Cowboys countdown to kickoff: Top 100 iconic games – Day 31

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LOS ANGELES - OCTOBER 14: Running back Calvin Hill #35 of the Dallas Cowboys runs upfield against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The Rams defeated the Cowboys 37-31. (Photo by James Flores/Getty Images)

It is Day 31 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

Here we go for Day 31 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit the beginning of one of the defining NFC playoff rivalries of the 1970s. Dallas watched a 17-point lead shrink against the Los Angeles Rams, but a rookie Drew Pearson delivered the decisive play in a divisional-round victory.

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Sunday, December 23, 1973 — 4:00 p.m. ET

Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 27, Los Angeles Rams 16

The Cowboys entered at 10-4 after winning six of their final seven regular-season games in 1973 to capture the NFC East. Los Angeles had finished 12-2 and had already beaten Dallas 37-31 in October, when Harold Jackson torched the Cowboys for 238 receiving yards and four first-half touchdowns. The playoff rematch gave Tom Landry’s defense an opportunity to correct one of its worst performances of the season. 

Dallas created immediate separation through its defense. Lee Roy Jordan intercepted John Hadl on the first play of the game, setting up Calvin Hill’s three-yard touchdown run. Mel Renfro then recovered a Lawrence McCutcheon fumble, and Roger Staubach converted the second takeaway into a four-yard touchdown pass to Pearson. Before the Rams could settle into the game, the Cowboys led 14-0. 

Toni Fritsch extended the advantage with a 39-yard field goal, but Los Angeles slowly began working its way back. David Ray made field goals from 33 and 37 yards before halftime, cutting the score to 17-6. Dallas had controlled the beginning of the game, yet the Rams’ defensive front was beginning to make every possession difficult. 

The third quarter passed without either team scoring, and Ray’s 40-yard field goal reduced the margin to eight early in the fourth. Hill then lost a fumble, giving Los Angeles the short field it needed. Tony Baker scored on a five-yard run, leaving Dallas ahead only 17-16 with approximately 10 minutes remaining. 

Momentum had completely shifted. Staubach was sacked seven times, including twice by Merlin Olsen and two-and-a-half times by Jack Youngblood, and Dallas had managed only four first downs since building its 17-0 lead. Another Olsen sack placed the Cowboys in a long-yardage situation with the Rams threatening to take control. 

Staubach responded with a short throw over the middle to Pearson. Rams defensive backs Dave Elmendorf and Steve Preece collided while closing on the rookie receiver, clearing the field in front of him. Pearson raced untouched for an 83-yard touchdown, turning what appeared likely to be a modest gain into the play that saved Dallas’ season. 

The touchdown restored an eight-point lead, and Fritsch later added a short field goal to complete the scoring. Dallas’ defense prevented another response, finishing with five sacks while holding Harold Jackson to one reception for 40 yards. The Rams were limited to 192 total yards after gaining 383 against Dallas earlier that season. 

This game belongs on the countdown because it began the postseason rivalry between Dallas and Los Angeles while producing the first iconic playoff moment of Pearson’s career. The Cowboys survived seven sacks, a fourth-quarter collapse and a Rams team that had already beaten them once. 

Interesting Facts About the Game

This was the first postseason meeting between the Cowboys and Rams. The franchises would meet eight more times in the playoffs, making it one of the most frequently contested postseason matchups in NFL history. 

Countdown to kickoff 

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