Playoff Bowl 1970

January 3, 1970- Los Angeles Rams 31 Dallas Cowboys 0

The 1969 Cowboys won their division for the third straight year and again had to play the Cleveland Browns in the conference championship game. That year’s Cowboys tied an NFL record by allowing just two rushing touchdowns all season. But, just like the year before, the Cowboys were beaten soundly by the Browns; the final score was 38-14. Once again, the Cowboys found themselves in the Playoff Bowl, this time against the Los Angeles Rams. The Cowboys' league playoff record for the decade was 1-4 and questions arose as to why the Cowboys, with all their talent, couldn't win the big game. The Rams had won the Coastal Division with 11-3 record and QB Roman Gabriel was unanimous choice as NFL's most valuable player. The Rams lost to Minnesota in a hard fought Western Conference title game on the road, 23-20.

The Rams soundly beat the Cowboys, 31-0, in the final Playoff Bowl. Los Angeles jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead on Gabriel touchdown passes to Les Josephson (35 yards) and Jack Snow (67 yards). Gabriel followed with two second half touchdowns passes, a third quarter 16-yarder to Bob Klein and a 49 yarder to Snow in the fourth. He finished completing 12 of 17 passes for 224 yards. He found Jack Snow five times for 144 yards and two touchdowns. The second easy Playoff Bowl victory in the decade for the Rams pointed the franchise toward their 25th year in Southern California. Tom Landry would later say that the '68 and '69 seasons "were the most miserable, toughest coaching years I had. When you take a good team demoralized by defeat in big games and have to turn them around, it's the toughest coaching job you can face." But, Landry and the Cowboys were at the threshold of becoming America’s team.

MIAMI (UPI)- Roman Gabriel hurled scoring passes of 35 and 67 yards the first two times Los Angeles got the ball Saturday, added two more touchdown tosses in the second half, and the Rams pummeled the Dallas Cowboys 31-0 in the National Football League Playoff Bowl.

Gabriel, the NFL player of the year, hit Les Josephson for 35 yards, Jack Snow for 67, Bob Klein for 16 and Snow again for 49. Bruce Gossett added a 42-yard field goal.

The Cowboys' offense sputtered under a gamelong drizzle, and even experimentation with reserve quarterback Roger Staubach in the second quarter failed to help. Gabriel was taken out early in the fourth quarter after hitting 12 of 17 passes for 224 yards and his four scores. For the second time in the Playoff Bowl's history he was named most valuable player.

The shutout was the first in 10 Playoff Bowl games. Deacon Jones of the Rams was most valuable defensive player. The win snapped a four game losing streak for Los Angeles, the NFL's Coastal Division champ. Dallas dropped its second in a row after losing to Eastern Division champion Cleveland 38-14 last week. Los Angeles dropped the Western Conference title to Minnesota Dec. 27, 23-20.

Gabriel's first scoring throw with 13:23 left in the first quarter was set up when safety Richie Pettibon intercepted a Craig Morton pass on the Dallas 30 on just the second play of the game. Gabriel was belted for a five yard loss, but on the next play hit Josephson on a swing pass and he sprinted down the right sidelines for the touchdown.

Los Angeles then took over on the Ram 20 after an unsuccessful Dallas threat and moved 13 yards in four plays before Snow streaked past cornerback Cornell Green, caught Gabriel's bomb on his fingertips and raced the remaining 20 yards for the 67-yard touchdown.

Gabriel's third scoring pass climaxed a drive starting on the Dallas 39 after Larry Smith returned a short punt 17 yards. On a fourth and one play, Gabriel hit a swing pass to Josephson for 14 yards to the Cowboys' 16 and on the next play he hit Klein for the score

After Dallas couldn't move, another short punt for the Cowboys' Ron Widby rolled dead on the Dallas 49. Gabriel wasted no time and hit Snow down the left sidelines for the score.

Gossett's field goal came after punter Pal Studstill ran from punt formation on the fourth down to the Cowboy 30. After stalling, the Rams elected to try the field goal.

Dallas' Mike Clark missed field goals of 16 and 22 yards in the first half. The Cowboys' rookie running back Calvin Hill reinjured a toe and Safety Mike Gaechter apparently severed an achilles tendon early in the second quarter for Dallas. Neither saw any action the rest of the game.

Dallas' Craig Morton tries to elude the Rams

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

LA- Josephson 35 yard pass from Gabriel (Gossett kick)

LA- Snow 67 yard pass from Gabriel (Gossett kick)

Third Quarter

LA- Klien 16 pass from Gabriel (Gossett kick)

Fourth Quarter

LA- Snow 49 yard pass from Gabriel (Gossett kick)

LA- FG Gossett 42

Attendance: 31,361

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