Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I recently saw the Cowboys/ Bills '81 regular season game (well the first half at least as I havn't watched the second half yet) and in that the MNF announcers were absolutely ripping the Cowboys defensive secondary to shreds.

Now pretty much all the images I have of the '81 Cowboys were from the NFC championship game (also have seen the playoff game against Tampa Bay in which they won 38-0). It seemed by the time the playoffs rolled around they were pumping up the Cowboys again as practically seemingly being about as good as the Dallas teams from the late seventies. Also the NFL network on one of their top 10 shows they placed the Cowboys defensive secondary of the early '80's as one of the top 10 secondaries of all time.

So did the '81 Cowboys defense just improve a lot over the second half of the season or was their some hyperbolie going on from those announcers in the playoff games? Or was the MNF team perhaps a little too harsh on them?

They did have two rookies in Michael Downs and Everson Walls so you definitely could see them being quite a bit better come playoff time than they were mid season when that Bills game took place.

I was always under the impression that the '81 Cowboys were considered to be the best of the early '80's Cowboys teams and their defense was viewed as having rebounded from a pretty average 1980 unit.

Walls had an outstanding rookie season in 1981, leading the NFL in interceptions with 11 (the last time anybody intercepted as many as 11 in a season) and also led the league in 1982 with seven picks, the last time a player led the league in interceptions in consecutive seasons.

lastcat3 wrote:I recently saw the Cowboys/ Bills '81 regular season game (well the first half at least as I havn't watched the second half yet) and in that the MNF announcers were absolutely ripping the Cowboys defensive secondary to shreds.

Now pretty much all the images I have of the '81 Cowboys were from the NFC championship game (also have seen the playoff game against Tampa Bay in which they won 38-0). It seemed by the time the playoffs rolled around they were pumping up the Cowboys again as practically seemingly being about as good as the Dallas teams from the late seventies. Also the NFL network on one of their top 10 shows they placed the Cowboys defensive secondary of the early '80's as one of the top 10 secondaries of all time.

So did the '81 Cowboys defense just improve a lot over the second half of the season or was their some hyperbolie going on from those announcers in the playoff games? Or was the MNF team perhaps a little too harsh on them?

They did have two rookies in Michael Downs and Everson Walls so you definitely could see them being quite a bit better come playoff time than they were mid season when that Bills game took place.

I was always under the impression that the '81 Cowboys were considered to be the best of the early '80's Cowboys teams and their defense was viewed as having rebounded from a pretty average 1980 unit.

It was a defense that gave up a lot of passing yards, then a big deal to announcers. But, they made big plays, Dr Z talked about it in his All-Pro team article that year I think, it was when he wrote about defensive passer rating, though he tweaked it ad took out sack yardage---so he felt they pass defense was "effecient"

Rupert Patrick wrote:Walls had an outstanding rookie season in 1981, leading the NFL in interceptions with 11 (the last time anybody intercepted as many as 11 in a season) and also led the league in 1982 with seven picks, the last time a player led the league in interceptions in consecutive seasons.

Yeah they did mention how many interceptions he got but then would follow it up with something like 'yeah he'll take it away but then give a lot back in return'.

People now tend to put more emphasis on points given up than they do yards given up so it indeed may have just been a different mindset back then then what we are used to now.

Also without the internet and the convienency of cell phones back in those days opinions may have differed a great deal from person to person even in the broadcasting world. So one announcing team could paint one picture and a different broadcasting team could (in a different game) paint an entirely different one.

Much was made of the fact that Walls was an undrafted free agent who had a monster rookie year--at least with respect to the interceptions. The inevitable "How could he not be drafted?" questions were a big part of that season--especially since the Cowboys were still the most-hyped team on the planet.

Ironic you mention that Buffalo game, because I remember that a few weeks prior against Miami, these guys were picking off David Woodley left and right to fuel a big comeback against the Dolphins.

BD Sullivan wrote:Much was made of the fact that Walls was an undrafted free agent who had a monster rookie year--at least with respect to the interceptions. The inevitable "How could he not be drafted?" questions were a big part of that season--especially since the Cowboys were still the most-hyped team on the planet.

I met Walls in a Cowboys-Colts game in 2014, and I talk to him. He said that both him and Michael Downs are Dallas natives, and the reason he was undrafted is because he ran slow in the 40-yard dash. He looks taller than his 6-1 size and he told me he got lucky that many defensive backs for the Cowboys at that time were retiring or let go (like Aaron Mitchell, Wade Manning and Randy Hughes), so he could grab a spot and he never missed a non-strike game for the Cowboys in his 9 seasons with the team.

It's funny. On Walls wikipedia page it says that he was finally waved by Dallas by JJ because of a lack of production (which you can't really blame him much for on that 1-15 team) and an incident where Jimmy caught him talking and smiling with a Cardinals player after one of their games. I think Jimmy was just looking for a reason to get rid of him.

He might have been still a pretty productive corner for them during the early '90's Dallas Super Bowl years. They may not have played Larry Brown if they still had him.

Walls was moved to safety in his final years, so I don't think he would have been competing with Larry Brown for a spot. Perhaps he would have been holding off Thomas Everett or James Washington. But Jimmy Johnson always coveted speed on defense. Aging defensive backs weren't high on his list. It's amazing Bill Bates played for him, although he went from starting safety under Landry to special teams ace and MLB in the nickel defense.

Teo wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:Much was made of the fact that Walls was an undrafted free agent who had a monster rookie year--at least with respect to the interceptions. The inevitable "How could he not be drafted?" questions were a big part of that season--especially since the Cowboys were still the most-hyped team on the planet.

I met Walls in a Cowboys-Colts game in 2014, and I talk to him. He said that both him and Michael Downs are Dallas natives, and the reason he was undrafted is because he ran slow in the 40-yard dash. He looks taller than his 6-1 size and he told me he got lucky that many defensive backs for the Cowboys at that time were retiring or let go (like Aaron Mitchell, Wade Manning and Randy Hughes), so he could grab a spot and he never missed a non-strike game for the Cowboys in his 9 seasons with the team.

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