, 2 TD, lng 77
• STL – Terry Metcalf 10 att, 79 yards, TD, lng 32

• DAL – Drew Pearson 6 rec, 55 yards, lng 12
• STL – Mel Gray 3 rec, 84 yards, TD, lng 60

• DAL - Cliff Harris INT, 7 yards, lng 7
• DAL - Charlie Waters INT, 3 yards, lng 3

Week 5: vs. Washington Redskins

• WSH – Mark Moseley 25-yard field goal
• WSH – Mark Moseley 40-yard field goal

• DAL – Golden Richards 50-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 7-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• WSH – Clarence Harmon 1-yard pass from Joe Theismann (Mark Moseley kick)

• WSH – Mark Moseley 53-yard field goal
• DAL – Efren Herrera 44-yard field goal
• DAL – Efren Herrera 52-yard field goal

• DAL – Drew Pearson 59-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 6-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• WSH – Billy Kilmer 4/15, 45 yards, INT
• DAL – Roger Staubach 15/28, 250 yards, 2 TD

• WSH – Mike Thomas 15 att, 46 yards
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 17 att, 71 yards, 2 TD

• WSH – Charley Taylor 2 rec, 32 yards
• DAL – Drew Pearson 6 rec, 157 yards, TD

Week 6: at Philadelphia Eagles

• PHI – Charlie Smith 12-yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Horst Muhlmann kick)
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 5-yard run (kick failed)

• DAL – Charlie Waters 17-yard punt return (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 18-yard field goal
• PHI – Horst Muhlmann 32-yard field goal

• DAL – Roger Staubach 15/26, 172 yards
• PHI – Ron Jaworski 10/23, 104 yards, TD, 2 INT

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 13 att, 48 yards, TD
• PHI – Tom Sullivan 13 att, 61 yards

• DAL – Drew Pearson 4 rec, 54 yards
• PHI – Keith Krepfle 3 rec, 40 yards

Week 7: vs. Detroit Lions

• DAL – Efren Herrera 21-yard field goal

• DAL – Efren Herrera 45-yard field goal
• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 14-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Scott Laidlaw 18-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 30-yard field goal

• DAL – Jay Saldi 1-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Larry Brinson 20-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• DET – Joe Reed 6/16, 75 yards, INT
• DAL – Roger Staubach 16/25, 179 yards, 3 TD

• DET – Horace King 8 att, 26 yards
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 13 att, 48 yards

• DET – Rick Kane 2 rec, 30 yards
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 5 rec, 48 yards

Week 8: at New York Giants

• DAL – Jay Saldi 8-yard fumble return (Efren Herrera kick)

• NYG – Joe Danelo 51-yard field goal
• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 5-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• NYG – Bobby Hammond 1-yard run (Joe Danelo kick)

• DAL – Efren Herrera 35-yard field goal

• DAL – Roger Staubach 14/25, 190 yards, TD
• NYG – Joe Pisarcik 6/17, 61 yards, INT

• DAL – Robert Newhouse 11 att, 41 yards
• NYG – Larry Csonka 15 att, 47 yards

• DAL – Drew Pearson 3 rec, 89 yards
• NYG – Johnny Perkins 4 rec, 34 yards

Week 9: vs. St. Louis Cardinals

• STL – Jim Bakken 26-yard field goal

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 2-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• STL – Wayne Morris 1-yard run (Jim Bakken kick)

• DAL – Efren Herrera 21-yard field goal
• STL – Mel Gray 49-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
• STL – Jackie Smith 3-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)

• STL – Jim Hart 10/24, 141 yards, 2 TD, INT
• DAL – Roger Staubach 11/20, 102 yards, TD, 2 INT

• STL – Wayne Morris 21 att, 72 yards, TD
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 12 att, 61 yards

• STL – Mel Gray 3 rec, 76 yards, TD
• DAL – Drew Pearson 4 rec, 45 yards

Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 13-yard run (kick failed)

• PIT – Franco Harris 61-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)
• DAL – Jay Saldi 23-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• PIT – Lynn Swann 9-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)

• PIT – John Stallworth 28-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)
• PIT – Franco Harris 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick)

• DAL – Roger Staubach 18/26, 230 yards, TD, 2 INT
• PIT – Terry Bradshaw 7/12, 106 yards, 2 TD

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 17 att, 73 yards, TD
• PIT – Franco Harris 29 att, 179 yards, 2 TD

• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 3 rec, 45 yards
• PIT – John Stallworth 4 rec, 46 yards, TD

Week 11: at Washington Redskins

• WSH – Joe Theismann 1-yard run (Mark Moseley kick)

• DAL – Golden Richards 4-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Roger Staubach 10/24, 138 yards, TD, INT
• WSH – Joe Theismann 17/35, 231 yards, INT

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 19 att, 64 yards, TD
• WSH – Calvin Hill 4 att, 44 yards

• DAL – Drew Pearson 2 rec, 79 yards
• WSH – Frank Grant 6 rec, 89 yards

Week 12: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• PHI – Mike Hogan 51-yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
• DAL – Drew Pearson 16-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• PHI – Harold Carmichael 12-yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 24-yard field goal

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 84-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• PHI – Ron Jaworski 18/32, 199 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
• DAL – Roger Staubach 13/26, 183 yards, TD, 2 INT

• PHI – Mike Hogan 6 att, 25 yards
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 23 att, 206 yards, 2 TD

