74_75_78_79_ wrote:Great education once again, gang. No dummy at all when it comes to this stuff but learn something new every week here (why I'm on this site). Always knew '66 was Dallas'/Landry's "coming-out" year but never exactly knew that Turkey Day vs Clev was the "key"-win. Browns ended up losing to Eagles weeks later that would forge the Birds to a (FWI-possibly-W) 2nd-place finish in the Eastern/Playoff Bowl-berth vs Colts. '66...final year before the brief 4Cs-era only to immediately segue into...the Merger!
In regard to Cleveland's 1966 loss to the Eagles:
Cleveland had beaten Philadelphia 8 straight times going into that game and was all but eliminated from championship contention (Dallas would have had to lose their last two games with Washington and the last place Giants, having their worst ever season, for the Browns to have a chance by winning their last two games. Dallas was not about to lose both of those games, and I am sure the Browns knew it).
About the only incentive for Cleveland to win was that they would play in the old runner up bowl (playoff bowl) if they won. The Browns had played in that game twice, and I am pretty sure that they did not like playing in it (a hinky dinky game in a hinky dinky town, etc.). It was a home game for Philadelphia, who had never played in the runner up bowl. So, any incentive to win that game was probably with Philadelphia.
Dallas did lose to Washington, 34 to 31, in their second from last regular season game, but as their game was played an hour after the Browns-Eagles game, the Cowboys knew well before the end of their game with Washington that the Browns had lost to the Eagles, making the game they were playing with Washington meaningless as they had the Eastern Conference title clinched.
The following week, Dallas rested their starting quarterback Don Meredith against the Giants and had reserve quarterback Jerry Rhome play the first half and reserve quarterback Craig Morton play the second half. Dallas won anyway, 17 to 7.
