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1968 Dallas Cowboys season

{{Short description|NFL team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Dallas Cowboys

| year = 1968

| record = 12–2

| division_place = 1st NFL Capitol

| coach = Tom Landry

| general manager = Tex Schramm

| owner = Clint Murchison, Jr.

| stadium = Cotton Bowl

| playoffs = Lost Eastern Conference Championship Game
(at Browns) 20–31
Won NFL Playoff Bowl
(vs. Vikings) 17–13

| shortnavlink = Cowboys seasons

}}

The {{nfly|1968}} Dallas Cowboys season was their ninth in the National Football League (NFL) and won the Capitol division by five games with a 12–2 record (tied with 1977 for the best record in the Landry era). In the first round of the playoffs, Dallas met the Cleveland Browns (10–4) in the Eastern Conference title game, held at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. In this era, the host sites were rotated, home field advantage was not adopted for the playoffs until {{nfly|1975}}. Dallas had won the regular season game 28–7 in September, and had routed the Browns 52–14 in the previous year's playoffs, but both were played at the Cotton Bowl.

The Browns upset the favored Cowboys 31–20,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X8AdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XygEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6679%2C417880 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Bledsoe |first=Terry |title=Browns' interceptions beat Dallas |date=December 22, 1968 |page=1, sports}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CswbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EFAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7418%2C1981957 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |last=Livingston |first=Pat |title=Browns jolt Cowboys, 31-20 |date=December 22, 1968 |page=1, section 3}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7w8zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pgEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7230%2C3190533 |newspaper=Toledo Blade |location=Ohio |last=Taylor |first=Jim |title=Browns smash Dallas, earn shot at NFL title |date=December 22, 1968 |page=D1}} sending Dallas to the third place Playoff Bowl at the Orange Bowl in Miami,[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1968.htm 1968 Dallas Cowboys] where they rallied to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 17–13.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qt4jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FigEAAAA+IBAJ&pg=7355%2C2862758 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |agency=press dispatches |title=Vikings 13-0 lead withers before Dallas rush, 17-13 |date=January 6, 1969 |page=11, part 2 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gackAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3GwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7374%2C1164616 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Cowboys rally, capture Playoff Bowl |date=January 6, 1969 |page=26}}

The team averaged 30.8 points per game during the regular season, and holds the record for most points scored through the first three games of a season.{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap2000000250651/mindblowing-stats-for-week-4-of-the-2013-season|title=Mind-blowing stats for week 4 of the 2013 season|work=National Football League|date=2013-09-25|access-date=2013-09-26}}

Offseason

=NFL draft=

{{main article|1968 NFL draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1968

| teamname = Dallas Cowboys

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 20

| player = Dennis Homan

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Alabama

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 45

| player = Dave McDaniels

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Mississippi Valley State

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 71

| player = Ed Harmon

| position = Linebacker

| college = Louisville

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 4

| pick = 97

| player = John Douglas

| position = Linebacker

| college = Missouri

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 130

| player = Blaine Nye

| position = Guard

| college = Stanford

| notes =

| probowl = yes

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 6

| pick = 159

| player = D. D. Lewis

| position = Linebacker

| college = Mississippi State

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 7

| pick = 185

| player = Bob Taucher

| position = Tackle

| college = Nebraska

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 8

| pick = 211

| player = Frank Brown

| position = Defensive tackle

| college = Albany State

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 9

| pick = 241

| player = Ken Kmiec

| position = Defensive back

| college = Illinois

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 10

| pick = 266

| player = Ben Olison

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Kansas

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 11

| pick = 292

| player = Ron Shotts

| position = Running back

| college = Oklahoma

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 12

| pick = 321

| player = Wilson Whitty

| position = Linebacker

| college = Boston University

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 13

| pick = 347

| player = Carter Lord

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Harvard

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 14

| pick = 373

| player = Ron Williams

| position = Defensive back

| college = West Virginia

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 15

| pick = 402

| player = Tony Lunceford

| position = Kicker

| college = Auburn

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 16

| pick = 428

| player = Larry Cole

| position = Defensive end

| college = Hawaii

| notes = yes

| probowl = hall of fame

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 17

| pick = 454

| player = George Nordgren

| position = Running back

| college = Houston

| notes =

| probowl =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| hof = no

}}

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Week

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Date

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Opponent

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Result

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Record

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Game Site

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Attendance

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Recap

style="background:#cfc"

! 1

| September 15

| Detroit Lions

| W 59–13

| 1–0

| Cotton Bowl

| 61,382

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196809150dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 2

| September 22

| Cleveland Browns

| W 28–7

| 2–0

| Cotton Bowl

| 68,733

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196809220dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 3

| September 29

| at Philadelphia Eagles

| W 45–13

| 3–0

| Franklin Field

| 60,858

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196809290phi.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 4

| October 6

| at St. Louis Cardinals

| W 27–10

| 4–0

| Busch Memorial Stadium

| 48,296

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196810060crd.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 5

| October 13

| Philadelphia Eagles

| W 34–14

| 5–0

| Cotton Bowl

| 72,083

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196810130dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 6

| October 20

| at Minnesota Vikings

| W 20–7

| 6–0

| Metropolitan Stadium

| 47,644

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196810200min.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| {{dow tooltip|October 28, 1968}}

