While they are still trying to end their 27-year title drought, the Dallas Cowboys did end another futility streak when they defeated the Buccaneers Monday during the NFL's Super Wild Card Weekend.
By virtue of their 31-14 win over the Buccaneers, the Cowboys have recorded the franchise's first playoff win in their navy blue jerseys. Dallas had been 0-3 in the playoffs while wearing their navy tops, which debuted in 1981.
The Cowboys have won in the playoffs wearing a blue jersey, however. The 1978 Cowboys are the last Dallas team to win with a blue top after they dismantled the Rams in that year's NFC Championship game. The Cowboys, who wore a royal blue jersey in those days, won their second straight NFC title and fifth of the 1970s after forcing seven Rams turnovers.
OTD 1979
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 8, 2023
° 1978 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP °
Fueled by safety Charlie Waters' big day (fumble recovery, ½ sack, two key second half INTs), the #Cowboys force seven turnovers and break a 0-0 halftime tie to bury the Rams, 28-0.#Dallas clinches its then-record fifth Super Bowl appearance. pic.twitter.com/QZmbwcFHlM
"The Rams don't have enough class to go to the Super Bowl," Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson gloated afterwords, via Sports Illustrated. "If the Rams don't choke, I'll choke them. Have the Rams ever been to the Super Bowl? Our team is in a class by itself -- right from Too Tall to Roger to Dorsett to Harvey Martin -- hey, call roll! The Rams got anybody like that?"
Henderson continued to make headlines leading up to Cowboys' following matchup against the Steelers in Super Bowl XIII. Henderson proclaimed that Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw couldn't spell "cat" even if you spotted him the "C and the T." Bradshaw then proceeded to lead the Steelers to victory after throwing for 318 yards and four touchdowns and winning Super Bowl MVP.
The Rams would get their revenge one year later. In what was the final game of Roger Staubach's Hall of Fame career, Los Angeles upset Dallas in the divisional round of the playoffs on the strength of two deep second-half touchdown passes from quarterback Vince Ferragamo. The Rams would then lose a tightly contested Super Bowl to the Steelers, who won their fourth Super Bowl of the decade.
If the Cowboys make it to the big game this February, they will likely be wearing their traditional white uniforms as the NFC is considered the home team for odd-numbered Super Bowls. The Cowboys lost the only Super Bowl where they wore their blue tops; a 16-13 loss to the Colts in Super Bowl V. Dallas wore its white jerseys in each of its next seven trips to the Super Bowl that included its 24-3 thumping of Miami in Super Bowl VI, the franchise's first Super Bowl win.
