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On Monday December 12th, 1977, the Dallas Cowboys faced the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park in San Francisco during Week 13 of the 1977 NFL season.
The Cowboys entered the game with a 10-2 record under head coach Tom Landry and rookie running back Tony Dorsett.
The Cowboys eventually finished the season with their second championship, defeating the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII.
The 49ers were led by quarterback Jim Plunkett in his final year with the team before moving on to greater success with the Raiders.
This is the Mutual Radio broadcast featuring announcers Pat Sheridan and Al Wester.
Right at the moment, the ball is teed up and we're set to kick off. And down deep, Larry Brinson and Butch Johnson are the defense.
And San Francisco kicks off. There's a high end over end kick. Johnson out to the 15, up to the 20 yard line.
It crossed the way. Russell down. And about the 22 yard line. Down he goes.
The tackle, the tackle was made by Paul Hopper. So it'll be first down. First down for the Dallas Cowboys at their 22 yard line.
Butch Johnson, an outstanding returner of punts and also of kickoffs with great speed, great acceleration.
He's returning to his home state, played at California Riverside. Roger Staubach now has his team on the field.
Let's see how the Cowboys decide to go as Dorsett starts. Bob Newhouse and Tony Dorsett are in the eye formation.
His quarterback Roger Staubach brings them up to the line of scrimmage.
Wide out to the right hand side is Golden Richards. Drew Pearson is split out to the left.
Man in motion to the right hand side is a tight end Dupree. And here's the snap and straight up the middle goes Newhouse.
And he's racked up just as he hits the line of scrimmage. He may have picked up a yard.
He may have drilled it out to the 23 yard line. But no more than that as the tackle is made there by Willie Harper.
Willie Harper makes a stop, the right side linebacker. Oh and did he pop that running back as he hit the line of scrimmage.
He came in from his linebacker spot, ran it all the way, came in like a rocket.
Gain of a yard. It'll be second down and nine for the Cowboys from their own 23 yard line.
And the ball is at the hash mark in from the near side lines. Again the receivers are split, shifting in the backfield.
Back into the I-formation. Again the man in motion to the right Dupree. The snap and right up the middle goes the little man Tony Dorsett.
And he's out to the 30 yard line and dumped at the 30 by Cleveland Elam.
Now talk about an exciting football player. When you talk about Tony Dorsett you may be talking about the most exciting football player of them all in the National League.
The Heisman Trophy winner of last year. A tremendous football player averaging better than five yards to carry this year.
With 865 yards and 11 touchdowns and mind you he did not start a ball game for the Cowboys until November the 20th.
It will be third down and two. The Cowboys at their own 30. A tight formation with both tight ends in there.
The snap, the handoff, Dorsett trying to get running room. He's stuffed at the 31 yard line by middle linebacker Ed Bradley.
He slanted off the right tackle. Hit down almost immediately. Very close to the first down but not enough.
Rosalia injured tonight Bradley coming in and doing a superb play.
Stopping the wide sweep by the Dallas Cowboys so the Cowboys are going to be forced to punt.
And the putting team is on now and White is going to do the ticking. Kicking for the Dallas Cowboys a 39.4 average.
Stand black for the 49ers is the lone safety. He's back at the 32 yard line.
Danny White standing in front formation at the Cowboys 16.
Waiting for the snap. They needed two yards they got only one. White steps forward. End over end kick.
Up comes the receiver. Gramps the football. Slid on his knees as he held on to it at the 44 yard line.
Returning that kick was Stan Black.
Stan Black took a very very big risk as he came up on that ball. It was a little short and he was kind of like an outfielder coming in for a Texas League fly ball going into the outfield.
He lost his grasp of the ball and looked for a moment like there would be a fumble.
In the backfield is Wilbur Jackson and Delvin Williams and they are two great backs in the eye formation behind quarterback Jim Plunkett.
First down for the San Francisco 49ers at their 45 yard line. Both receivers are split wide.
The handoff to the second back and straight ahead with the ball goes Williams. Over the 45 up to about the 47 yard line.
He is piled up as he hits the 47 and they begin to unpile.
Charlie Waters is the man who comes up from the strong safety. The Clemson veteran of eight years in the National Football League makes the tackle.
And he's just about the best safety in the league as well. Very aggressive. The man who plays alongside of him, Cliff Harris, is also tops in that category.
Kenny Harrison is in at the wide receiver. He is blanked out wide to the right hand side. Gene Washington is split out to the left. The setbacks were in our eye.
Now they shift strong to the left. In approach set and the handoff goes to Williams again.
Around the right side, over the tackle, out to the 48, knocked down at the 49 yard line and I don't believe, I don't believe he reached the 50 but it's very close to the midfield strike.
The big middle linebacker, Bob Bruenig, pursuing from behind. However Williams with a good quickness, one of the reasons he is one of the NFL's outstanding runners, gets by Bruenig.
Bruenig might have had him for a loss of about five yards on the backfield, just couldn't catch him.
It'll be third down, about four and a half yards to go and the nickel defense is in there as Bob Bruenig comes out at the middle linebacker slot.
And the Cowboys go to the five man pass umbrella. They're expecting it. They're looking for it.
The pros set in the backfield, Plunkett shifting his back, scrolling signals, giving it off instead to Williams.
Around the right side, over the tackle, he's down to the 47 yard line and hits and falls forward close to the 46.
Very close on that third down play to a first down before Harvey Martin, the big defensive right end, makes the tackle.
And is he something? He came in pursuit all the way across the field from his defensive end spot, got a bead on the runner, caught up to him and tackled him.
He is the Dallas leader in sacks by the way and the Dallas team leads the league in sacks of the quarterback.
Dom Woodham has come in to kick for the 49ers and Butch Johnson is the lone safety back at the 10 yard line for the Dallas Cowboys and they will put the rush on now.
Watch them try and rush this fellow because he takes a little bit too much time.
There's a rush attempted. Oh no, it's a handoff coming around from the wing back with the football running it beautifully now to the 45, to the 40.
And out of bounds at the 40 yard line running that football.
When it's the Jim Plunkett in company and doing a beautiful job running it.
With number 30, Dave Williams. Williams was there to hold the football and then he comes around, takes the football and scampers for the first down.
No chance to block that one.
None whatsoever. Ken Meyer caught the Dallas Cowboys flat footed.
Dallas was back in coverage of the punt. The reverse gets the first down for the 49ers.
First down, San Francisco at the Dallas 40 yard line. High formation.
Plunkett, Williams and Jackson. The snap and the handoff. No, back to his Plunkett. He'll throw. He flops beautifully. Throws over the middle. Incomplete.
Almost stolen away. It was intended there for Kenny Harrison who did the little down and out. Down and in. Over the middle. 15 yards in.
And Cliff Harris went high in the air and almost stole it away.
Excellent coverage by not only Cliff Harris but Henderson, the linebacker. Henderson runs 100 in 9-8.
That's a fast linebacker. Probably the fastest in the National Football League.
So the 49ers now have a second down coming up and it will be 10 yards to go for Jim Plunkett as he's in the huddle calling the signals.
Oddly enough, two quarterbacks tonight. The one from Dallas and the one from San Francisco.
A former Heisman winner. And the great running back for the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Dorsett also a Heisman man.
A shifting around in the backfield with the proset strong to the right hand side. And here is Plunkett handing off to Williams. Williams off the tackle.
Inside the 40. He's down to the 36 yard line. Crossing over to hit him was left sideline backer Tom Henderson.
Henderson should have got him before that. Henderson did not penetrate into the backfield.
Dallas plays what you call a reading defense and Henderson was reading about two yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Had he penetrated he might have hit Williams for a loss on the play.
The flex defense that Dallas uses is designed to stop the run. It's designed to stop the tackles in particular from being trapped at the line of scrimmage.
Delvin Williams. No, that's Wilbur Jackson. And Kenny Harrison now in the eye. Harrison shifts out wide as the receiver.
William shifts back into the proset. Again, back goes Plunkett. Sets up. Works to the sidelines. It's almost picked off.
It was intended on the sidelines over there for Kenny Harrison. And the man who almost picked it off was Charlie Waters.
He tried to make the catch off the top of his shoes.
Charlie Waters an exceptional football player from his safety position along with Cliff Harris.
We'll be talking about them many, many times tonight. However, that incomplete forward pass means that the San Francisco 49ers are going to have to punt.
Butch Johnson is back and here is the foot put into it by Tom Whitham. Johnson holds up a hand as the ball goes out of the back of the end zone.
So the score. The Dallas Cowboys nothing. The San Francisco 49ers nothing. There's a timeout on the field. Now this for GM Corporation.
From Candlestick Park in cool and comfortable San Francisco, California. Pat Sheridan and Al Wester on mutual with a big NFL matchup between the Cowboys and the 49ers.
First down 10 for Dallas. Wide to the right hand side. Golden Richards splitting out to the left hand side over there.
Here's Drew Pearson. Back to throw and a pass to the sidelines. Completed from Roger Starfok as he hits Drew Pearson.
And Pearson goes out of bounds across the way. Bruce Taylor ran him out over there. Nice catch.
The catch was made at about the 27 yard line. So it'll be second down and three coming up.
Well, Bruce Taylor just respected the long pass ability of Drew Pearson. Pearson made a move down and then came back along the sidelines, caught the pass and Bruce Taylor just gave him too many yards.
One receiver wide. Number 88 dropping out there. Drew Pearson, the number one receiver in the AFC. Eye formation in the backfield. Second down three. Dallas there 27. The pitch back to Dorsett.
Wide to the right. Cuts in over the tackle. Gets up to the 29. Wrecked up at the 29 yard line as the big defensive left end of the 49ers. Tommy Hart is there to knock him down.
They saw that play coming. The wide play with Dorsett. They immediately veered to the left side of the line and Dorsett was met at the line of scrimmage by Harper, the big defensive end.
They were there filling the hole. No place for Tony Dorsett to run.
Waveland Elam is down on the field right now. He is the leader in sacks of the San Francisco 49ers. They cannot afford to lose him. He is one of their finest defensive linemen. Great quickness and strength across the line of scrimmage. The team doctor is there talking to him now.
The score, nothing to nothing. There is a tie out of the field. And Roger Starbuck jams the ball on a quarterback keeper right up the middle. He is over the 30. He is up to the 31 yard line and the Cowboys have a first down at that 31.