| Green Bay Packers

| L 17–28

| 6–1

| Cotton Bowl

| 74,604

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196810280dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 8

| November 3

| at New Orleans Saints

| W 17–3

| 7–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 84,728

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196811030nor.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 9

| November 10

| New York Giants

| L 21–27

| 7–2

| Cotton Bowl

| 72,163

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196811100dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 10

| November 17

| at Washington Redskins

| W 44–24

| 8–2

| D.C. Stadium

| 50,816

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196811170was.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 11

| November 24

| at Chicago Bears

| W 34–3

| 9–2

| Wrigley Field

| 46,667

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196811240chi.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 12

| November 28

| Washington Redskins

| W 29–20

| 10–2

| Cotton Bowl

| 66,076

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196811280dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 13

| December 8

| Pittsburgh Steelers

| W 28–7

| 11–2

| Cotton Bowl

| 55,069

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196812080dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 14

| December 15

| at New York Giants

| W 28–10

| 12–2

| Yankee Stadium

| 62,617

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196812150nyg.htm Recap]

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"

|colspan="8"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

=Week 3=

{{AFB game box start

|Title=

|Visitor=Cowboys

|V1=7|V2=7 |V3= 14|V4=17

|Host=Eagles

|H1= 3|H2= 10|H3=0 |H4=0

|Date=September 29

|Location=Franklin Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=60,858

|Weather={{convert|61|F}}; wind 12 mph

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter=Q1 |Time= |Team=PHI |Event=Sam Baker 23 yard field goal |Score= PHI 3–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter= Q1|Time= |Team= DAL|Event= Dan Reeves 2 yard pass from Don Meredith (Mike Clark kick) |Score= DAL 7–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q2 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event= Lance Rentzel 11 yard pass from Don Meredith (Mike Clark kick) |Score= DAL 14–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q2 |Time= |Team=PHI |Event= Gary Ballman 18 yard pass from King Hill (Sam Baker kick) |Score= DAL 14–10}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q2 |Time= |Team=PHI |Event= Sam Baker 13 yard field goal|Score= DAL 14–13}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q3 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event=Bob Hayes 44 yard pass from Don Meredith (Mike Clark kick) |Score= DAL 21–13}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q3 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event=Don Perkins 10 yard pass from Don Meredith (Mike Clark kick) |Score= DAL 28–13}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q4 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event=Mike Clark 26 yard field goal |Score= DAL 31–13}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q4 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event=Lance Rentzel 8 yard pass from Don Meredith (Mike Clark kick) |Score= DAL 38–13}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=Q4 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event=Craig Morton 4 yard run (Mike Clark kick) |Score= DAL 45–13|LastEntry=yes}}

{{AFB game box end}}

[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196809290phi.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved 2013-Dec-15.

{{Clear}}

=Week 14=

{{AFB game box start

|Title=

|Visitor=Cowboys

|V1= 0|V2=7 |V3=14 |V4=7

|Host=Giants

|H1=3 |H2=0 |H3= 0|H4=7

|Date=December 15

|Location=Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=

|Weather={{convert|30|F}}, wind 20 mph

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter=1 |Time= |Team=NYG |Event=Pete Gogolak 12 yard field goal |Score= Giants 3–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team= DAL|Event= Bob Hayes 13 yard pass from Craig Morton (Mike Clark kick) |Score= Cowboys 7–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event= Bob Hayes 63 yard punt return (Mike Clark kick) |Score= Cowboys 14–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event= Craig Morton 1 yard run (Mike Clark kick) |Score= Cowboys 21–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=DAL |Event= Walt Garrison 8 yard run (Mike Clark kick) |Score= Cowboys 28–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=NYG |Event=Aaron Thomas 46 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Pete Gogolak kick) |Score=Cowboys 28–10 |LastEntry=yes}}

{{AFB game box end}}

[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196812150nyg.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]

{{Clear}}

Playoffs

{{main article|1968 NFL playoffs}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Round

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Date

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Opponent

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Result

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Game Site

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Attendance

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|year=1968|border=2}}"| Recap

style="background: #fcc"

! Eastern Conference

| {{dow tooltip|December 21, 1968|df=F j, Y}}

| at Cleveland Browns

| L 20–31

| Cleveland Stadium

| 81,497

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196812210cle.htm Recap]

style="background: #cfc"

! Playoff Bowl

| align=right|January 5, 1969

| vs Minnesota Vikings

| W 17–13

| Orange Bowl

| 22,961

|

Standings

{{1968 NFL Capitol standings}}

Roster

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
colspan="7" style="background:#c5ced6; color:black; border: 2px solid #001942; text-align: center;"|Dallas Cowboys 1968 roster
style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" |Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" |Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" |Reserve lists

Taxi squad

  • {{player
-}} Ed Harmon LB
  • {{player
    • -}} Ken Kmiec DB

    Rookies in italics

    42 active, 4 inactive, 2 Taxi squad

    References

    {{Reflist|2}}

    {{Dallas Cowboys}}

    {{Dallas Cowboys seasons}}

    {{1968 NFL season by team}}

    {{DEFAULTSORT:1968 Dallas Cowboys Season}}

    Category:Dallas Cowboys seasons

    Dallas Cowboys

    Dallas Cowboys