1975 NFC DIVISION PLAYOFF
DALLAS COWBOYS
Vs
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
December 28, 1975
Metropolitan Stadium Bloomington Minnesota
Announcers Gary Bender + Johnny Unitas
Complete Original Game
Dallas Cowboys 17, Minnesota Vikings 14
With 24 seconds left in the game, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach threw the 50-yard winning touchdown
pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson on a play that became known as the Hail Mary Pass.
After a scoreless first quarter, Fred McNeill recovered a muffed punt for Minnesota to set
up a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Chuck Foreman.
Dallas did not tie the game until the third quarter when Doug Dennison scored on a 4-yard touchdown run.
Then after the Cowboys added a fourth-quarter field goal, the Vikings took the lead, 14-10,
with 5:24 remaining in the game by marching 70 yards to score on
running back Brent McClananahan’s 1-yard touchdown run.
The Cowboys got the ball back on its own 15-yard line with only 1:51 left, but Staubach's
fourth-down-and-16 pass to Pearson set up the winning "Hail Mary pass."
The fourth and 16 completion proved to be a foreshadowing of events to come,
as this play had its own minor controversy,
as Minnesota argued that Pearson was out of bounds when he made this catch.
The official ruled that he was forced out by Nate Wright, which replay appeared to confirm.
These two would of course participate in a more controversial play two plays later,
as Drew Pearson caught a 50-yard pass on what Staubach called (in the postgame interview) a "Hail Mary" pass,
the first time that term was used to describe such a play.
Wright had tripped over Pearson's leg as the ball was coming down,
and the Vikings argued that Pearson pushed off Wright and should have been flagged for offensive interference.
The play drew the ire of Minnesota's Alan Page, who was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct,
a 15-yard penalty that allowed Dallas to kick off from the 50, and ejected.
Fran Tarkenton then vehemently argued with the referees, inspiring fans to throw objects onto the field,
one of which was a liquor bottle that struck official Armen Terian in the head,
creating a large forehead gash and rendering him unconscious. Terzian had to wear a bandage,
later requiring 11 stitches, as he walked off the field and replaced
by substitute official Charley Musser for the final two plays.
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1975 NFC DIVISION PLAYOFF
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