All right, a four man front set up for the 49ers. That is Cedric Hardman, Bill Crook in for Cleveland Elam who was shaken up moments ago. Jimmy Webb and Tommy Hart in that front line. Now into the I-formation with a wing back out to the right hand side. The tight end do pre-end emotion. Here is the handoff. Nope. Flopping it up the middle. Starbuck back to throw.
Looks, goes to the sideline. Newhouse, he's got the ball and can't hold it as he goes out of bounds at the 35 yard line. Willie Harper over there dropped off, did a beautiful job of coverage there on little Bob Newhouse. And at the 35, jarred him loose from the football as he went out of bounds.
Willie Harper doesn't have great size. He's a 220 pounder. Actually, he's really under that, about 215 pounds. But he pursued well on that play. Dallas got the match up they wanted. They got the full back on the linebacker, but it just didn't work out.
Bob Newhouse, believe it or not, a full time starter, only one out of the first five years in the National Football League, but a fine football player. I-formation in the backfield with second down and 10. And here's the short man, that's Newhouse again, drilling up the middle. He got to the 34. He's piled up right at that point. The red jerseys are covering him down there at about the 34 yard line.
Tommy Hart was there, Skip Vanderbunt was there, Ed Bradley, Bill Cook, all converging on him. They make the stop and the officials put it down just short of the 35. So let's call it third down now. Third and a long six for the Cowboys at that 35.
Robert Newhouse, who has 628 yards coming into this game, got all of that yardage on his own. A four yard gain. It'll be third down and six. Wide to the left hand side is Drew Pearson. Look out, he's the man who can go long. Now in the slot to the right is Dorsett. Here's the snap on the shotgun. Back to throw, Starbuck, the rush is on. Look out behind. They've got him from behind and down he goes.
Cedric Hardman was the man who got to him. Hardman left him up at the 30 yard line. A great pass rusher from the state of Texas. Cedric Hardman makes the tackle, catching Starbuck from behind. By the way, Cleveland Elam is all right. He walked off the field under his own power and undoubtedly will be back playing for the San Francisco 49ers. But right now it's a putting situation for Tom Landry and the Cowboys.
The ball is just back at the 30 yard line. It'll be fourth down 11 and back in the front formation. For the Cowboys goes Danny White. He's the number eight runner in the NFC. 39.4 is the average. Dave Williams is back in safety and we've got a double safety back there.
We've got Stan Black and we've got Dave Williams and we've got a whistle and just maybe too much time down there. Let's find out.
No, a new football. They've asked from the sidelines to have a new football thrown in. It is not that cold, cold kind of football that was asked for so many times for the Washington Redskins and the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday and mutual Saturday coverage that double header.
Here's the snap. Here is White stepping forward. He puts his foot into it. Waiting for the football is number 26 Stan Black and just for a moment after he grabs it he is wrapped up thrown back to the 20 yard line. The forward motion may have been stopped at the 22.
There's a timeout here with a score. The Cowboys nothing. The 49ers nothing.
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Superb special teams work by the Dallas Cowboys. They excel in all facets of the game. Puts the San Francisco 49ers back on the 23 yard line and making the big play for Dallas with Benny Barnes.
Gene Washington breaks out of the huddle and he goes wide to the right hand side. An eye formation to the backfield with Delvin Williams and Wilbur Jackson back in there in the eye directly behind quarterback Jim Plunkett. First down 49ers there 23. A beautiful handoff to Williams. Coming right down the back of the line and cutting over the right tackle and he brings it out to the 25 and up to the 28 yard line. He may have been nailed as far up as the 30 as they unpile. It is going to be placed just short of the 30 yard line.
Randy White and middle linebacker Bob Bruning are responsible for the tackle. And Gene Barrett the right tackle laid a beautiful block on Ed Tutall Jones on the left side of the line. Came out and just steam rolled him.
Second down second and three San Francisco at their own 30 yard line. Pro set in the backfield. Plunkett off to Williams. Williams trying the right side on the slant. He hit the tackle bounced off. If it was a tackle trap that did not work. Randy White the big youngster from Maryland who is doing such a great job. He's been the most valuable defensive player in three of the last five games the Cowboys have played. The stop is made at the 31. It'll be third down too.
When you and I talk to coaches Al they always talk to us about quickness. Well Randy White is the personification of the quick football player. Big big size that he is as fast as any back on the field.
Kenny Harrison comes out of there. Tom Mitchell and I believe Obradovich are in there. Two tight ends are going to try to jam the two yards. Here's the quarterback Plunkett and Plunkett hands it and diving over the top with the football is there but is Delvin Williams and Williams has got the yardage. He brings it up to about the 34 yard line.
Randy Barnes in at the strong safety there for the Cowboys makes the pin on him but he really did a swan on that. He did and he's got a very quick start. He's an excellent running back. Great sense of where to go. That time he didn't have a hole. Dallas had it covered well so he went up into the air.
Both receivers are wide to the left. Kenny Harrison and Gene Washington wide out to the left hand side. Now a slot back out to the right hand side. One man behind the quarterback. Back goes Plunkett. Looks to the sidelines. He throws. Got his man. Making the catch at Kenny Harrison on the sidelines and out of bounds at the 39.
Again a five big yards with a sideline pattern from Jim Plunkett to Kenny Harrison and Aaron Kyle is responsible for bumping it out. Aaron Kyle an outstanding player from the University of Wyoming who has earned himself a number one spot at quarterback. A number one draft choice for the Dallas Cowboys.
It'll be second down and four for San Francisco. They have the ball directly on the 40 yard line and again both receivers are wide left. Washington and Harrison. The backfield in an eye then shifting to the pro set. The handoff to Williams wide out to the right tries to turn the corner.
He's wrapped up right at the 40 yard line. Driving in there very quickly with Charlie Waters. Waters crossed the line along with him with Bob Bruning. They have great lateral pursuit this defensive unit of the Dallas Cowboys. Yes they do.
They're a reading defense. That's what coaches call a defense where they stand at the line of scrimmage. Maybe take one step and look to find out where their keys are and where the ball is going. But that time they pursued. Henderson pursuing savagely from his linebacker spot.
By the way Williams has 25 yards and seven carries and Wilbert Jackson who was blocking on that play is hurt. Jackson coming in with a very very good record as far as rushing is concerned. Seven hundred eight yards with the score. Nothing to nothing. There's a timeout on the field and now this for Pennzoil.
Wilbert Jackson and what looked like a leg injury is now OK after being ministered to by the team doctor of the 49ers and Wilbur is walking off under his own power. No score. Six oh six left in the first quarter. Pat Sherrod now Western on mutual from Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
Bobby Farrell a six year veteran from UCLA replaces the injured Jackson the shaken up Jackson in the back of the San Francisco 49ers. All right. It's third down now third and about four post that in the backfield with both wide receivers split out to the left hand side.
Plunkett waiting for the snap there is a flag on the play the Cowboys jump the gun straight up the middle with the football. Go Calvin Williams and Williams drives it over the 45 to the midfield stripe it is down at the 48 yard line of the Dallas Cowboys two flags were flying there.
Bobby Farrell was the man who carried that ball and Farrell is tackled by Tom Henderson. But I believe the offside penalty against Dallas will be refused and they'll take the game instead. First down San Francisco.
Well they're busting into the backfield was Harvey Martin along with a linebacker. They caught the linebackers up around the line of scrimmage on the play that went to the right and they moved out the tackle on the left side of the Dallas defensive line for the big game.
The wide to the right without the left hand side is Washington in the backfield. Farrell and Williams in the process. It's first down at the 48 yard line of the Cowboys and back to throw it's plunket rolling to the left he looks he goes with a long run and it's
out of bounds after making the catch. Washington down at the 14 yard line. A great catch. He caught it against Aaron Pyle. Well Harvey Martin from his right defensive end spot took the inside route and he was hammered by the offensive tackle on that 34 yard game.
What made it possible was that inside route because plunket then made the move to the outside and got room to throw. We pause briefly for station identification. This is mutual your news and sports radio network.
This is WGN radio Chicago. Beautiful catch by Gene Washington down the sidelines. It's first down for the 49ers at the Dallas Cowboys 14 yard line. The receivers are split out. There's an eye formation in the backfield.
Now plunket calling the signals as them shift to the left in the left set is Delvin Williams and here's the handoff and going straight forward with the football is Williams as he goes into the line down to about the 11 yard line and let's see getting up off the bottom there.
Jim Plunkett held on to the football. He blocked up the middle then dove over himself to the 11 yard line. Ed Tutall Jones gets credit for the tackle. The San Francisco 49ers made their first mistake on that play. Bob Farrell missed the handoff.
So they are already missing Wilbur Jackson. Farrell went in ahead of Plunkett without the ball. Plunkett couldn't give it to him. A game of three yards. It'll be second down and seven San Francisco at the Dallas 11 yard line. Plunkett again having his backs from the eye shift strong to the left.
The handoff is to Williams and Williams starts into the right tackle spot and immediately is wrapped up by Randy White. Randy White was on top of him as he hit the line of scrimmage and down off of it on the bottom getting up is Ed Jones again.
That was a power smash over Gregory's tackle position and they had a hole there but Williams went to the wrong side. He went to the right of the hole. He went over the defensive end and in that place there was no hole at all. Just a lot of Dallas jerseys.
Bill Gregory is in there in that defensive line for the Cowboys. It is third down third and seven. San Francisco at the 11 yard line of the Cowboys and back to Plunkett sets up to throw. He looks he throws to his short man at the three and down with the ball.
Flipping and falling as he made the catch was Tom Mitchell. Mitchell at the three yard line made the catch and fell forward to the one. Benny Barnes gets credit for pinning him with there was a beautiful proposition of simply standing two men deep into the end zone and throwing to the third man rolling.
Harrison went to the far corner drew all the coverage with him the quarterback and the safety man and then the tight end was open. He came in under the coverage linebackers at the line of scrimmage. They were occupied. Caught the ball should have had a touchdown but slipped and fell.
San Francisco first and goal to go from the Dallas one yard line. No score in the ballgame. We're in the first quarter three minutes and 40 seconds with the clock running.
Here's quarterback Jim Plunkett looking to the right then to the left the man in motion after the right hand side. Plunkett throws to the left himself. He'll try to run it in puts his shoulders down tries to jam it in there but he stopped at the one yard line.
Dee Dee Lewis is over there along with Bob Bruning, Ed Jones and let's see who else. Harvey Martin is down there so there's no gain on the play and it will be second and goal to go from the one.
