Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The Cowboys just fell apart after Danny White's injury that year but were actually having a pretty good season up to that point. They were 6-2 and had already won a game against the Giants and the Redskins. If White had managed to stay healthy throughout the entire year would there have been a chance Dallas could have gone 11-5 or 12-4. Or were they a little overrated 6-2 team and would have likely fallen off in the second half of the season anyways even if White was playing?

Being a Cowboy fan at that time, I felt the team could have won at least 11 games if White had stayed healthy but even then I knew the defense was getting too slow, though we still had some good veterans like Jones, White, Downs and Walls. Jeffcoat and Lockhart had some needed youth but getting Walker to team with Dorsett helped the offense while Hill was declining. Another loss that year was Dennis Thurman to the Cards. Despite being slow, he made big plays and held the defense together.

I think the Cowboys had started to decline after losing to the Rams in the 83 playoffs...they were pretty lucky in 1985 and ended up being shutout by the Rams in the playoffs. They beat the Giants in the 86 opener in part because LT had been suspended all pre-season IIRC. I don't think the Cowboys in 1986 were that good of a team, and I think at best they finish 10-6, but Danny White individually was having a great year in 1986. It was too bad he got hurt and never really recovered. I remember they compared Scott Pelluer to Roger Staubach because both guys were more mobile than White, but Pelluer was pretty terrible.

It should be noted that Pelluer and not White was the QB in the win vs. Washington.

Their offensive line was not good at the time. I remember tackle Phil Pozderac being penalized for holding every time that the Cowboys made a big play.

Youre right Teo ... the Cowboys lost alot of toughness once Scott and Donovan retired ...