|
Houston Rally Falls Short By 13
Dallas Scores Unimpressive 30-17 Victory

By Jimmy
Blair
Galveston (TX) News
HOUSTON- The fast gunslinging Dallas Cowboys invaded Houston last night
and knocked off the Oilers 30-17 before the largest crowd ever to see a
pro football game in the city's history
An estimated crowd of 53,123 was thrilled from start to finish with
hard-nosed action, which included a fight between the two teams and a
fantastic Houston rally in the final period.
Dallas built up a slim 13-3 halftime lead and then added 17 more before
Houston made its big comeback in the final six minutes.
Following the final Dallas touchdown, Larry Collwell took the kickoff
from his own two to the 19 to set up the Oilers comeback drive.
With Jackie Lee at the helm, the Oilers marched 81 yards in seven plays,
Lee passing 20 yards to Charley Frazer for the first touchdown.
Houston regained possession of the football when Bobby Jancik recovered
a Dallas fumble on his own nine. The Oilers quickly capitalized by
covering the 91 yards in nine plays for the final touchdown of the game.
Lee completed a two-yard pass to Monte Better for the score after the
Oilers had been stopped cold on three running attempts.
Dallas opened the scoring in the first period on an eight-yard pass play
from ace quarterback Don Meredith to Pete Gent, but Houston made the
count 7-3 six minutes later on a 17-yard field by John Whittenborn
The Cowboys struck again in the second period on a field goal by Harold
Deters from 18 yards out. Deter came through for the Cowboys a few
minutes later with another three-pointer from the 12 with only five
seconds left in the half.
Late in the third period, following a punt by Houston's Jim Norton, the
Cowboys marched 88 yards up the middle to move ahead 20-3 on a one-yard
plunge by reserve quarterback Craig Morton.
In the fourth period Dallas scored its final six-pointer on a screen
pass from Morton to Dan Reeves from the 13 yard line.
The big excitement before Houston's comeback was an Houston's comeback
was an endzone fight between Dallas' Warren Livingston and Houston's Ode
Burrell, when the latter was knocked down from behind on a touchdown
pass attempt.
Burrell assumed that Livingston had flattened him from behind
intentionally and started swinging. Both benches flooded the field and
several blows were exchanged but no one was kicked out of the game. The
Oilers, however, suffered a 15-yard penalty for personal foul.
|
|
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
DAL- Gent 8 yard pass from
Meredith (Deters kick)
Second Quarter
HOU- FG Wittenborn 17
DAL- FG Deter 12
Third Quarter
DAL- Morton 1 run
(Percival kick)
Fourth Quarter
DAL- Reeves 14 tard pass
from Morton (Percival kick)
HOU- Frazier 20 yard pass
from Lee (Wittenborn kick)
DAL- FG Percival 29
HOU- Ledbetter 2 yard pass
from Lee (Wittenborn kick)
Att-53,125 |