On Jan. 8, 1995, the Cowboys didn’t just beat Green Bay - they put together the kind of playoff performance that looked like a warning shot to the rest of the NFC. Dallas rolled to a 35-9 win at Texas Stadium, and the game ended with the Cowboys exactly where they wanted to be: headed back into another NFC Championship showdown with San Francisco.
The opening minutes set the tone fast. Kevin Williams gave Dallas a spark right away with a 36-yard kickoff return to the Packers’ 49, and Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith finished off a 51-yard march with Smith’s five-yard touchdown run. Less than four minutes into the game, the Cowboys were up 7-0.
Green Bay answered with a 50-yard Chris Jacke field goal, but Dallas hit the play that defined the afternoon on its next possession. Backed up at his own six, Aikman dropped into the end zone and launched a deep ball to Alvin Harper. Harper hauled it in near midfield and outran everyone else for a 94-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 14-3.
That was Harper’s lane. Michael Irvin and Jay Novacek handled plenty of the short and middle work, but Harper delivered the back-breaking strike that cracked the Packers’ momentum wide open. A drive that started almost on the goal line ended with Dallas celebrating on the other end of Texas Stadium.
The Cowboys got a scare when Smith left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. He still had seven carries for 44 yards and the opening touchdown, but Dallas had to lean on Blair Thomas for most of the rushing work after that.
It didn’t slow the offense down. Aikman kept finding answers through the air, and Thomas kept the ground game moving.
Thomas added a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to make it 21-3. Green Bay finally got into the end zone on a one-yard Edgar Bennett run, but Brett Favre’s two-point pass failed, leaving the Packers down 21-9.
Dallas wasn’t done before halftime, either. Aikman led another drive and capped it with a one-yard touchdown pass to reserve tight end Scott Galbraith with seconds left in the half, sending the Cowboys to the locker room up 28-9.
From there, Dallas controlled the game the way good playoff teams do. The Cowboys eased into the second half, trusted their defense, and let the clock and the running game do the work.
Green Bay never scored again, went four-for-16 on third down, and failed on two fourth-down tries. Thomas finished the job with a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and he closed with 70 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
This game mattered because it sat right on the line between a strong season and the matchup everyone was waiting for. Barry Switzer’s first Cowboys team had gone 12-4, but the real test was always going to be whether Dallas could get through San Francisco again. By flattening Green Bay, the Cowboys earned a third straight NFC Championship meeting with the 49ers.
And Harper’s 94-yard touchdown still stands as the longest offensive play in Cowboys playoff history.
In Other News...
Cowboys Suddenly Have A Worry They Couldn't Afford At Linebacker
Jaishawn Barham has been one of the more encouraging young pieces in Cowboys training camp, showing enough to get noticed in a linebacker group that could use every steady hand it can find. The rookies early work had started to create a little momentum around his role, especially with Dallas still sorting out depth and rotation options on defense.
Practice took an uneasy turn when Barham appeared to get banged up and was checked by medical staff before walking to the tent and then back to the locker room. The Cowboys have not offered an official update yet, which leaves some uncertainty around how long he might be out and whether Dee Winters would need to take on a bigger share of the snaps if Barham misses time. [Read more 🡒]
Three Fringe Cowboys Are Forcing Their Way Into The Roster Fight
Training camp has a way of turning the bottom of the roster into one of the most interesting parts of the Cowboys summer, and that has been true again this week. Undrafted rookie Michael Trigg has drawn notice with the kind of practice work that keeps a fringe player in the conversation, while Curtis Robinson is picking up more responsibility on both defense and special teams as Dallas sorts through its depth before the first preseason game.
The same pressure is hanging over Sam Williams, who is still fighting for his place as the Cowboys sort out a crowded edge mix. For players in that tier, every rep matters because the coaching staff is looking for reliability as much as upside, and the next few practices will carry extra weight as roster decisions begin to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Have One Ruthless Answer To Washingtons Stefon Diggs Splash
Washingtons move to add Stefon Diggs gives the Commanders another big-name target to pair with Terry McLaurin, and it also puts a little extra pressure on Dallas to answer in kind. If the Cowboys are looking for a direct response, the logic points to the defensive side of the ball, where help at linebacker would do more than just make a statement. Bobby Wagner is the obvious name in that conversation, especially for a team that wants proven production and a veteran presence in the middle of the defense.
Wagner would bring familiarity with the division and a track record that still plays in a room like Dallas linebacker group. His recent work in Washington showed he can stay on the field and handle a major role, which is part of why he keeps surfacing as a fit if the Cowboys want to counter the Commanders latest splash with something equally sharp. The question is whether Dallas wants to make a move that feels both practical and pointed, or keep looking for its answer elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]