It’s Day 74 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We’re wanting once more on the 100 most iconic video video games in Dallas Cowboys historic previous. The countdown will leads us correct as a lot because the opening sport of 2026. Our look once more doesn’t depend on just one requirements for our rankings. We contemplate points like how large the game was for the group, how memorable the game was, video video games that had unusual events occur, video video games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and video video games the place the Cowboys merely plain dominated. Choice is the spice of life and we now have now all completely completely different type of Cowboys video video games to analysis. On the bottom, we’ll hyperlink every single day of the countdown so it’s possible you’ll return and check out any you missed.
So let’s get into Day 74 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, the place we revisit the day DeMarco Murray launched himself to the NFL. The Cowboys entered this Week 7 matchup at 2-3, coming off a painful late loss to the Patriots and nonetheless on the lookout for offensive id. The Rams arrived winless, injured, and weak in opposition to the run. Dallas wished a convincing win, nevertheless what it acquired was one factor far more memorable.
Sunday, October 23, 2011 — 4:15 p.m. ET
Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 34, St. Louis Rams 7
Demarco Murray didn’t even start the game, nevertheless he modified it on his first carry. Backed up near their very personal goal line, the Cowboys handed the ball to the rookie from Oklahoma, and he exploded by the use of an unlimited hole for a 91-yard touchdown. It was the first touchdown of his NFL occupation, the second-longest run in Cowboys historic previous behind solely Tony Dorsett’s 99-yarder, and the start of a record-breaking afternoon.
Dallas constructed the whole sport from there. Tony Romo found Jason Witten for a one-yard touchdown early inside the second quarter to make it 14-0. St. Louis answered with its solely precise offensive punch of the day, an 80-yard drive capped by Steven Jackson’s six-yard touchdown run, nevertheless the Cowboys added a Dan Bailey space goal sooner than halftime and went into the locker room up 17-7.
The second half belonged completely to Dallas. Bailey drilled a 51-yard space goal inside the third quarter, then the Cowboys put the game away inside the fourth. Phillip Tanner scored from six yards out, and Romo later hit Dez Bryant for a 20-yard touchdown to finish the scoring. Dallas gained 34-7, ended its two-game shedding streak, and eventually had a sport that didn’t come all the way in which all the way down to the last word possession.
Nonetheless the game is remembered for Murray, and rightly so. He accomplished with 25 carries for 253 yards and a touchdown, breaking Emmitt Smith’s Cowboys single-game dashing file of 237 yards, set in opposition to the Eagles in 1993. Murray moreover broke the franchise’s single-game rookie dashing file, whereas the crew piled up 445 entire yards complete.
The effectivity modified the feel of Murray’s rookie season. Felix Jones was injured, Tashard Different technically started, and Murray entered the day nonetheless largely unproven. By the tip of it, there was no thriller about who had earned additional work. He gave Dallas explosive runs, ending power, and a glimpse of the once more who would later develop into the NFL’s Offensive Participant of the 12 months in 2014.
This sport belongs on the countdown because of franchise knowledge matter, and this one obtained right here in spectacular vogue. It was not solely an enormous dashing day. It was a 91-yard touchdown on his first carry, 253 yards on 25 makes an try, a broken Emmitt Smith file, and the supply of a model new Cowboys offensive centerpiece.
Consideration-grabbing Info Regarding the Sport
Murray’s 253 dashing yards keep the Cowboys’ single-game dashing file. He broke Emmitt Smith’s earlier mark of 237 yards, which had stood for 18 years.
Countdown To Kickoff by day:
100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75
