On This Date in Sports November 22, 1973: Carving the Cowboys on Thanksgiving (50 Years of Following Up Perfection Week 11)
The Miami Dolphins defeated the Dallas Cowboys 14-7 on a Thanksgiving rematch of Super Bowl VI at Texas Stadium. The Dolphins jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the Dallas Doomsday defense stiffened as the Dolphins failed to score again. The Dolphins' defense would frustrate Roger Staubach and the Cowboys all day until the fourth quarter when Walt Garrison scored on a one-yard run. It was the first time that the Dolphins had played a game on Thanksgiving.
All eyes were on Texas Stadium as the previous two Super Bowl champions met on Thanksgiving. It was the first time the two teams had met since Super Bowl VI. That game was won by the Dallas Cowboys 24-3 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Since that frustrating loss, the Dolphins had won 26 of their next 27 games, including a perfect 17-0 season in 1972. They had been 9-1 in 1973, having clinched the AFC East four days earlier in Buffalo. The Cowboys, meanwhile, were battling the Washington Redskins in the NFC East and entered the day with a record of 7-3 for coach Tom Landry.
NFL games on Thanksgiving had been a large part of the schedule from the start of the league in 1920. Over the league's first decade, games on Thanksgiving were plentiful. When the league emerged from its chaotic beginnings, the Detroit Lions emerged as the host of Thanksgiving as they began to play annually in 1934. Three decades later, when the AFL rose to challenge the NFL, a second game was added, with the Dallas Cowboys hosting games beginning in 1966.
The Dolphins got an early break when Jake Scott picked off Roger Staubach and returned the ball deep into the heart of Dallas territory. Miami would take the lead on a one-yard run by Larry Csonka. Later in the first quarter, Paul Warfield reeled in a 45-yard touchdown pass from Bob Griese to make it 14-0 in favor of the Dolphins. Csonka had a strong game on the ground, rushing for 80 yards on 22 carries. Griese, meanwhile, was limited the rest of the way, completing 6 of 13 passes for 106 yards.
Defense won the day, as the next two quarters saw no scoring. The Cowboys caught a break in the third quarter when Drew Pearson scooped up Walt Garrison's fumble and took the ball into Miami territory. However, Toni Fritsch missed his second field goal of the day. Dallas finally got on the board in the fourth quarter when Garrison scored from the one. It was the only points scored by the highest-scoring team in the NFL, as the Dolphins held the ball the final nine minutes, driving down to the goal line before taking a knee to end the game.
The Cowboys would rebound to win their final three games, finishing 10-4 to make the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. They would fall one game short of a rematch with the Dolphins, losing to the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 in the NFC Championship Game.