Well, Plunkett had one man running interference for him. There were three cowboys standing at the goal line waiting for him. Obviously what that play was designed to do was to get the Cowboys to run the other way on the coverage but they did not react to that.
They expected Plunkett to do what he did.
It'll be second down down there at the one yard line. Both tight ends Mitchell and Obradovich are in there. A man in motion to the left for San Francisco from the one and the handoff and driving it over the left tackle with the football.
San Francisco takes the lead. It's San Francisco six and the Cowboys nothing. That was a 77 yard drive. It started on the San Francisco 23 yard line. The key play in that drive was the pass to Gene Washington that netted about 34 yards that put Plunkett and the 49ers in good position.
The 49ers score first in this football game looking snappy alert and accurate on a 77 yard touchdown drive.
Here's the point after try and there's a flag on the players the kick is put up there by Ray Wersching. The kick was good.
Now let's see what the officials say offside against Dallas declined by San Francisco the point is good. So it is now San Francisco seven and Dallas nothing.
And we've got ourselves a football game going now. The Dallas Cowboys coming in here after locking up a divisional playoff spot.
This is where the bowls are. Now we're talking about mutual mutual presents the best postseason lineup of bowl action. The Liberty Bowl the Hall of Fame Bowl the Gator Bowl the East West Shrine game.
I'm excited about that game this year in the San Francisco area. There's the Sugar Bowl the Orange Bowl and the NFL Pro Bowl plus the NFL first round playoffs and the AFC championship game over many of these mutual stations.
What an outstanding lineup of football games here at mutual this coming weekend. We have the meeting between Washington and the Los Angeles Rams from Washington on Saturday.
Tony Roberts and I will be broadcasting that game here on mutual 49ers go out ahead seven to nothing over Dallas on a 77 yard touchdown drive that started at the 23.
Now the kickoff here's the kickoff now San Francisco puts it high in the air.
Which Johnson waits for it at the 12 after the 15 latterly across the field finding a hole goes to the 20. He's on his way to the 25.
He's piled on there at the 25 balls forward to about the 27 yard line down there getting up is Johnson which Johnson who ran that back beautifully.
The man who made the tackle was Sam Black.
Roger Stalbach and the Cowboys have not had good field position at all in this game. Now we have 235 to go and the Cowboys have had possession on the 25 the 20 and the 27.
Dallas comes up to the line. They have one man out wide to the left and that would be Drew Pearson.
Now Golden Richards is in a slot to the left hand side formation of the backfield. You house and Doris said are behind the quarterback making a pitch out here is the quarterback keeping on the play.
Roger Stalbach he looked as though he were going to pitch that ball out. Then he realized somewhere somebody had blown it.
He just dove forward over the right tackle. Jimmy Webb was there.
Eric Hardman was on hand and Starbucks picks up just about a yard up to the 32 and a half yard line. It was supposed to be a pitch sweep right instead door set the tailback headed left.
Stalbach had presence of mind when he was just about ready to throw the ball to look to see if Dorset was there. He was not.
Both receivers are wide now the right hand side goes Pearson the left hand side is Mr. Richardson. Here we go. Back goes Stalbach in the pocket. He looks he throws over the middle of the 42.
It's complete up to the 50 down to the 45 on his way to the 40 and out of bounds with the football is number 88 Drew Pearson the man who usually carries it but big.
He is hit across the way by Bruce Taylor and nailed and knocked out of bounds at the 38 yard line of the San Francisco 49ers and the Cowboys now strike with a long pass a beautiful pitch by Roger Stalbach right on the button to Drew Pearson the number one receiver in the National Football Conference.
George Johnson goes on the post pattern going in right behind him after the safety is leave their zones is Drew Pearson grabbing the ball superbly executed pass play first down for Dallas at the 38 yard line.
They have a slot back to the left hand side the tight end.
Dupree is a man in motion I formation in the backfield in the handoff the door set trying to get off the tackle puts his shoulders down. He is drilled into by Bruce Taylor as the linebacker Willie Harper comes over to contain him Taylor makes a tackle.
I don't believe there's any gain at all. It's going to be second down and 10. Dorset has only managed to run for 11 yards to this point in this football game so he has been pretty well covered by the defense of the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers on defense play it aggressively. They play a bubble either to the weak or the strong side and a four man defensive line those linebackers pursue and they really get in there and scratch.
Here's Pearson out wide to the right as they shift and flex they put the pro set in the backfield behind Stalbach Roger hands it off the new house wide to the left will he turn the corner he gets to the corner across the sidelines out of bounds as he tried to get inside of the 35.
He's out of the 34 as Willie Harper does the job and turns him and keeps him contains him and runs him laterally across the field a pickup of just about three yards it's going to be third down and six for Dallas with the ball at the 34 yard line of San Francisco.
Bearing to the right the San Francisco defense would not allow the Dallas Cowboys Ralph Neely and Tony Dorsett to break blocks for the running back they just sprung it out beautifully. The nickel defense is in now a big third down play third and six Dallas at the 34 yard line of San Francisco and the 49ers lead.
From the shotgun back to Stalbach control and the rushes on he runs it up the pocket himself to the 30 to the 25 yard line he's cut down at the 25 yard line is coming up to meeting his number 59 Willie Harper.
Oh what a run by Roger Stalbach he looked he saw that the drop of the linebackers was deep the middle was open and he took it.
He certainly did and he broke a tackle by Mel Phillips on about the 30 yard line that allowed him to get about five extra yards on the play that was a nine yard game by Stalbach and he has 11 yards rushing up to this point in the game at the 25 yard line.
It's first down for Dallas seven nothing San Francisco in front of the Cowboys trying to play catch a football Pearson is wide out to the right side in the eye formation Dorsett is the number two back behind Robert Newhouse now in the process.
Newhouse cracking the tackle to the 20 on his feet fights his way to the 15 he's down to the 14 yard line and they've got another first down the Cowboys are moving the ball inside Ralph Daly getting the big block on the left side of that line.
There's the end of the first quarter with a score the San Francisco 49ers set on the Dallas Cowboys nothing now this for Ben Franklin store.
We've got a big double header coming your way so don't miss it on the weekend which Johnson out to the left through Pearson to the right first down Dallas at the San Francisco 14 yard line I formation in the backfield Dorsett and Newhouse are sitting behind Stalbach and here's the handoff Dorsett up the middle.
Dorsett to the 12 hit at the 12 and falls forward to the 10 yard line at Bradley the middle linebacker of the 49ers gets credit on that one and it was a nice little move by Dorsett as he hit the line of scrimmage he skipped to his right and then quickly cut to his left and got about a couple of extra yards as a result of that neat maneuver along the line of scrimmage 40 yards passing for the Dallas Cowboys 40 yards running a total of 80 yards and they have four first downs.
We'll call it a game of four yards on the play and we'll call it second down and six now with one man split out to the left hand side and that appears to be through Pearson the eye is in the backfield again Stalbach with a long count and you get off Pearson for the door set off the left tackle to the five yard line hit at the five and down he goes as Ralph McGill comes up from the free safety and as McGill hit him apparently McGill has injured a knee he is down on the turf and he is holding that knee high in the air apparently an injury that must be rather
excruciating in pain. It has to be and of course the knee injury is the one injury football players fear the most. Dorsett making a nice run on the cross block taking the handoff from Roger Stalbach the quarterback the blocking on the left side of the line provided by Ralph Neely and Herb Scott and they really cleared the way for Dorsett who when he gets just a little bit of daylight really makes the maximum use of the yardage that he gets from his offensive line. All right let's look at the yardage for the San Francisco 49ers.
In this game they have 47 yards passing 47 yards running 94 total three first downs Dallas has four first downs and neither team has lost the ball via a fumble or an intercepted pass and penalties there has only been one and that was on the Dallas Cowboys Cowboys lead in place with 14.
So that pretty well summarizes the statistics of the first quarter as they continue to look at Ralph McGill down on the five yard line on the near side of the field and of course the sun is down here in San Francisco California after a gloriously beautiful day in the San Francisco Bay area it's cool here tonight but very very comfortable.
Indeed it is and Pat Sheridan it has been a beautiful afternoon it's been a beautiful couple days here really coming out of St. Louis where we had a great football game on Saturday afternoon you had one on Saturday afternoon we had the second half of the double hitter between the Washington Redskins and the St. Louis Cardinals but we came out of the snow banks there into what looked like summer all over again.
All that game that you had was certainly one of the most interesting you'd ever want to see the master defensive strategist George Allen just doing a magnificent coaching job and the car the Cardinals certainly had a chance to win it all the way through we expect all of our mutual NFL games to be like that what with the playoffs coming up and everything else.
Now McGill comes off of the field and it looks like he is having trouble with his left knee unfortunately he is being escorted at the moment over toward the bench he will be sitting down directly below us and at that point we'll get some more attention from the team position of the San Francisco 49ers.
Washington.
Dallas comes up to the line of scrimmage.
It is third down and about a yard to go high formation both tight ends are in there.
So I looked down the line hands it off the door set inside right tackle drop play he's got the yard and an expert.
There's Doris that going off the right tackle as Tony Leonard met him right at the line and hit him head on at the three yard line but that is more than enough.
He's a by a yard well over a yard.
He's got the first down door set just showed us there that he is deceptively strong he bounced off a pile driving tackle by Leonard and moved up for more yardage getting more yardage he has great strength in his upper body.
It'll be first and go for the Dallas Cowboys and they send Drew Pearson out wide to the right hand side.
They see setbacks are split wide apart now at the three yard line of San Francisco and inside to give you the door set and he's piled up immediately is there Bradley the middle line backer of the 49ers and Willie Harper are there to wrap him up at the two yard line.
He may have picked up a yard but no more than that moments ago.
I started to say something about Washington and I think I should mention again that George Allen's Washington Redskins football team played a tremendous football game against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Saturday.
That's one I think that George knew the chips were down and if there was any hopes at all that the Redskins hopes had to be kept alive with a win and they won.
All right second down goal to go from the two yard line starbuck again with a chance and stretch done to Fitzgerald he's got any hands off and driving forward.
Tony Dorsett at the one yard line piled up at the one.
Oh those 49ers get 40 members step of the way and beat him back.
Yes and he beat them to taking it almost into the end zone before being pushed back by four San Francisco 49ers.
As we said that Dorsett is a lot stronger than he looks.
He played much of his college career at one hundred seventy five but Johnny majors got him on a weightlifting program.
