Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

1} NFL Championship Game 1966-Green Bay Packers (12-2) at Dallas Cowboys {10-3-1)

Before the Dallas offense came on the field, the Cowboys were behind 14 to 0.  Green Bay drove downfield after receiving the opening kickoff scoring on a Bart Starr pass for a touchdown.   On the ensuing kickoff, Jim Grabowski returned a fumble 18 yards for another.  Don Meredith had a good game considering this disadvantage.  He completed 15 of 31 passes for 238 yards and a touchdown.  Dallas was at the Green Bay 6 in the last minute of the game when Meredith threw an interception.  Green Bay 34 Dallas 27.

{2} NFL Eastern Conference Playoff 1967-Cleveland Browns at  Dallas Cowboys.  Both clubs had 9-5 records.

Don Meredith completed 11 of 13 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown.   The Cowboys sacked quarterback Frank Ryan five times for 31 yards.  The Cowboys defeated the Browns during the season 21 to 14.  This time it was easier.  Dallas 52 Cleveland 14.

{3} NFL 1967 Championship Game-Now Known as the Ice Bowl.  Dallas (9-5) at Green Bay (9-4-1)

The Packers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions but did nothing until the famous last drive of the game.  Trailing 14 to 0, the Dallas Cowboys came back.   George Andre returned a Bart Starr fumble for a touchdown.  The Cowboys kicked a field goal after a fumbled punt return.  On a halfback option play from Dan Reeves to Lance Rentzel, the Cowboys went ahead 17 to 14.  This was early in the fourth quarter.  Don Meredith went 10 for 25 for 59 yards.  Tough day for passers.  Green Bay 21 Dallas 17.

{4} NFL Eastern Conference Playoff 1968-Dallas Cowboys (12-2) at Cleveland Browns (10-4)

Aside from the better record, Dallas, at home, defeated  the Browns 28 to 7 during the season.  Dallas led 10 to 3 with about a minute left in the first half.  The only touchdown was a fumble return.  Chuck Howley hit Browns quarterback Bill Nelson at midfield, causing a fumble.   Howley returned it 50 yards.  However, blown covering resulted in a 50 yard touchdown pass from Bill Nelson to Leroy Kelly tying the score.  Don Meredith threw interceptions on the first two Cowboys series in the second half.  Both led to touchdowns and Craig Morton relieved Meredith.  Don had a horrible game, three for nine for 42 yards and three interception.  Cleveland 31 Dallas 20.

We learned during the 2010 that Don Meredith, the original quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys had died. Meredith played for the Cowboys during the first nine years of their existence, 1960 to 1968. Coach Tom Landry rotated Meredith with Eddie Le Baron for 1960 to 1962. Thereafter, Don Meredith became a first stringer. He survived the first six years when the Cowboys were building; then came the Dallas Dynasty which started in 1966.  Meredith was on the Pro Bowl Squad each year, 1966 to 1968. 

Here’s a quirky Meredith statistic that I read in my 1968 NFL Autograph Yearbook magazine. Going into the 1968 season Dandy Don had completed 999 passes out of 1,999 career attempts. Those numbers caught my then nine year old eyes and have stuck ever since.

JohnH19 wrote:Here’s a quirky Meredith statistic that I read in my 1968 NFL Autograph Yearbook magazine. Going into the 1968 season Dandy Don had completed 999 passes out of 1,999 career attempts. Those numbers caught my then nine year old eyes and have stuck ever since.

He was like the Barney Oldfield (raced Ol' 999) of the NFL.

Fun fact: Meredith was not drafted by Dallas. He was drafted by George Allen when Allen was working the draft for the Bears. The Bears have to surrender Meredith in the expansion process.

The Bears won the 1963 title with Billy Wade at QB. But you do wonder how good they might have been with Meredith.

Lee Elder wrote:Fun fact: Meredith was not drafted by Dallas. He was drafted by George Allen when Allen was working the draft for the Bears. The Bears have to surrender Meredith in the expansion process.

The Bears won the 1963 title with Billy Wade at QB. But you do wonder how good they might have been with Meredith.

The 1960 NFL draft was in November 1959. The Cowboys didn't become a team until January 1960. So they didn't participate in that draft.

Allowing the Cowboys to sign Meredith and Don Perkins was compensation for missing the draft. It worked out okay as both Meredith and Perkins made it. Probably more productive than some of the teams that were actually in the draft.

Meredith was drafted #3 by the Bears. Perkins was drafted #9 by the Rams. Both Bears and Rams were given the Cowboys' picks in the 1962 draft as compensation. Bears drafted end Jim Bates from USC. This is not the Jim Bates who would later be an NFL coach. Bates signed with the Chargers instead but never played in the NFL. Rams wound up drafting Ike Lassiter who went to the AFL as well. So the "trades" were a steal for the Cowboys.