• PHI – Mike Hogan 3 rec, 59 yards, TD
• DAL – Preston Pearson 3 rec, 70 yards

Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers

• SF – Bob Ferrell 1-yard run (Ray Wersching kick)

• DAL – Roger Staubach 1-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Preston Pearson 36-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• SF – Kenny Harrison 10-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Ray Wersching kick)
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 20-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 21-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• SF – Gene Washington 27-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Ray Wersching kick)

• DAL – Butch Johnson 22-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• SF – Devlin Williams 1-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Ray Wersching kick)
• DAL – Preston Pearson 3-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• SF – Paul Seal 47-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Ray Wersching kick)

• DAL -Roger Staubach 14/19, 220 yards, 3 TD
• SF – Jim Plunkett 15/29, 263 yards, 4 TD

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 20 att, 92 yards, TD
• SF – Delvin Williams 17 att, 44 yards

• DAL – Drew Pearson 4 rec, 61 yards
• SF – Gene Washington 5 rec, 130 yards, TD

Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos

• DAL – Preston Pearson 22-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Robert Newhouse 7-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DEN – Jim Turner 22-yard field goal

• DEN – Jim Turner 37-yard field goal

• DEN – Norris Weese 10/19, 94 yards
• DAL – Roger Staubach 15/20, 160 yards, 2 TD, INT

• DEN – Norris Weese 6 att, 33 yards
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 17 att, 50 yards

• DEN – Jack Dolbin 5 rec, 85 yards
• DAL – Preston Pearson 6 rec, 48 yards, TD

Postseason

NFC Divisional Playoff

• DAL – Doug Dennison 2-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 28-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 21-yard field goal

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 23-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 31-yard field goal
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 7-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Efren Herrera 27-yard field goal
• CHI – Steve Schubert 34-yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)

• CHI – Bob Avellini 15/25, 177 yds, TD, 4 INT
• DAL – Roger Staubach 8/13, 134 yds, TD, INT

• CHI – Walter Payton 19 att, 60 yds
• DAL – Tony Dorsett 17 att, 85 yds, 2 TD

• CHI – Steve Schubert 5 rec, 69 yds, TD
• DAL – Drew Pearson 2 rec, 38 yds

NFC Championship Game

• DAL – Golden Richards 32-yard pass from Roger Staubach (kick failed)

• DAL – Robert Newhouse 5-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• MIN – Fred Cox 32-yard field goal
• MIN – Fred Cox 37-yard field goal
• DAL – Efren Herrera 21-yard field goal

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 11-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)

• MIN – Bob Lee 14/31, 158 yds, INT
• DAL – Roger Staubach 12/23, 165 yds, TD, INT

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 21 att, 59 yds
• DAL – Robert Newhouse 15 att, 81 yds, TD

• MIN – Sammy White 3 rec, 46 yds
• DAL – Drew Pearson 4 rec, 62 yds

Super Bowl XII

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 3-yard run (Efren Herrera kick)
• DAL – Efren Herrera 35-yard field goal

• DAL – Efren Herrera 43-yard field goal

• DEN – Jim Turner 47-yard field goal
• DAL – Butch Johnson 45-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
• DEN – Rob Lytle 1-yard run (Jim Turner kick)

• DAL – Golden Richards 29-yard pass from Robert Newhouse (Efren Herrera kick)

• DAL – Roger Staubach 17/25, 183 yds, TD
• DEN – Craig Morton 4/15, 39 yds, 4 INT

• DAL – Tony Dorsett 15 att, 66 yds, TD
• DEN – Rob Lytle 10 att, 35 yds, TD

• DAL – Billy Joe DuPree 4 rec, 66 yds
• DEN – Jack Dolbin 2 rec, 24 yds

Season recap

With an improved offense and defense, the Cowboys finished with a 12-2 regular season record, breezing through the playoffs by beating the Chicago Bears 37-7 in the divisional round, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 in the NFC Championship Game and winning Super Bowl XII 27-10 against the Denver Broncos.

Dorsett set a franchise rookie record with 1,007 rushing yards. Defensive end Harvey Martin had one of the greatest seasons ever by an NFL player. In a 14-game season he totaled 85 tackles and an estimated league-leading 23 sacks^[3] (more than Michael Strahan's 22.5 record in 16 games), he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a consensus All-Pro selection, was a key player in the Cowboys winning Super Bowl XII, and a co-MVP of the game with Randy White.

Awards and Records

• Tony Dorsett, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award
• Tony Dorsett, All-Pro Selection
• Efren Herrera, Five Field Goals Attempted in one Super Bowl game, Super Bowl record
• Harvey Martin, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
• Harvey Martin, NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• Harvey Martin, Led NFL, Sacks (23)
• Pearson, Led NFL Receiving Yards (870)
• Pearson, All-Pro Selection
• Pearson, Pro Bowl Selection
• Roger Staubach, All-Pro Selection
• Roger Staubach, Pro Bowl Selection
• Roger Staubach, Led NFC, Touchdown Passes (18)
• Roger Staubach, NFC Passing Leader
• Randy White, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
• Led NFC, Points Scored (345)
• Led NFC, Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed (1,651)
• Led NFL, Fewest Total Yards Allowed (3,213)
• Led NFL, Total Yards, (4,812)

Publications

• The Football Encyclopedia {{ISBN|0-312-11435-4}}
• Total Football {{ISBN|0-06-270170-3}}
• Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes {{ISBN|0-446-51950-2}}

References

External links

• [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal1977.htm 1977 Dallas Cowboys]
• Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Dallas Cowboys Official Site

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