And in his senior year he was playing between one ninety five and one ninety eight. He's very very strong.
Big third down play now Dallas at the one yard line of the San Francisco 49ers.
Starbuck on the keeper tries to dive it over. Did he get it. He got it. He got it. There go the hands up.
It's touchdown for Dallas. Seven to six is the score right now.
The San Francisco 49er lead is trimmed to one point. That was a 73 yard drive by the Dallas Cowboys.
And I suppose you would say that he play the one that was the most important was the heat to Drew Pearson that helped along on that drive.
However there were several other key plays along this long drive by the Cowboys that resulted in that touchdown from one yard out by Starbuck.
Efron Herrera with the number one scorer at the NFC with 85 points will try to add the point after and tie it up.
Here's the snap the ball is down and the kick is on the way. It's good. It is there.
So with the score the Cowboys seven the 49ers seven there is a timeout on the field.
Now this for Buick Automobiles.
Roger Starbuck takes it in for the Dallas Cowboys with one yard out culminating a 73 yard drive.
And as far as the Cowboys are concerned and rushing Tony Dorsett up to this point has oh let's see 12 16.
He has 22 yards in rushing up to this point and nine carries.
The Dallas Cowboys will be kicking off now. Dorsett started to get that running game going just a little down.
Harvey Martin was there. D.D. Lewis was there. Aaron Kyle came up on the tackle.
So you had a whole dirt of Dallas activity down there and the stop is made at the 26.
Gene Barrett has been his man here in this football game opening up the biggest holes for him.
He couldn't do it that time. Martin controlled it. Harrison and Gene Washington are wide to the left.
It's second down now and 12. San Francisco at their own 27 yard line 26 yard line.
The snap the handoff coming to the right trying to turn the corner. Can't do it.
Williams well down at the 25 yard line is Cliff Harris from the free safety sails across.
And boy did he come across in a hurry. Cliff made the tackle. Blast him out of bounds there.
We just got an example of why Cliff Harris is an all league performer of the NFL coming over on two plays of the last three making the big tackle.
First on the right side and the second one on the left side pursuing to the ball carrier and cutting him down. Why?
Third and 13 for the 49ers. The nickel defense is in for Washington for Dallas.
Back in the pocket. Plunket sets up the flag flying and Plunket is caught from behind.
Harvey Martin has himself a sack. Does he get a sack there now? The quarterback Plunket got back to the line of scrimmage.
But what was the flag for? It might have been a holding call against the San Francisco 49ers because the pass protection was breaking down
and somebody might have reached out an arm in frustration trying to hold the player off of the Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
There is the holding call and I think there were two penalties called in that last play.
Offsetting penalties? Offsetting penalties against both clubs. So the ball goes to the 23 yard line and it is picked up and then put back down as the officials put a new ball into play there.
The down of course will be run over here. It will be third down.
Well, let's put it at the point where the quarterback was down at the 25. So it will be third and 13. Third down, 13.
Eye formation. One receiver for San Francisco is wide, Gene Washington.
Now splitting out to the left hand side is Paul Seale. He can also travel. And in the slot to the right is Kenny Harrison and back to his Plunket to throw.
Boy was he hit. He unloosens the football and pended for Washington down at the 42 yard line. There's a flag back there at the 16 yard line.
Washington had the ball batted away as Bill Gregory lured the boom on quarterback Jim Plunket. He really hit him.
Oh, he blasted it. And it came just as the ball was going to be released.
As a matter of fact, Plunket knew it was going to happen, but he just stood there courageously hoping that his receiver Washington would get open and release the ball at the last moment.
The flag is down on the field and we have not as yet had an indication from the official as to what the penalty is all about.
The pass was incomplete and Plunket really played it dangerously. He got up slowly off of the field.
Penalty was against San Francisco. It is declined by Dallas, which Johnson is alone. Safety now as San Francisco gets ready to pump the football.
Tom Woodham is in there. About a 36 yard average is what he had.
Ten steps forward puts his foot into it. Line drive. Nice one. Hanging up there. It backs the runner up. Johnson has it at the 32 to 35. Up to the 40.
He's to the 45. He's to the midfield stripe. Still running with the football in the San Francisco territory. Down to the San Francisco 47.
So with the score, the Cowboys 7, the 49ers 7.
The Dallas Cowboys have just achieved their first good field position of the game.
Until this time they were, got the ball, they're 27, they're 20 to 25 and now it's on the 48 yard line. First down 10.
Tony Dorsett and Robert Newhouse are the setbacks in that backfield for Dallas with Roger Stalbach.
It's first down for Cowboys at the 48 yard line of San Francisco and Roger has the ball. Roger the Dodger back to throw.
He looks, runs up to the line. He's going to run with the football at the 45. He is hit from the side, drilled down at the 40 yard line of San Francisco and that's a good run.
An 8 yard pick up before Bill Cook makes the tackle.
Let's pause briefly for station identification. This is Mutual, your news and sports radio network.
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The Dallas Cowboys trying to take advantage of the good field position that they have achieved the first time in this game. They have two yards to go on second down.
Drew Pearson splits out to the left hand side. The only man out for the Cowboys with the second down two from the 40 yard line in the I-formation, Dorsett and Newhouse.
Now the shift, the handoff to Newhouse over the right tackle. He's inside the 40, he's down to the 35.
There is more than enough, more than enough for the first down and the Cowboys have a first down at San Francisco's 35 yard line.
Skip Vanderbunt and Willie Harper get credit on that last stop.
And it was a nice run by Newhouse because he jitterbugged a little at the line of scrimmage allowing his tackle on the right side of the line and the tight end Jay Saldy to lay their blocks.
In other words, he patiently waited for the hole to open.
Again the Cowboys line up with only Drew Pearson out wide to the left. The man who moves over for San Francisco to cover him is Bruce Taylor, the right cornerback.
And here is the handoff hit behind the line of scrimmage the minute he had the football, it's Newhouse.
He was blasted back at the 36 yard line.
Zedrick Hartman, the big 8 year veteran on the right side.
The big defensive end over there for San Francisco was right there with the shoulder.
He hit him and hit him hard. And that cools the Dallas Cowboy running attack, makes it second down 12.
Now what a coach wants is to get anywhere from 5 to 8 yards on first down, to chew up that big yardage on first down so the quarterback has a wide selection of plays to call.
But Dallas is the hole now with a second and 12.
All right, now into the ball game comes Golden Richards.
And going out of the game, Tony Dorsett.
Newhouse is there, so it's Pearson in the backfield.
Backfield, Sabaqui looks, he throws the screen, making the catch with the football.
Running it now is Preston Pearson to the 20, to the 15, to the 10, to the 5. He's all the way.
He goes for the touchdown.
Preston Pearson taking the pass from Sabaqui and going to the right side.
And that just might be our key play of the night.
Oh, what a play that was, a beautiful touchdown run after the ball was tossed to him.
A screen all the way, Pat. You can't ask for a better screen than that. He had three men in front of him.
Yes he did. One of them was Rafferty, he laid a big block. Donovan laid another.
Got the good blocking from his linemen, used them perfectly, cut to the outside after the blocks,
found the sideline, and after that, Preston Pearson, who was an underrated back, was gone.
Here's Herrera to try the point after, and Charlie Waters will hold.
13 to 7, the Cowboys are in front. Here's the kick on the way, and it is good.
So, there's a timeout here in San Francisco with the score.
The Cowboys, 14 to 49 or 7.
36-yard touchdown pass on the screen to Preston Pearson.
Great use of the blockers by Pearson, intelligent running, and he showed his speed
when he cut quickly to the outside. A 48-yard drive makes it 14 to 7 in favor of Dallas.
Paul Hopper is the defense. He is yard inside, or yard back in the end zone now,
as Efren Herrera steps forward and sends a spinning kick down to about the 14-yard line,
out to the 20, up to the 25, to the 30-yard line, and running the football back was Dave Williams.
Williams has cut down at about the 32.
So, San Francisco now brings it out to that 32-yard line, and with 7 minutes and 24 seconds
remaining in the first half, and with the Cowboys leading 14 to 7,
it is going to be up to San Francisco quarterback Jim Plunkett to try and move the football.
One of Plunkett's problems has been the fact that he has not received anywhere near adequate protection from his line.
Washington is wide to the right.
Splitting out to the left-hand side is Kenny Harrison.
High formation in the backfield. Plunkett with a long count.
As the snap pitches it out, Delvin Williams wide to the left, cuts in at the 32.
Hit down at the line of scrimmages, Bob Bruning comes across, and along with Bruning there,
Tom Henderson saw some strong play there, very strong play,
by the defensive unit of the Dallas Cowboys.
Oh, that's the way you're supposed to play middle linebacker.
You want to run a text on how to stop the sweep from the middle linebacker position,
just take that and put it on film and show it to anybody you want to.
Washington and Harrison are wide left.
Again, of about a yard on the play, let's call it second down nine.
The setbacks are wide in the backfield. Jim Plunkett ending off this time.
Wilbur Jackson tries the tackle slot. He got to the 31.
He's hit down by Randy White and he loses the yard.
Cowboys are now playing it the way it's supposed to be played.
Yes they are. They're playing perfect defense.
They're not making any mistakes at all, filling every single hole,
reading perfectly from their front four, and those men behind them,
Henderson, Bruning, and D.D. Lewis pursuing to the ball magnificently.
And now San Francisco with the fans getting restless is on the 31 yard line.
It'll be third down.
Jim Plunkett moving his men around now. He swings, ball sealed,
but tied in over to the right side.
And in motion after the right hand side with the setback strong behind the quarterback.
And here goes Plunkett back in the pocket.
Flag's on the play. He throws. It's complete at the 35.
And the minute he crops that first ball, he is wrestled down.
The grab was made by Delvin Williams. The tackle was made by Aaron Kyle.
Aaron got him around the waist and spun him down.
Williams might have gotten away from him had he kept his balance.
He would have rambled for at least a first down.
There is a penalty flag on the play.
The officials have been conferring with the Dallas Cowboys and with the San Francisco 49ers.
And now the indication.
And it's illegal motion, I believe, on the San Francisco 49ers refused by the Dallas Cowboys.
So we have a putting situation at Candlestick Park.
I'm one of those men who's standing back at the 21 yard line of San Francisco.
And for the Cowboys, it is Butch Johnson back at about the 22 yard line of the Cowboys.
He comes up to make the catch at the 48, to the 30, the 35, still on his feet.
