1992 NFC Championship:
January 17, 1993
Dallas Cowboys vs San
Francisco 49ers
Candlestick Park, San
Francisco, CA
Weather: 54 °F (12
°C), partly cloudy, occasional rain
The
two best teams in football met on a rainy, muddy day at Candlestick Park in San
Francisco for the right to meet the AFC Champion Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl
27. This would be the first time in their dynasty years that started in the
early 80s, the 49ers would be playing in the NFC Championship game without
four-time Super Bowl winner and three-time Super Bowl MVP, quarterback Joe
Montana. After being seriously injured in the 1990 NFC title game against the
New York Giants, Montana had missed the entire 1991 season. Although he was still
on the roster, he didn’t get into a game until the regular season finale and
would be relegated to a back-up role for the playoffs.
No trouble, though, as another
All-star quarterback, Steve Young, proved he was just as capable as leading the
49ers. Young missed five games due to injury during the 1991 season and the
49ers missed the playoffs. However, in 1992, he passed for 3465 yards and 25
touchdowns, and ran for another 537 yards and 4 TDS, while leading the 49ers to
a 14-2 record and the best record in the NFL.
For the Cowboys, this was their
first year as a contender since Tom Landry had been fired after the 1988
season. Former Miami Hurricanes coach, Jimmy Johnson, who had won the College
National Championship with the Canes after the 1987 season, took over in 1989
and had guided the Cowboys to a miserable 1-15 record. However, two years later
the team was in the playoffs and the following year, finished with a 13-3
record and would meet the Niners in the NFC Championship Game.
` A 63-yard touchdown pass from
Young to receiver, Jerry Rice, that would have put the 49ers on the scoreboard
first, was called back because of a holding penalty. Instead, the Cowboys would
be first on the board with a 20-yard field goal by Lin Elliott after a 49er
fumble on special teams. San Francisco would eventually score the first TD of
the game on a quarterback sneak by Young from a yard away. The first quarter
ended 7-3, San Fran.
After 49er runningback, Rickey
Watters, fumbled the ball away, Dallas drove for a go-ahead score. The drive
ended on a four-yard run by Cowboy running back, Emmitt Smith. The Niners
managed to tie the game at ten before the half ended on a Mike Cofer field
goal.
Dallas received the second-half
kick off and marched 78 yards and scored on a three-yard touchdown run by full
back, Darryl Johnston, and took a 17-10 lead. After another field goal by
Cofer, Dallas embarked on another long drive, this time one that covered 79
yards and consumed nine minutes. Smith scored his second TD of the game on a
16-yard pass from quarterback, Troy Aikman. The Cowboys led the game 24-13.
Mid-way through the fourth
quarter, Young was intercepted (the third 49er turnover of the game) and Dallas
looked to put the game away. However, on a fourth down from the San Francisco
7-yard line, head coach, Johnson, decided to go for the touch down rather than
attempt a field goal that would have given the Cowboys a 14-point lead. The
49er defense held and the 49ers still had some life.
Young led the offense on a
93-yard drive that culminated when he threw a five-yard TD pass to Rice and the
Dallas lead had shrunk to 24-20. However, on the first play after the kick-off,
Aikman hit Alvin Harper with a short pass on a slant route that the receiver
turned into a 70-yard play, finally being forced out of bounds at the nine-yard
line. Three plays later, Aikman threw a TD pass to Kelvin Martin. The extra
point was missed and the Cowboy lead was 30-20.
With time running out, Young
attempted to pull off some of the magic that had followed Montana around during
his tenure as the 49er quarterback. But at the two-minute warning, Young was
intercepted again and the Cowboys were able to run out the clock. They were off
to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1978 season.
Aikman threw for 322 yards and
two TDs, while Emmitt Smith ran for 114 yards, caught seven passes for 59 yards
and scored two touchdowns. In a losing effort, Young threw for 313 yards while
Rice caught eight passes for 123 yards. The Cowboys outgained San Francisco by
one yard (416-415) but the difference in the game was the four 49er turnovers.
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