Cowboys Countdown to Kickoff: 100 Iconic Games – Day 46

It is Day 46 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

Strap yourselves in for Day 46 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit a Thanksgiving game that felt bigger than a normal regular-season matchup. The Cowboys hosted the St. Louis Cardinals in Week 12 of the 1976 season, and this was a true NFC East power game. This was the kind of game that carried playoff pressure before the playoffs even arrived.

Thursday, November 25, 1976 — 3:30 p.m. ET

Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 19, St. Louis Cardinals 14

The Cardinals had already beaten Dallas earlier that season, winning 21-17 in St. Louis. At this time, the Cardinals and Cowboys were in the same division. That made the Thanksgiving rematch even more important. A St. Louis sweep would have thrown the division race wide open and put real heat on the Cowboys over the final two weeks.

Dallas struck first with the kind of opening statement it needed. Roger Staubach finished a first-quarter drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Scott Laidlaw, and Efren Herrera’s extra point made it 7-0. That score mattered because the Cardinals were built to play from in front under Don Coryell.

The Cardinals answered in the second quarter through the ground game. Steve Jones scored from five yards out, Jim Bakken added the extra point, and the game was tied 7-7. That was the only time St. Louis fully broke through until late. The box score shows the Cardinals moved the ball all day with 377 total yards, 249 passing yards and 24 first downs, but the Cowboys kept forcing them to play the long game.

Dallas reclaimed control before halftime through Staubach’s legs. He scored on a four-yard run, Herrera added the kick, and the Cowboys went into the break up 14-7. That touchdown was a perfect snapshot of Staubach in this era. He did not have a big passing day, only 83 yards with two interceptions, but he still found a way to affect the game as a runner, finishing as Dallas’ leading rusher with 54 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.

The third quarter stayed scoreless, which was a win for Dallas. St. Louis had the more productive offense statistically, but the Cowboys kept getting the stops that mattered. The Cardinals could move the chains, but Dallas kept the end zone protected long enough to make every possession feel heavier. The fourth quarter became a field-position fight. Herrera drilled a 42-yard field goal to stretch the Cowboys’ lead to 17-7, and Dallas later added two more points when special teams produced a blocked punt safety. That made it 19-7, and those five fourth-quarter points ended up being the winning margin after a cardinals touchdown. It was classic 1970s Cowboys football with a solid defense, special teams magic, field position and just enough Staubach.

This game belongs on the countdown because it was a classic example of 1970s Cowboys football under Thanksgiving pressure, division stakes, and a result built on defense, special teams, and Staubach doing just enough. It was not the cleanest win of the season, but it was one of the most important.

Interesting Facts About the Game

Dallas won despite being outgained. St. Louis had 24 first downs to Dallas’ 16, but the Cardinals committed two turnovers and could not turn enough of their yardage into points.

Countdown To Kickoff by day:

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58, 57,56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 48, 47

Want More Context? 🔎