Gets out to the 40 yard line and is wrestled down at that point.
Butch brings it back to the 40.
He is hit down by Stan Black.
Eddie Brown of the Washington Redskins and Butch Johnson of the Dallas Cowboys
are really the premier pump return experts in pro football.
And Johnson has showed us on a couple of occasions here this evening
why he has to be considered one of the best.
California Riverside product takes it up to the 40 yard line where Dallas has a first and 10.
This is the second time that the Cowboys have achieved field position in this quarter.
Dorset now has returned to the ballgame.
Robert Newhouse and Tony Dorset are the setbacks.
There's a slot back to the right.
Jay Saldy moves over to the left-hand side.
A lot of motion there as the handoff is given to Dorset following his blocking.
Turns the corner at the 40, out to the 45, and on his way to the 49.
Wags on the play as Dorset is hit at the 49 yard line and drilled out of bounds by Willie Harper.
And the flag came flying. It may have been a late hit.
It might have been. He didn't get his block.
He didn't get the block that he wanted on the play from his pulling guard that was Tom Rapperty.
So he went to the outside and he broke a tackle by Bruce Taylor in the backfield and then roamed for the yardage.
Now the indication as to what that penalty is about.
The referee has the ball on the 49 yard line. That is Dick Jorgensen.
He drops it all of a sudden and can't get the handle on it and finally does.
It's going to be a big step off against the San Francisco 49ers, the full 15 yards, taking it down to the 36 yard line.
And that was a penalty at the wrong time because the Cowboys had field position, unnecessary roughness on sportsmanlike conduct against the San Francisco 49ers.
The first penalty of that type in the football game. It's been a clearly played game up to this point.
The ball has been stepped off down to the 36 yard line of San Francisco and Preston Pearson replaces Tony Dorsett in the Dallas offensive backfield.
Pearson is the number two man in the tandem in the I-formation.
Staubach drops back in the pocket. He's got time. He looks. He throws.
The intended receiver, Drew Pearson, on the far sideline slips down at the 24.
Tony Leonard was over for the coverage there, but Drew just had his feet slide out from under it.
He did. It was kind of like he was on an ice skating rink and actually the field is artificial turf and in very good condition.
Although last night in the San Francisco area in the early evening they had a very, very heavy rainfall, which incidentally here in California was much welcome.
Dorsett comes back in the lineup.
Dorsett back in the lineup and as they break the huddle there's Drew Pearson wide right.
Splitting out to the left hand side is Butch Johnson in the eye.
Dorsett just stopped as the snap drops back to throw, drops one out to Dorsett at the 35, down to the 30 on his way to the 25.
Flags were flying as Dorsett made his way to the 25 yard line and Bruce Taylor gets credit for the tackle there.
So we've had a lot of flags tonight in this first half. We have 529 remaining before halftime.
The Cowboys lead San Francisco 14 to 7, but they're coming back and this one is going to be against Dallas.
Well the 15 yarder hurt San Francisco and now they may get some of that yardage back as Dallas has what looks like a major penalty against them.
Injured player on San Francisco comes off the field. The team doctor immediately goes to him.
The penalty is assessed back to the 46 yard line of San Francisco and it's against the Dallas Cowboys and it looks like illegal use of the hands by the Cowboys is the call.
The Cowboys have it on the 40 yard line of the San Francisco 49ers.
That's going to bring up second down, second down and 20. Both receivers, Golden Richards and Drew Pearson are wide left.
Pearson is a man in motion out to the right hand side.
Neely straightened up to block Hardeman across the line. Neely may have drawn him. The old pro 13 year veteran from Oklahoma.
He's got bad knees, bad back, but he's got more intestinal fortitude than nine out of ten offensive linemen today, Pat.
Well a lot of players like Neely who have great talent manage to stay on in the league because they've worked so hard at mastering the techniques that the younger, more physically superior players coming out of college
cannot master pass blocking, pulling for the sweep plays. Neely masters it all.
A loss of 15 yards on penalties and we've got second down now. Second and 25 coming up for the Cowboys from their own 49 yard line.
Newhouse and Dorsett are in the eye. Here's Starbuck with a pitch out to Dorsett sweeping the right side. He cuts in at the 50. He gets down to the 46 yard line.
Out to San Francisco 49ers and Tommy Hart, the big 10 year veteran from Morris Brown at defensive left end. He's there to wrap him up.
Jay Saldi just couldn't give Tony Dorsett the block he needed on Hart. Hart strung the play along. Saldi tried to knock Hart out of the play, couldn't handle him on the block.
Hart broke the block and came over and got Dorsett. Dorsett waited, it must have been to him at least, almost an eternity for Saldi to make the block and he just couldn't do it.
Next Monday night the Liberty Bowl, Lindsay Nelson and I will be in that beautiful city of Memphis, Tennessee. Then we'll move on to the Hall of Fame classic.
That's in Birmingham, Alabama. We've got two big ones coming up right there for you. As they line up with his third down, third and 20 and back goes Starbuck to throw.
He looks, he rolls one in the middle. It's complete. The catch is made by Billy Dupree. He's down at the 32 yard line.
Tony Leonard was over there but Billy Dupree made a great catch right there at the 32.
Well let's see where they spot the ball now. It is down on the 32 like Al just told you.
That means they're going to be shy of a first down but they certainly got the ball back and picked up some yardage.
It'll be a fourth down coming up for Dallas on the 32 yard line and let's make it about, oh about five yards to go. Dorsett 39 yards in 12 carries.
He started to get it going here in the second quarter of play for the Dallas Cowboys. Now let's see what Tom Landry and his staff come up with now on this fourth down play with about five to go.
Charlie Waters is in the hole. He'll spot the ball at the 39 and here's Efron Herrera. He'll try and kick one from 49 yards away.
It's way short as it falls into the end zone. It is way short. Underneath the goal posts it off to the right.
The attempted field goal is no good. So with three minutes and 46 seconds remaining before halftime, the Cowboys leading 14 to 7 over the 49ers.
San Francisco takes over. The San Francisco offense has found itself deep in its own territory.
They got field position once in the first quarter on the 45 yard line. Right now they've got kind of a medium situation with the ball on the 31 yard line first down 10.
In the backfield behind Jim Plunkett is Delvin Williams and Wilbur Jackson and they have acquired 1500 yards between them so far this year.
They shift from the I-formation strong to the right. Williams is in the right set and Jackson in the left and Jackson takes a handoff, sweeps to the right hand side.
Can he get outside? No indeed. At the 30 yard line he's wrestled down by D.D. Lewis as the weak side linebacker of the Cowboys comes over to make the tackle.
D.D. Lewis is the story of himself from Mississippi State. He's Cleveland, an old friend of ours, is the public relations director down there at Mississippi State.
D.D. Lewis is one of his boys and he always tells me when I go down there, how's my boy D.D. doing?
Now I have no idea. I really don't have any idea how Dwight Douglas Lewis is doing. Tonight I can tell him he's doing fairly well.
No gain on the play. It'll be a second down in 10. San Francisco at that 31. Here's the snap back to Plunkett. He looks, throws long.
It is gone at the 41 yard line. An out of bounds with the football after a great touchdown. There's Gene Washington.
Washington is wrapped up by Mark Washington. There is Gene Washington catching it and Mark Washington a cornerback for the Cowboys making the tackle.
Gene Washington hasn't had that much chance to excel this season because the 49ers had had trouble with their passing game.
But tonight at least Plunkett's arm when he gets the time seems to look just fine. He's got all kinds of mustard on that ball.
Two minutes and 33 seconds. The clock is running. That's all that remains in the half. 14-7 the Cowboys.
Now the 49ers against the clock. Both receivers are split wide from the eye. They shift into a pro set.
Here's the snap. Back goes Plunkett. He can throw with him. He's going with the bomb. Long went down into the corner pocket. Washington after can't get through it.
Gene Washington makes a turn to the outside. Following him all the way down was Aaron Kyle.
The boos are for Aaron Kyle. The fans here felt that Kyle sealed off the inside route by blocking the route to the goal post where the ball was.
Washington did make a move to the outside. Kyle got his body between Washington and the ball. The ball went falling in the end zone.
The boos are not for the 49ers. They are for what the fans think was pass interference, but actually it was not.
49ers are huddling at the midfield strike. They have a second down 10 from the bat to Dallas 40 yard line.
And Washington is wide out to the left. The only receiver split out. Now moving over, Tom Mitchell to the right side.
A slot back to the left hand side. Here's the snap. Fluffing up the middle. Play action. A pass to the sidelines.
That's the 21. It's caught over there. The minute he made the catch Washington is down. On top of him was Aaron Kyle, but he had to go down.
He had to go on his knees to pick that one up. Yes he did. He's a marvelous receiver with great moves.
With a score. Dallas 14 and San Francisco 7. There's a time out of the field.
At the moment it's a Stanford show here at Candlestick Park as Stanford's Jim Plunkett at quarterback has started to get hot.
Throwing to Gene Washington who we used to throw to at Stanford University.
And Washington was a high school quarterback and one of the best in the state of California.
Washington has caught 77 yards with a passes and three catches.
The Lazy Boy Chair Company will award a famous Lazy Boy recliner to tonight's outstanding offensive and defensive players.
At the 21 yard line of the Cowboys, it's first down for San Francisco.
In the I-4 mission Plunkett has his setbacks. Williams and Jackson shift into the pro set now.
Back goes Jim to throw. Plunkett looks. Tries to release to the side.
To a back rolling out. Wilbur Jackson at the 15 yard line but the pass is far short.
Jolly Waters was over there to cover but Wilbur Jackson had no chance to get that.
The ball was thrown into the turf about five yards away from him.
I think it was tipped at the line of scrimmage by either Gregory or Randy White on the play.
As Dallas came crunching in with a savage pass rush and Plunkett was hurried and one big paw got up and nicked the ball.
Second down and ten. 49ers at the Dallas 21.
As they break Paul Seals goes wide to the left.
Splitting out to the right hand side is Kenny Harrison and a slot back is Washington to the right.
Here's the snap. Back goes the quarterback. Plunkett with the rush on. He's going to run to the 20, to the 15.
He breaks one tackle, spins away and falls to the turf at the 14 yard line.
He got away from one tackler there at the 15. I thought he might get more yardage but he got to the 14 yard line.
Very close to the first down. Benny Barnes is responsible finally for pinning him.
Well Plunkett went back to pass and the whole Dallas defensive line started to converge on him.
