Dallas Cowboys Playoffs

The Dallas Cowboys are a National Football League franchise based out of Dallas, Texas. There are commonly known as "America's Team" and have several recognizable symbols, from the blue star logo to the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.

The Cowboys play their home games at Cowboys Stadium, which can seat over 100,000 fanshttp://www.dallascowboys.com/tickets/newstadiumReservedInteractiveMap.cfm. in 2010 they were represented on the field by former Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo, and they also have other all-pro players such as linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive tackle Jay Ratliff.

The Cowboys are coached by former San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and are owned by Jerry Jones.

Background

The Cowboys were commission to join the NFL in 1959, though they did not start playing games until 1960. Before moving to Texas Stadium in 1971, home games were played at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park.

The early era of the Cowboys featured many popular players such as quarterback Don Meredith and wide receiver Bob Hayes. However, the team did not win its first championship until 1972, when they defeated the Miami Dolphins. The Cowboys were led in the 70s largely by NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach and Coach Tom Landry. Other players during the era, such as running back Tony Dorsett, also managed to make it in the Ring of Honor, a franchise-based Hall of Fame where players' names are engraves on the stadium wall.

The team won two championships in the 70s, and continued winning until the mid 1980s. In 1989 Jerry Jones purchased the team, and quickly dismissed Landry (who had coached the team since 1960) in favor of Jimmy Johnson from the University of Miami. With Johnson at the helm the Cowboys won two more Super Bowls in 1993 and 1994, but he resigned as coach following his second championship. Barry Switzer from the University of Oklahoma was brought in as the new head coach, and the team won one more Super Bowl in 1996. After 1997, the team went a period of 13 years before finally winning a playoff game on January 9, 2010 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Five coaches have led the team since Switzer, and until the arrival of Tony Romo no quarterback lasted for over three seasons since Troy Aikman announced his retirement in 2001.

Timeline

Jan. 1, 1967 - NFL Championship - Green Bay Packers 34, Dallas 27
Dec. 31, 1967 - NFL Championship - Green Bay 21, Dallas 17
Dec. 21, 1968 - Eastern Championship - Cleveland Browns 31, Dallas 20
Dec. 28, 1969 - Eastern Championship - Cleveland 38, Dallas 14
Jan. 17, 1971 - Super Bowl V - Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas 13
Jan. 16, 1972 - Super Bowl VI - Dallas 24, Miami 3
Dec. 31, 1972 - NFC Championship - Washington Redskins 26, Dallas 3
Dec. 30, 1973 - NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas 10
Jan. 18, 1976 - Super Bowl X - Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas 17
Dec. 19, 1976 - NFC Divisional - Los Angeles Rams 14, Dallas 12
Jan. 15, 1978 - Super Bowl XII - Dallas 27, Denver Broncos 10
Jan. 21, 1979 - Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31
Dec 30, 1979 - NFC Divisional - Los Angeles 21, Dallas 19
Jan. 11, 1981 - NFC Championship - Philadelphia 20, Dallas 7
Jan. 10, 1982 - NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers 28, Dallas 27
Jan. 22, 1983 - NFC Championship - Washington 31, Dallas 17
Jan. 4, 1986 - NFC Divisional - Los Angeles 20, Dallas 0
Jan. 2, 1992 - NFC Divisional - Detroit Lions 38, Dallas 6
Jan. 31, 1993 - Super Bowl XXVII - Dallas 52, Buffalo Bills 17
Jan. 30, 1994 - Super Bowl XXVIII - Dallas 30, Buffalo 13
Jan. 15, 1995 - NFC Championship - San Francisco 38, Dallas 28
Jan. 28, 1996 - Super Bowl XXX - Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17
Jan. 5, 1997 - NFC Divisional - Carolina Panthers 26, Dallas 17
Jan. 2, 1999 - NFC Wild Card - Arizona Cardinals 20, Dallas 7
Jan. 9, 2000 - NFC Wild Card - Minnesota 27, Dallas 10
Jan. 3, 2004 - NFC Wild Card - Carolina 29, Dallas 10
Jan. 6, 2007 - NFC Wild Card - Seattle Seahawks 21, Dallas 20
Jan. 13, 2008- NFC Divisional - New York Giants 21, Dallas 17
Jan. 17, 2010- NFC Divisional - Minnesota 34, Dallas 3