Recalling The 1993 Dallas Cowboys

"In Emmitt we Trust", a motto, a belief, a practice that was evident during the 1993 season of the Dallas Cowboys.  Having just won the previous Super Bowl as the youngest team in the league, expectations were high to repeat.  Being young and talented and coached by Jimmy Johnson, this would be no problem, right?  Enter the ego of Jerry Jones.

Just when Cowboys fans were finally accepting Jerry Jones as the owner and were even considering forgiving him for the way he fired Tom Landry in 1989, he held stance on an amount to pay Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys' star running back. 

Training camp came and no Emmit.  Preseason was played and Dallas looked terrible without Emmitt.  Jones said that the team would be fine.  Johnson knew better and insisted that Jones sign Smith before their first game of the season against the hated Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football.  Sure enough Dallas was whipped 35-16.

Smith even appeared on the halftime show of that game to discuss why he was not playing.  The running back was only trying to be paid as the best running back in the game, not at some second tier player amount as Jerry Jones was offering.  In addition, the media portrayed this as a contract dispute.  How could this be a contract dispute?  Smith's original contract had expired.

In the second game of the season, in a rematch from their Super Bowl opponents, the Buffalo Bills, the Cowboys played better.  Perhaps it was because Johnson probably practiced the team to death or it was their first home game of the season.

The game was close throughout, as Buffalo took a 13-10 lead in the fourth quarter.  No problem, hand it to Emmitt, right?  Except Emmitt was in Florida waiting for Jones to do the right thing.  Troy Aikman, the star quarterback of the Cowboys tried his hardest to will the Cowboys to victory and came close by throwing a forced pass that was intercepted in the end zone to end the game.

Charles Haley, the defensive leader of Dallas, tossed some things around in the locker room and told the media that Jones needed to sign Smith immediately.  Having realized the error of his ways, the next day Smith was signed to the largest contract ever for a  running back in the NFL.  Smith returned the next Sunday and helped the Cowboys defeat the hapless Cardinals to enter the bye week.

Dallas returned from the bye and Smith was at his best against the Packers in a blowout.  The Colts became the next victim and Jimmy Johnson's hair was still again.  The following week was an NFC Championship rematch against the San Fransisco 49ers.  No problem with Smith, as Dallas defeated the 49ers convincingly.  Another bye (this particular year had the experimentation of two bye weeks) and Dallas was in a midst of a seven game winning streak.

Dallas took care of their next three opponents with no problem: the Eagles, Giants, and Cardinals from their division.  The Cowboys were flying high and were intent on making history by becoming the first team to start 0-2 and win the Super Bowl.  Finally, Dallas ran in a roadblock named Deon Sanders and the Atlanta Falcons.  The Cowboys mailed it in, enough said, or perhaps they wanted to make it interesting by losing a game so the rest of the division could keep pace, particularly the Giants.

Thanksgiving 1993 was going to be a win because the Miami Dolphins were coming to town without the injured Dan Marino.  However, the game was going to be played in the aftermath of an ice storm that struck the Dallas area for this holiday season.  Still no worries, as Dallas were the champions and had Emmitt Smith.

The game was sloppy, perhaps because of the weather, or perhaps the Cowboys were just wanting to eat some turkey and rest before a game against their division rivals, the Eagles.  Whatever the reason, the Dolphins came to play and drove down the field, down 14-13 in the last minute of the game.  The Dolphins got in field goal range and attempted the kick, which was blocked. 

Game over.  Dallas had won a hard fought game and would have a record of 8-3 to enter the final month of the season.  Wait a minute, Leon Lett tried to recover the blocked kick and was unsuccessful.  Dolphins recovered, attempted another kick, and won the game.  Wow, what happen?

Lett had been stripped of the football as he was crossing the goal line in the previous Super Bowl and was not given a touchdown, but a fumble.  Lett was one of those gifted players who did not have a high IQ for the field.  In replays, everyone was told to stay away.  Lett?  He did not hear nor understand and dove at the football on an icy field.  What did he expect?  A run back for a touchdown?

Nevertheless, with another team this lost could have been devastating.  Johnson rallied the troops and Dallas defeated a stubborn Eagles team ten days later.  The Cowboys were smoking the Vikings and allowed them to score a couple touchdowns to make the score close. 

After the game, Coach Johnson complained that the team was struggling on defense.  Perhaps Johnson worked the team to death or the team wanted him to be quiet, Dallas easily defeated the Jets and Redskins, the latter a returned whipping for the first game of the season.  Dallas was in perfect position to win the division the last game of the season at the Giants, who had a 11-4 record like the Cowboys.

Having won handily the first meeting, Dallas expected half a game from the starters in order to get ready for the playoffs.  The game started that way with Dallas up 13-0.  Then the Cowboys sputtered, as the Giants dug in. 

Close to halftime, Emmitt Smith was tackled after a long run that eclipsed 100 rushing yards for him in the game.  He landed on his right shoulder and did not get up.  He laid on the field.  Smith was hurt.

At halftime it was determined that Smith had separated his shoulder.  Trainers also stated that he would get no further damage if he continued to play.  Wrapped and taped, Smith stayed in and a legend was born.  Dallas would need him as the Giants tied the game at 13-13. 

His right arm dangled after each run, catch, and block that he made.  Block, yes for Troy Aikman.  Pain was evident in the huddle and teammates encouraged him to exit the game.  Smith would not give in and Dallas continued to give him the ball.  When tackled, he was helped up by teammates.

The game went into overtime and Smith carried the load on the winning field goal drive.  Smith earned his money that day and Jones would also learn to never try to underpay a superstar.  Dallas received the top seed and a bye.  The Giants, beaten by a one-arm bandit were spanked the next week by the 49ers.

This game also sealed the MVP of the league for Smith, as he finished as the league's highest rusher for the third straight year, despite missing the first two games of the season.  Smith rested for two weeks before seeing limited action against the Packers, but returned with a strong game against the 49ers in the NFC Championship.  He was needed as Coach Johnson had guaranteed a victory and Aikman was knocked out of the game with a concussion.  No worries, as Bernie Kosar (Coach Johnson's quarterback at Miami) did not miss the beat, while Smith continued to torment the 49ers.

A year removed from winning the Super Bowl against the Buffalo Bills, the Bills were the opponents again, having made the Super Bowl for the fourth consecutive year.  Buffalo played well in the first half with a lead of 13-6.  Aikman still looked dazed and Emmitt was held in check.

Not for long, as "In Emmitt we Trust" was put into practice in the second half and Dallas trounced the Bills 30-13 for a second consecutive win at the Super Bowl.  Smith was named Super Bowl MVP and the the team of the 90's were here to stay.