He saw the pocket disintegrating around him so he immediately took off and made the right decision at the right time
as he goes down to about the 14 yard line and that will bring up a third down and three yards to go.
An eight yard gain for Jim Plunkett on the play and Plunkett's going to...
Gene Washington comes to the sideline now to confer with Ken Meyer and the San Francisco staff.
Plunkett is over there as well and they're having a conference.
I have to say this about Ken Meyer. He's done a great job with this team. His first year he took over here.
He's come along with a football team. He's won five of his last seven ball games.
San Francisco had a horrendous start against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were in F. They couldn't move the football.
They could not do anything well. Well that has all changed now.
Kenny Meyer has done a real fine job of coaching here at San Francisco.
This ball club now faces a third and three situation. The ball at the Dallas 14 yard line.
They need three big yards on this play to keep their hopes for a touchdown alive in their trail 14 to 7.
We have a minute and 43 seconds remaining.
Fans I'd like to remind you again across the network and across this country and around the world
and American Forces radio that Mutual is truly your bowl headquarters.
The Liberty Bowl, the Hall of Fame Bowl, the Gator Bowl, the East West Ryan game, the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl,
the NFL Pro Bowl, all of them you'll hear right here over many of these mutual stations.
Both tight ends are in there now. Here's a big third down three play.
Lunkett has a man in motion to the left hand side. Takes a snap and hands it off instead with the football.
Williams over the right tackle. He's got the yardie. He's down to the 10 yard line.
Stanford. Cliff Harris comes up and makes the tackle on Delvin Williams and he hit him at the 10 yard line.
That is enough for the first down. Del Williams now has 33 yards in this football game as he hammers down to deep in Dallas territory.
Now that could be a very important play in this game. It might be a key play as a matter of fact.
So far the key play if you want to look back has been that one screen pass of 36 yards for a touchdown.
But the game could change as the momentum changes as we move along in this football game.
All on the 10 yard line on the near hash mark with 135 to go in the second quarter.
The Dallas Cowboys have their hands full against the San Francisco 49er football team that has stayed in this football game.
And now they have launched the drive. San Francisco's drive started on the 32 yard line.
The Buick Motor Division of General Motors Corporation will award a 1978 Buick Regal to the most outstanding NFL player this year.
As voted by the writers and broadcasters who actually cover the Mutual games.
Previous winners of the Bert Jones, Fran Tarkin, and Kenny Stapler and O.J. Simpson.
The ballots are being distributed throughout the league and we'll be announcing the name of this year's winner during the first round of the NFL playoff games as they are broadcast over Mutual.
What great football we have coming up on Mutual.
That's Sheridan. The San Francisco 49ers have the ball inside of the 10 yard line. It's a matter now.
Nine and a half yards of real estate stand between them and the possibility of a tie before the end of the first half.
We have a minute and 35 seconds left.
And Jim Plunkett brings his team up to the line of scrimmage in the I-formation.
Delvin Williams, Wilbur Jackson, they are in the process behind him.
Here is Plunkett back to throw. He throws into the end zone. Touchdown! Touchdown!
That's Kenny Harris right over the middle makes the grab.
Another guy from SMU. He's six foot tall but he only weighs about 160 pounds. He made the grab.
The score is on the board that San Francisco now trails Dallas by a single point.
Well that was a pretty drive. It was a 68 yard drive by the San Francisco 49ers against the team that is ranked tops in the league in defense.
Ray Wershing will kick or try to kick the extra point. Here's the boo. He's up. It is good.
So the score, the Cowboys 14, the 49ers 14.
We'll have more after this special 60 second message for Budweiser and GM Trucks.
The kickoff down deep to Butch Johnson at the 10 yard line out to the 20.
He races it all the way back to the midfield stripe to the far sidelines and he's out of bounds way across the field at the 20 yard line.
Finally run out over there by Eddie Lewis. A great return.
Taking the ball at about his own 10, Butch Johnson coming up, came directly up the middle then broke to the far outside, went down and out of bounds forced out over there at the 20 yard line.
A 74 yard return. The ball is at the 20 yard line now.
The 20 yard line of the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys with a minute 20 are threatening to take back the lead.
One area in this game where Dallas has a clear superiority is in the area of special teams, especially with those returns by Butch Johnson of the kickoffs and also the punts.
Johnson with a just a beautiful run, his third good run of this football game from a receiving position of either a kickoff or a punt.
And he has managed to give Dallas superb field position.
And this has to hurt the 49ers because they took the momentum back on that 68 yard touchdown drive and now Dallas comes right back and rests the tempo of the game in their favor all the way down to the 20 yard line.
The 49ers come fighting back and so do the Dallas Cowboys.
And minute 20 to go in the second quarter.
An injured player on the field across the way and it's very difficult as the trainer leans over in there at the 16 yard line to pick a number up and until you can get that number.
I believe it is burns.
It is burns number 28 burns who has been injured there at the 17 he's sitting up and the 49er trainer will have him I'm sure on his feet in a moment and taking him off the field at the 20 yard line.
The Cowboys have a first down there 20 yards away from the opportunity to go back in front.
And with a minute and 20 you can bank on it but the man who heads up the Dallas Cowboys will not go away empty handed.
He'll come up with a field goal if nothing else.
Tom Landry and 17 years of coaching has turned out some fantastic football teams.
He has a new five year contract now that takes him to 1982.
He won eight straight ball games this year and everybody said well maybe he's going for broke.
Maybe he'll go 14 and 0 and very promptly he lost to St. Louis and Pittsburgh.
But then the Cowboys bounce right back with victories over Philadelphia and Washington.
He is the sixth all time winning his coach in professional football Tom Landry and that's his Cowboy team that's huddled at the 30 yard line.
As they break the huddle Golden Richards and Drew Pearson go wide to the right.
There's an eye formation in the backfield as Roger Starbuck goes with his hands under the center.
It shifts now strong to the right hand side and a pro set.
Starbuck is waiting for the snap he has the ball bluffs to one man bluffs to another rolls back looks and throws into the end zone.
Touchdown Cowboys in the end zone there.
Rolling out of the backfield Tony Dorsett simply outran his man went down the sidelines.
Skip Vanderbilt was the man who had to pick him up and skip Vanderbilt was nowhere close.
It was Dorsett all the way three four five full yards in full in front of a linebacker with great speed.
And with agility he made the catch at the two yard line stepped into the end zone and the Cowboys are in front again 20 to 14.
It was a beautiful play to see two fakes and play action reverses and then Starbuck goes by it back they get isolation Dorsett for three forty on a cornerback.
It was a mismatch Herrera is set to try the point after the snap it's placed down flags on the players he kicks it right between the uprights.
Wait a minute we'll have to wait for those flags and find out whether we have a point after or whether we have a penalty which means they will have to kick again.
No the penalty against San Francisco declined the point is on the scoreboard.
So 21 to 14 Dallas leads San Francisco.
We'll have more after the special 60 second message.
He can fad at two minutes he could run 30 plays.
Well that's long long ago and right now the man that's got to do it is the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers Jim Plunkett.
Rose said in the backfield with the first down to the eight yard line the snap the handoff Wilbur Jackson up the middle he's out to the 15.
He came driving across on a crossbucket brings it out to the 15 yard line where Bill Gregory wraps him up.
Let's pause briefly here for station identification.
This is mutual your news and sports radio network.
Thirty minutes forty five seconds past nine thirty nine degrees from WGN radio Chicago.
The San Francisco 49ers huddling on the five they break that huddle and come on out against the four man defensive line.
Elvin Williams and Wilbur Jackson in the I formation.
Again Williams shifting strong to the left.
Here's the handoff instead to Wilbur Jackson and Jackson gets over the 15 as he gets doped to the right side.
He made a dive over the tackle Tom Henderson the left side strong sideline backer for the Cowboys as in it about the 17 yard line.
Well the fans are booing here simply because they want the 49ers to put the ball up in the air.
But look at it this way the 49ers are well over 80 yards away from their goal line and they are in a situation where if they put the ball in the air and they got a Dallas interception.
Dallas could take the ball in very quick with a ball that deep in the San Francisco territory with 16 seconds to go.
Now it is 13 and the clock is ticking away and there is nine.
There's still a time out for the 49ers but they're not using it five seconds they come up to the line of scrimmage.
Plunkett is ready two seconds they will not get another play off.
It is all over the first half wraps up.
That's the end of the first half here with the score.
The Cowboys 21 the 49ers 14 now this for our shirt.
Thank you very much for that shirt and then San Francisco now drops back and we're set to receive the kickoff.
The man who is down there deep for San Francisco is number 36 Paul Hopper.
Heffernan Herrera will tee it up at the 35 yard line but still there is a heavy cloud of smoke in the end zone all across the end zone area.
And I have my doubts that those in the upper deck here at Candlestick Park in San Francisco really can clearly see the football field.
Just moments ago there was so much smoke that came up from the firework display that we had we could not see the field through the clouds.
Hopper is down at the goal line standing directly between the two sideline straps in the middle of the field and about a yard deep in the end zone.
Herrera is waiting for the whistle.
The second half is about to get underway 21 to 14 the Cowboys lead the 49ers as Herrera comes forward and puts the sailor up into the air.
It hits on the 10 yard line Hopper at the 8 out to the 10 to the 15 to the 20 to the 25 to the 30.
He's rustled down at about the 32 yard line.
Bringing it back up before Mike Hagman finally makes a stop and the officials mark the 32.
So San Francisco will have a first down coming up at the 32 yard line.
The 49ers down the touchdown.
They have been able to move the football and they've done it well.
It was a 14-14 game with a minute and five seconds left in the first half.
Up to the line of scrimmage Jim Plunkett has his team.
He's got them set now he's shifting his men.
Williams goes back into the backfield Delvin Williams along with Wilbur Jackson.
Here's Plunkett with the snap and the handoff to Williams and Williams wide to the right turns the tackle slips down as he slides to about the 34 yard line.
Middle linebacker Bob Bruning is responsible for the tackle at that point.
Down at the 34 yard line let's give them a pick up there of just about two yards it'll be second down and eight for San Francisco.
Next Monday night from Memphis Tennessee the Liberty Bowl and it is a good one you'll hear it over mutual.
Nebraska and North Carolina will be on hand.
Lindsay Nelson and I to bring you the play that play action in the I formation San Francisco second down eight.
