DALLAS — The Cowboys take on the Seattle Seahawks in a graveyard of franchise disappointments Sunday at 3:25 p.m. Central. However, there is one time Dallas came away with a win at CenturyLink Field that made a statement to the NFL that Jason Garrett's Cowboys were for real.
Oh, yes, we're going to take a look at the Oct. 12, 2014 encounter between the Cowboys and Seahawks. Dallas was 4-1 after a horrendous 28-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Opening Day where quarterback Tony Romo looked like a 34-year-old who had spent the whole off-season rehabbing from a discectomy, had little first-team reps in training camp, and hardly played in the preseason.
Just as an aside -- let me take liberty for a moment -- I remember covering the Cowboys kickoff luncheon to benefit Happy Hill Farms that year at AT&T Stadium. I remember talking with one of my well respected colleagues about the prospects of the Cowboys' season, and this individual said that Romo was "going to get killed" that year.
Even Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Bush's herniated disc from laying in a bed wrong that season had people nervous that the Dallas franchise quarterback was in for a short season while the rest of the team, and fans, would be in for a long one.
Anyway, after the Cowboys beat the Titans and had a tremendous comeback at the St. Louis Rams, the season started to become filled with what John Madden called "yeah buts."
They came back from a 21-0 second quarter deficit to beat the Rams. Yeah, but Sean Payton has the Cowboys' number.
They defrocked the New Orleans Saints 38-17 and introduced us to The Landry Shift. Yeah, but they always have letdowns after winning big games like this.
They overcame the Houston Texans 20-17 in overtime. Yeah, but the Seattle Seahawks are so tough and trounced them 27-7 in Week 2 of 2012 at CenturyLink Field.
That was a ignominious outing for America's Team. Running back Felix Jones fumbled the opening kickoff, and the Seahawks converted it into a 21-yard field goal. Then, on the Cowboys' impending three-and-out, Seattle's special teams managed to block a punt and return it for a touchdown and put Dallas in a quick 10-0 hole.
Oh, you mean, kind of like what they did in 2014? Literally a Seahawks possession and a Cowboys possession, and it was 10-0 Seattle thanks to another blocked punt returned for a score.
The 2012 team folded like Glass Joe in Punch Out!! The 2014 squad fought back and Romo led Dallas on a nine-play drive and found tight end Gavin Escobar for a 2-yard touchdown to respond 10-7. After a three-and-out from Seattle, Romo again led Dallas on a scoring drive from their own 5-yard line to give Dan Bailey a chance for a 42-yard field goal to tie, which he did. What 10-0 lead?
The Cowboys managed their second three-and-out of the defending Super Bowl champions and got the ball back. Again, it was another long stroll down the artificial turf at CenturyLink with a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped off with Romo finding tight end Jason Witten for a 3-yard score. The Cowboys were up 17-10 at the break.
Russell Wilson ran for a 9-yard touchdown with 6:20 in the third quarter to tie the game at 17-17, and that is when the Legion of Boom struck. Romo fumbled on a third-and-6 from the Dallas 22, and Jordan Hill recovered it. Steven Hauschka connected on a 33-yard field goal to give Seattle a 20-17 lead.
On the very next series, Romo connected with receiver Terrance Williams for 47 yards, and a delay of game penalty on the Seahawks tacked on an extra five yards. Dallas couldn't get another first down after that on the drive, but Bailey was clutch with a 56-yard field goal to tie the game at 20-20 with 1:08 left in the third quarter.
Dallas did a great job of stopping the Seahawks at midfield on the following drive, the first of the fourth quarter. On the Cowboys' ensuing drive, however, a penalty on first down put them behind the chains and killed the drive. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The Seahawks worked their way downfield and Hauschka nailed another field goal, this one of 48 yards with 8:21 to go, to give Seattle a 23-20 lead. Could the Cowboys come back one last time?
Starting at their own 20-yard line, Romo found running back DeMarco Murray for five yards. Murray found nothing on second down carrying the ball. On third-and-5, Romo hit receiver Dez Bryant for a 16-yard gain out to the Dallas 41-yard line.
It wouldn't be the Garrett Cowboys without a drive-killing penalty, which center Travis Frederick committed on a Murray run for no gain. It was first-and-20 Cowboys, and Romo threw two incomplete passes to Murray and Bryant.
Facing third-and-20 from the Dallas 31-yard line, the Cowboys had to convert, or use all three timeouts to try to get the ball back from Seattle and try this again. Romo looked to the right sideline on an out, and Williams caught a toe-tapping ball for 23 yards and quickly fell out of bounds. Coach Pete Carroll threw the challenge flag, but the play was upheld. First down, Dallas.
Murray ran three straight times after that: first for 25, another for six, and a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys a 27-23 lead with 3:23 in the game.
Seattle went four-and-out on the ensuing drive with Wilson connecting with receiver Jermaine Kearse for four yards on first down. After that, all incomplete passes, and Dallas took over at the Seattle 23-yard line. Running down the clock, Bailey hit a 31-yard field goal to give Dallas a 30-23 lead. And of all people, linebacker Rolando McClain sealed the win with an interception.
This Sunday it will be a whole new cast of Cowboys, but the theme is still the same in that they look to make a statement in one of the NFL's toughest venues with a win, regardless of the Seahawks' 0-2 mark. The game may not be as memorable as this one, which was the barometer for how much the '14 Cowboys could achieve, but it will be as significant to the 2018 campaign.
Do you think the Cowboys can conjure up some of that 2014 magic and beat the Seahawks in Seattle again or will another tombstone be erected at CenturyLink Field for Dallas? Make your predictions to Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.
