Would the Dallas Cowboys have defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in SB XVI?

[saturdaysarebetter]

In the 1981 NFC Championship game, the game known as The Catch, if not for one then-legal horse-collar tackle, how different would Cowboys quarterback Danny White's legacy be? Having brought them back in the last minute to reach the Super Bowl to face the Cincinnati Bengals, instead of being known as the quarterback who didn't get them to the Super Bowl losing three consecutive NFC Championship Games.

Video of that then legal horse-collar tackle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke1at-bR6wY

Would the Cowboys have defeated the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI had they got there?

[74_75_78_79_]

In the 1981 NFC Championship game, the game known as The Catch, if not for one then-legal horse-collar tackle, how different would Cowboys quarterback Danny White's legacy be? Having brought them back in the last minute to reach the Super Bowl to face the Cincinnati Bengals, instead of being known as the quarterback who didn't get them to the Super Bowl losing three consecutive NFC Championship Games.

Video of that then legal horse-collar tackle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke1at-bR6wY

Would the Cowboys have defeated the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI had they got there?

https://profootballresearchers.com/foru ... php?t=6010

[saturdaysarebetter]

Thank you.

[74_75_78_79_]

Thank you.

No sweat! And, belatedly, welcome aboard! Some solid posts from you already.

Yeah, such a big list of previous threads to search through to see if a certain topic has already been posted.

Dallas vs Cincinnati at Pontiac, 1/24/82? Still VERY torn on that one! I guess Big D would have been installed as the favorite going in, and by more than just a couple points if only because of their 'big-game' experience all this time and Cincy playing the Cinderella. But that aside, it should be a pick-'em. Even if the winner wins by 7 (which I think would have been the most-lopsided result), it still would have been better than the actual 5-pt game we got IRL.

In the end, both teams that actually made SBXVI in real-life were the ones who deserved to be there, with San Fran deserving the win. But of the four remaining teams that year, this Dal/Cin match IMO would have been the better game. 2nd-best? I think that SF 26, Cin 21 one which actually did take place.

I know others disagree, an unpopular opinion, but SF/SD would not have been a good one. I think Fouts would have thrown too many INTs and if not that, then SF simply exposes their even-weaker defense than the year before (they, instead of SD, now having Fred Dean on full display; IMO San Fran without Dean still bests SD with Dean).

Dallas/SD? A more-competitive game, but the logic here is that if the 'Boys beat them by double-digits the year before, then...

[7DnBrnc53]

I actually like the Cowboys in this one. They have all the experience (outside of the fact that it would be the first SB start for Danny White), and I think the Bengals were a bit uptight in that game (not as bad as Philly the year before, but still).

It's too bad that the strike killed their matchup the next year. That may have given us some indication of what would have happened if they met here.

They didn't play again until 1985. By then, Dallas was on the decline (and didn't deserve to make the playoffs), and the Bengals weren't as good that year as they were in 81-82 (or 86 and 88). They gave the Pokes a beatdown at Riverfront in December.

[Gary Najman]

Of all the 1982 strike cancelled games, Dallas at Cincinnati on a then-rare Sunday Night was the best matchup we didn't had the chance to see.

[CSKreager]

Thank you.

I know others disagree, an unpopular opinion, but SF/SD would not have been a good one. I think Fouts would have thrown too many INTs and if not that, then SF simply exposes their even-weaker defense than the year before (they, instead of SD, now having Fred Dean on full display; IMO San Fran without Dean still bests SD with Dean).

We got SF/SD in December 82 and that turned out to be a barnburner

I think you’re vastly overestimating the 49ers

[7DnBrnc53]

We got SF/SD in December 82 and that turned out to be a barnburner

I think you’re vastly overestimating the 49ers

I think that Bill Walsh even said that their dynasty may have been delayed if they had to play SD instead of the Bengals.

[PaulPFHOF]

Cowboys fan since 1977 and I followed the team very closely in early 1980s including that season, and I am not completely certain who would have won if DAL/CIN..keeping in mind that SB was very close game that could have gone either way-very possible DAL/CIN would have been the same.
But talk about a game that could have changed the fortunes of all three teams (and if SD if they play and win it)

[Jay Z]

I think Walsh preferred the Bengals because he was coaching conservatively. Look at how much the 49ers ran the ball with not much to show for it. The Chargers would turn the ball over but they would keep coming at you and it would force Walsh and Montana to pass more downfield than Walsh really wanted to do.

The Cowboys could get turnovers and they did against the 49ers. But Landry never knew how to stomp on teams, wanted to outsmart everyone, so if the other team wasn't completely outclassed it would be a close game. That Cowboys defense wouldn't have gotten the goal line stop against the Bengals and Pete Johnson would be able to do more.

I think the Cowboys do better against the Chargers because then it's more of a shootout. White didn't pass all that much in 1981, he probably throws a couple of picks himself, but there's just less thinking in that game, less chance for Landry to get cute. White's not going to make the big throw against a tough D, he didn't have that mindset or ability.

I don't particularly love the 1981 Bengals, but I think the 1981 Cowboys would need to have a multi score lead to win, and I don't think they do that, so I think the Bengals win this game.