They have the ball their own 34 man in motion out to the right hand side running the man in motion players Harrison and here's the handoff and immediately stop at the 32 yard line.
What's fullback Wilbur Jackson he ran right into Big Harvey Martin six five two hundred and fifty two pounds Bob Bruning.
The middle linebacker was there to help make the tackle and Big Harvey hasn't made his usual amount of sacks but he has been around putting an awful lot of pressure on the quarterback Jim Plunkett of the San Francisco 49ers.
A loss of a yard on the player the third down to nine.
Dallas in that for three.
No they've got the nickel defense in there right now and they are blitzing streaking in there and blitzing on the play and down back at the 23 yard line is the quarterback down goes Plunkett and the man who got him was Randy White.
Not one of the linebackers that was blitzing through but we had a six man rush on and we've got an injured cowboy down on the field Aaron Kyle the right cornerback.
He came on the blitz to and he was injured. Yes he got picked up by Wilbur Jackson who laid a solid block into women Jackson also got up slowly but he is all right now.
We pause briefly for station identification this is mutual your news and sports radio network.
Twenty five seconds before 1039 degrees from WGN radio Chicago.
It'll be fourth down and 17 yards to go for the San Francisco 49ers we mentioned prior to the beginning of this half that one of the keys for the San Francisco 49ers would be to give their quarterback Jim Plunkett good protection.
Plunkett has not received it here at the beginning of this second half.
He had a big rush on in there as Dallas set in everything but the kitchen sink.
Kyle is being assisted now to his feet and he is slowly getting up and it looks like he is going to be able to walk off the field under his own power.
He was really shaken up on the play.
They are walking him off but he nobody is carrying him off.
He's walking off under his own power talking to the trainers as he goes off.
He was really hurt on a very savage block by Wilbur Jackson.
Now the punting situation for San Francisco.
Tom Whittem is in the ball game. He takes a snap, steps forward to the 15 yard line and puts his foot into it.
Moving up is Johnson, butch Johnson at the 40 to the 45 across the way to the midfield stripe and he's into San Francisco territory as he fights his way to the San Francisco 49 yard line.
One of the keys to this game in Dallas taking the lead was that fine kickoff return by Johnson, some 74 yards that put his team in business on the 20 yard line and then the touchdown occurred that put Dallas out ahead 21 to 14.
Cowboys back in the huddle at the 40.
As they break the huddle, Drew Pearson out wide to the right hand side.
Dorsett and Newhouse are the setbacks behind quarterback Roger Favreau.
To snap the hand off the Newhouse straight ahead piled up right at the line of scrimmage and the man on the bottom is Jimmy Webb.
The left tackle of the 49ers playing the run very nicely there. He brings him down with no gain whatsoever.
It'll be second down 10 for the Cowboys.
Two times in the first half the Dallas Cowboys had field position and did not cash in the rest of the time they did.
And now they have field position at the beginning of the second half and really can wrest control of this game from the 49ers if they can score.
They started on the 50, they're down to the 49 yard line now.
Plenty of time in that huddle.
Drew Pearson now has gone out of the game and Jay Saldy is in there with Billy Joe Dupuis.
Now it is Saldy, a man in motion to the right hand side and a pitch off to Newhouse.
Newhouse trying to get away, breaks one tackle behind the line, gets to the midfield stripe down to the 45, straight ahead.
He went after, he was stopped momentarily, Skip Vanderbunt is the man who broke through
and had his hands on him there, almost brought him down for a five yard loss.
Instead Bob Newhouse fights back to the 44 yard line of San Francisco.
That was a very, very determined run because it did look like Newhouse was going to go down and be sacked in that backfield.
But he just kept chugging away, he's built like a fire plug and broke that tackle.
That was too much of an arm tackle, you can't arm tackle that man.
Preston Pearson is in the running back set now with Tony Dorsett.
They are spread wide with both wide receivers out wide to the left.
Back goes Staubach, sets up to throw, the rush is on, he's going to run with it to the 45, down to the 40.
On his way to the 39, pummeled the football but held onto it I believe.
Bruce Ilya coming up from a linebacker spot for San Francisco, finally gets him,
brings him down at just about the 40 yard line.
Bruce Ilya with the kind of tackle that Woody Hayes teaches at Ohio, hit Plunkett,
while he hit Staubach like a pile driver around the shoulders and the force of that blow
unloosened the ball but Staubach maintained possession of it.
But Ilya being on the field is going to help the 49ers, although Bradley played well in his place.
But Ilya is a tremendous hitter.
A lot of people who follow Big Ten and college football will remember Bruce Ilya as an offensive pullback at Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
Well, he has been moved to linebacker, that's the position he really likes to play.
He likes to play defense more than anything else and he is a savage, vicious hitter.
It's going to be about six inches shy of a first down for the Dallas Cowboys and it will be fourth down coming up.
Fourth down and they have the ball at the San Francisco 40.
The Cowboys lead 21 to 14.
We have 11 minutes and 18 seconds left to play in the third period.
And they are going for it. Up to the line, tight formation, Staubach spreads his backs now.
Parking the signals and handing it off to Tony Dorsett and Dorsett follows Newhouse and dives over the right tackle.
Tony Letters is there to try and stack them, a whole host of San Francisco men to stack it up, but it is not enough.
He dove for the yardage, he has a first down. Dallas has first down at the 38 yard line of the 49ers.
The way that blocking worked was that the guard on one side of the line for the Cowboys, that is Tom Rafferty, went over and took the tackle and then Herb Scott went in the hole to open it up.
Drew Pearson to the right, Golden Richards out to the left, first down from the 38, the handoff, breaking to the left tackle, Tony Dorsett, the first down.
Tony Dorsett to the 30 yard line, to the 25, to the 20 and out of bounds at about the 18 yard line.
A flag on the play as Eddie Lewis coming laterally across, finally managed to stop the great running back, the great young rookie of the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Dorsett.
Beautiful run, but you can only do it if you have got that kind of speed.
Coming into the second half, Dorsett had 39 yards on the ground and could have increased that total quite a bit with that last run, but the game is nullified as the Penn State has been in the second half.
It is nullified as the penalty is assessed against the Dallas Cowboys and they are coming over to tell us what it was.
It is a holding call, maybe that is the reason Dorsett got open.
One of the linemen in the line held.
It looked like he got the game though in that last play, almost all on his own.
Goes back to the 48 yard line of San Francisco and the penalty really hurts because his Dallas drive began on the 50 yard line.
That means they have only gained two yards when you include the penalty and everything else.
It will be first down and 20 for the Cowboys and they send both their receivers out wide to the left and to the right.
Staubach now with a first and 20, he has got plenty of time.
He shifts from the R formation, Dorsett strong to the right, Staubach back to throw, goes to the sideline, sideline pattern.
They pass to Drew Pearson, he makes the grab and steps out of bounds and about the 40 yard line.
Mel Phillips from the strong safety coming over for San Francisco and running him out.
Well, I tell you what, they are moving it back to the 48 yard line here.
They are saying that he caught the ball but that he did not put both feet down inside as he went out.
Alright, so it is an incomplete pass although the catch was made nicely by Pearson.
He did not get those feet planted inside after coming down with the football.
So back it goes to the 48 yard line of San Francisco and Dallas in possession has the second down and 20.
Staubach as the football ends it off to Dorsett, Dorsett fumbles the ball.
It is picked up by Newhouse back at the 40 yard line.
Newhouse is hit down at the 40 yard line and the man who had him was number 86 said Drake Hardman.
And Tommy Hart came in there and just blasted the ball carrier at the time the lateral from Staubach went back to the running back Dorsett.
He was right there and hammered into him and the ball was loose.
Hardeman was there near the ball as well as the other player for Dallas Newhouse who made the eventual recovery.
But Dallas is thrown back, they are starting to go backwards with the ball just near the 41 yard line.
Shock up that fumble to a great effort by Tommy Hart, the defensive end of San Francisco.
He drove through there and tackled Dorsett causing the fumble.
The ball is at the Dallas 41 yard line.
It's third down and 30 and here is the handoff given to Preston Pearson to the 45, to the midfield strike.
Pearson sweeping the right side.
He gets to the 45 yard line of San Francisco and finally Mel Phillips and Stan Black.
Lock onto him over there and throwing to the church.
Line return about a 15 yard gainer there by Preston Pearson.
But time has run out, it's fourth down for Dallas in possession at the 44 yard line of San Francisco and they'll punt.
Well that was a very fine run.
A delay in the middle of the line, he cut to the outside, made a beautiful cut from Dorsett for blocking.
Dorsett couldn't get him in the block though and if he had, Pearson might have gone quite away probably for a touchdown.
Danny White is kicking from the Dallas 40 yard line.
Here's the snap, Stan Black is the lone safety and there's a high one waiting for it at the 10.
He makes a catch, he is there at the 10 yard line.
If he intended to call for a fair catch it was not obvious to anybody.
So with the score, Dallas 21, San Francisco 14, there's a time out on the field.
Plunkett faced a total blitz on third down and really got wrapped in the backfield by the defense of the Dallas Cowboys.
Plunkett has succeeded in spite of the fact that he has not received the best protection from his offensive line.
San Francisco in possession at the 11 yard line in the high formation.
Williams and Jackson shifting out of the process.
Here's the snap, rolling to the right, Plunkett looks, he puts it in the air, overthrows the intended receiver, tight end Tom Mitchell.
Mitchell was up at the 28 yard line but he just couldn't get to the football.
And Harvey Martin was all over Plunkett giving him a big how do you do back on about the goal line and that's why the pass was overthrown over the receiver
because Plunkett was rushed so hard by Big Harvey.
In rushing so far Williams has 33 yards, 13 carries.
Jackson has 6 yards on 4 carries, 39 yard total so the Dallas defensive line and the linebackers have shut off that running game.
San Francisco with the second down 10 from their own 11.
Wide to the right goes Kenny Harrison, out to the left is Gene Washington.
The setbacks are spread wide now.
He's with a long count, he ends it off and up the middle trying to get Lewis Wilbur Jackson can't do it.
Gets back to the line of scrimmage thrown right at the line by the Dallas defense.
The big right end of the Cowboys, Harvey Martin lays the temper to him.
So with 8 minutes and a half remaining in the third quarter, the Cowboys in front 21 to 14.
It looks like it would appear that the 49ers are having a great deal of trouble offensively generating any motion.
Third down coming up.
Dallas' defense is blitzed at the right times, they're playing aggressively now at the line of scrimmage.
