The 1992 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 33rd season in the National Football League (NFL) and was the fourth year of the franchise under head coach Jimmy Johnson. The Cowboys made the first of three Super Bowl appearances between 1992 and 1995.
Headed by a powerful offense and the NFL's number one ranked defense, Dallas fielded at the time, the youngest team in the NFL and posted a franchise-best 13–3 record throughout the regular season. In the playoffs, the Cowboys disposed of the Philadelphia Eagles 34–10 in the Divisional Playoffs. Followed by a memorable 30–20 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. At Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, the Cowboys routed the Buffalo Bills 52–17.
This team ranked #6 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[1][2]
The season would start off with two crucial wins against the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants, both victors of the previous two Super Bowls. A ferocious Dallas defense, with not a single player nominated to the Pro Bowl, placed first in the NFL in total defense. Running back Emmitt Smith would also collect his second straight NFL rushing title.
The 1992 season would also see a renewed rivalry between the Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game set over a decade after the famous play known as The Catch. This ultimately started the rise of the 49ers and fall of the Cowboys throughout the 1980s. The rise of the 1990s Cowboys was christened with a 30–20 victory against San Francisco at Candlestick Park. Both franchises would later meet again in the next two NFC Championship games in what many consider to be a classic series of contest of future Hall of Fame players.
At the Rose Bowl, site of Super Bowl XXVII, the Cowboys would struggle early, finding themselves down 0–7, but later regroup when Aikman's pass to tight end Jay Novacek tied the game 7–7. From there, Dallas would gain all momentum and rout the Buffalo Bills 52–17, forcing a record 9 turnovers and knocking BillsquarterbackJim Kelly out of the game. Troy Aikman would earn Super Bowl MVP honors after completing 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and 4 touchdowns to wrap up a phenomenal postseason performance.
The Dallas defense (nicknamed "Doomsday II") enjoyed a renaissance, but has never received due credit for its achievements:
It was only the third defense since 1980 to hold opponents to fewer than 4,000 yards in a 16-game season. The other defenses to have done it are recognized as two of the greatest of modern era – the 1984 Chicago Bears and the 1991 Philadelphia Eagles.
It was the second defense to rank No. 1 in fewest yards yielded without sending a player to the Pro Bowl. The 1983Cincinnati Bengals, who had a losing record were the first.
The defense finished first in the NFL in total defense (245.8 yards-per-game), while the secondary finished the year fifth in passing defense (168.1 yards-per-game).
It led the NFL in defense against the rush and fewest first downs allowed. Its league lead in preventing third-down conversions was staggering. Dallas's opponents converted 27.2 percent. The Seattle Seahawks ranked second at 32.6 percent.
It set a club record by holding the Seattle Seahawks to 62 yards in a 27–0 victory and closed the season by holding the Chicago Bears to fewer than 100 yards.
Super Bowl XXVII saw the Cowboys defense at its best, producing a Super Bowl record 9 turnovers (5 fumbles and 4 interceptions) and even scoring two touchdowns.
The Cowboys were defeated in their first meeting with Eagles running back Herschel Walker since they traded him from Dallas to the Vikings during the 1989 season. Walker scored twice while putting up 100 all-purpose yards against the Cowboys. Troy Aikman was intercepted three times.
Emmitt Smith led the way with 152 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, with Troy Aikman running for a TD to go along with his 234 yards passing. The Cowboys' defense held Los Angeles to just 188 total offensive yards – 71 rushing and 117 passing.
The Cowboys had their hands full as Tommy Maddox threw three touchdowns but was intercepted four times. The Broncos took a fourth-quarter lead on an 81-yard touchdown to Cedric Tillman. Emmitt Smith was held to just 62 yards but ran in the winning score.
Emmitt Smith recovered a fumble in his own endzone in the fourth quarter; he threw the ball and was intercepted by Danny Copeland for the winning Redskins touchdown. A livid Jimmy Johnson railed at his players on the air flight home.
DAL – Tennell 1 pass from Aikman (Elliott kick) DAL 7–3
DAL – Novacek 6 pass from Aikman (Elliott kick) DAL 14–3
DAL – field goal Elliott 20 DAL 17–3
DAL – Smith 23 run (Elliott kick) DAL 24–3
DAL – field goal Elliott 43 DAL 27–3
DAL – Gainer 1 run (Elliott kick) DAL 34–3
PHI – Williams 18 pass from Cunningham (Ruzek kick) DAL 34–10
The Cowboys held the Eagles to 178 total net yards; Randall Cunningham managed a late touchdown but managed only 182 combined yards and was sacked five times for 45 lost yards; Herschel Walker managed only 29 rushing yards and caught six passes for 37 yards. Troy Aikman had two touchdowns and 200 passing yards (88 of them to Michael Irvin) while Emmitt Smith rushed for 114 yards and a score.
NFC Conference Championship: Dallas Cowboys 30, San Francisco 49ers 20
The two teams combined for 831 yards in the Cowboys first overall win over the 49ers since 1980. A failed Cowboys fourth-down conversion attempt while up 24–13 set up Steve Young's touchdown to Jerry Rice late in the fourth quarter, but San Francisco's comeback attempt ended when a 70-yard Alvin Harper catch set up Kelvin Martin's touchdown catch and a subsequent interception of Young, the Niners' fourth turnover of the game. On Harper's late catch the play was initially intended for Michael Irvin but he and Harper switched routes in the huddle. This was the last road playoff win for the Cowboys until 2022.