In the eye formation, big third down play, the nickel is in there.
Dallas is looking for the pass, everybody else is but they go up the middle just the same.
Wilbur Jackson out to the 15, nailed at the 15, he falls forward to about the 16 yard time.
Mike Hegman, Mike Hegman is there.
Wrapping him up at the 16 and it will be a putting situation for San Francisco.
On that play the bubble was in the middle of the line and Plunkett sent his back right into the bubble.
The idea was to eliminate the middle linebacker Brunik, they did.
However, the two corner linebackers came in and covered well on the play.
My going to put formation is Tom Whitham.
Singled safety back there is...
It is at the 50 yard line and it is covered.
It was covered by the Dallas Cowboys.
Butch Johnson was the man coming up on the football, Benny Barnes was there.
And it goes over so there's a timeout here with the score.
The Cowboys 21, the 49ers 14.
Pat Sheridan and Al Wester on mutual from Candlestick Park.
Dallas comes up to the line of scrimmage, the 48 yard line of San Francisco.
In the backfield, Robert Newhouse and Tony Dorsett.
Here's the snap, quarterback Roger Starbock is back in the pocket to throw and the rush is on now.
He's trying to get room, he gets back to the line of scrimmage.
He's hit and driven forward to about the 46 yard line by Big Cedric Hardman.
There was Starbock trying to set up to throw and then the pressure in on top of him.
He had to try and get the ball back to the line of scrimmage and he does, Jessette.
Well the key there was the initial thrust by Cleveland Elam who was the first to get his hands on the quarterback.
Starbock got away from him but Hardman then recovered and got Starbock from behind and made the tackle.
Line of scrimmage to the 48 second time in a row.
The Cowboys have gotten field position in the second half.
In the ball game, Butch Johnson is out wide to the right hand side.
Drew Pearson is out to the left, it's second down 10.
For Dallas at the 48 yard line of San Francisco, the setbacks are strong to the right.
Man in motion to the right hand side is Dupree and here's the handoff to Bobby Newhouse.
The Newhouse cracking over the right tackle gets down now to the 46 yard line before Tommy Hart,
the 10 year veteran from Morris Brown, stacks him up.
He tried to run behind a block by Pat Donovan, his right tackle.
Donovan did get some initial contact in zone blocking at the line of scrimmage.
And in zone blocking you take on the man who is opposite you.
It's one on one, kind of back to the cave.
You just take on the guy across from you and try to move him.
And Donovan did that although he didn't clear him out of the hole.
Now Golden Richards back in for the Cowboys.
He's wide to the right, out to the left hand side.
Goes Pearson at second down, at third down I beg your pardon, third and eighth from the 46.
Staubach is back to throw, look out the rush is on, he dumps it off.
It's completed for 40 to the 35.
And on down to the 32 yard line with the football goes Tony Dorseth.
Dorseth made the catch at about the 36 yard line and carries it to the 32.
More than enough for a first down.
Mel Phillips comes up to help on the tackle.
Willie Harper, the right side linebacker, made the first stop.
And great patience by Staubach.
He had 49ers hanging all over him.
But he waited until the very last moment before he unleashed that football.
Allowing Tony Dorseth to make his move and to get open.
Now Staubach has completed five of eight up to this point for 125.
Dallas moving the football down to the 32.
They're at the San Francisco 32 and they shift their big tight end slowly over to the left side.
Here's the handoff, Dorseth following, blocking to the 30.
He's at the 25, almost ran away from a man there.
Gets down inside the 25 yard line to the 23.
Bruce Taylor holds onto one leg and finally wrestles him down.
Pat Donovan, the big tackle, cut off the linebacker on a key block.
One more block was laid by Newhouse, the fullback who was running in front of Dorseth.
Dorseth had a tiny crease and that's all that guy needs to break away.
And he did, going down to the 22 yard line.
And it'll be second down and only one to go.
Nine yard gain for Dorseth.
Tony Dorseth and Bob Newhouse.
Dorseth, well, he's 5'11", Newhouse, he's 5'10".
And here's the handoff and straight ahead with the football.
To the 23 yard line goes Dorseth again.
He's trying to get yardage and he is nailed at the 22, they say.
As they put it down, Jimmy Webb finally wrestled him down there.
A gain of maybe, well let's see, he's down close to the first down, very close to it.
They're going to have a measurement here.
They're going to bring the chains out to see if he got it.
I want to mention right now of the fact that one of the fine offensive tackles in all of football,
Rayfield Wright is on the field now for the Cowboys.
Wright has not played all year, he's had a knee injury.
And Tom Landry is using him right now to see if he's on the road back toward being a regular with the Cowboys.
It's about a foot shy of being a first down.
Oh, it's even less than that.
It's going to be a matter of inches.
The ball is on the 22 yard line.
So they place it down on the far hash mark on the 22.
And they just have to go a matter of inches to get a third down coming up.
Four minutes and 20 seconds with the clock running, remaining in the third quarter here at Candlestick Park.
San Francisco trailing the Cowboys, 21 to 14 Dallas in front.
Now they flex in a tight formation.
They'll try to jam for the yard, the quarterback, Starbuck.
He's got it straight ahead.
On the keeper, I think he got the inch or two that he needed is Cleveland Elam.
The right tackle of San Francisco wraps him up and the ball is down on the 20 yard line.
First down, Dallas.
And he went behind John Fitzgerald and the guard on the right side, Tom Rafferty.
Fitzgerald making a nice hit to the line of scrimmage, giving Roger Starbuck just enough room to squirm ahead and get the yard as necessary.
The ball is close to the 20 yard line.
Tony Dorsett, the number four rusher in the National Football Conference.
In the backfield with Bob Newhouse, and they are strong to the left. Now Dorsett shifts back into the eye.
Both receivers are wide.
Dallas has the first down at the 20 yard line. A pitch to Dorsett.
Wide to the left, to the 20, to the 15, to the 10, to the 5. He's in. Touchdown!
Tony Dorsett making the pitch out for Roger Starbuck and racing around the left side and easily going into the end zone from 20 yards away.
And the score now is 27-14.
What happened on that play? Beautiful take into the middle with Newhouse.
The linebacker on the right side drawn into the middle of the line. Big hole provided. No linebacker there.
Dorsett gets the pitch and with his great speed just zipped right into the end zone, got past the cornerback and the safety man and he was gone.
Even before the San Francisco defense could react.
The fake in the middle, the pitch wide to Dorsett and away he goes. No linebacker there.
Taked into the middle. It was a 48 yard drive.
Herrera will try and make it 28-14.
He's the kicker.
Soccer style puts it up right between the uprights. So with the score, the Cowboys 28 to 49ers 14.
There's a timeout on the field now this for Las Vegas.
Dorsett 75 yards on 16 carries. A 20 yard touchdown run by Tony.
Just with great speed and quickness culminating a 52 yard drive and putting Dallas out ahead 28-14.
And now the kickoff.
Evren Herrera will kick it away and Paul Hopper is waiting at the goal line.
San Francisco down by a pair of touchdowns. 28 to 14.
Here's the kick.
There is an end over and spinner down to about the 7.
Hopper has it out to the 10, the 15, the 20, the 25, the 30, the 35, the 40, the 45 yard line.
Spins out of one, back up over the midfield, slides down to the 45 and hit on the 44 yard line.
But the Dallas Cowboys from behind.
Great run back there. He took it at about the 8 yard line.
He runs it almost 50 yards back.
The man who finally got him was number 61 Jim Cooper.
We'll make note of this now. The Dorsett is total yardage for the year.
960 yards needs 40 yards in this game to go over a thousand.
First down for San Francisco at the 45 yard line the officials say it is.
Both receivers are split out from the I-formation. Plunket has the snap.
Bluffs up the middle, back to throw. Looks and fires in the middle.
It's complete to Gene Washington and Washington has it at the 24.
A great catch by Washington, a circus catch. He went high in the air.
Cliff Harris wrapped around him as he came down.
The ball is at the 23 yard line of Dallas.
First down San Francisco.
And this is the first time San Francisco in the entire second half of this game
with 2 minutes and 43 seconds to go in the third quarter has achieved field position.
They started on the 45. Before that they were at their own 10 and their own 20.
Washington is wide to the left hand side.
Paul Seale now is coming over to the right side and we have Williams.
Out to the right. Now he shifts into a power eye to the right hand side.
And here's the hand off to Jackson Jackson.
Trying to turn the right side. Caught behind the line.
He was hit down back at the 28 yard line is Bill Gregory.
Bill Gregory is a veteran from Wisconsin.
In that defensive line for the Cowboys gets credit for a tackle.
Big Bill is doing a super job subbing for Jeffery Pugh who is out with an injury.
And Tom Landry assures us that next week when Dallas plays Denver Pugh will be in the defensive line.
But as a substitute Gregory has done a fine job this evening.
Lost the 4 yards on the play. It will be second down and 14.
San Francisco lines up at the Dallas. 28 yard line.
The setbacks are wide. Here's Plunkett back in the pocket.
He's got the time. He looks. He goes into the end zone.
He throws it out of the back of the end zone.
The only man he could have been going for was Gene Washington.
Because Washington was back there and along with Washington was Cliff Harris and I believe he was double teamed.
He was Mark Washington there too.
Interesting to note that Mark Washington is now playing one of the corners.
And if you remember it was noted to us that the man that Plunkett would probably try to throw against would be Benny Barnes.
Well Barnes is out of there now. Plunkett is throwing against his replacement Mark Washington.
Yes he is and it's always tough to pass against Dallas because of those two safeties.
And the coverage by Harris in the last play was superb.
Third down and 14. San Francisco at the 28 yard line of Dallas.
And look out they're trying to blitz.
As Plunkett goes long into the end zone and it's caught.
Tick-down! Tick-down San Francisco!
And this time there was no stopping Washington.
Gene Washington makes the grab right there near the line, the back line of the end zone.
And the man that he beat was Mark Washington.
It was one on one coverage too and that is awfully hard to do when you get a guy like Gene Washington going out and running under a pass.
Plunkett had just enough time in that last play and you give Plunkett and Washington enough time and maneuver on a pass on one on one coverage.
And you are really going to be in trouble.
The point after. Ray Washington boots it up. It is good.
So does the score. Dallas 28, San Francisco 21. There's time out on the field now. This book fires stone tires.
Branson takes a kickoff at the 10 yard line after the 15 up to the 20 to the 25 and he's hit at the 30 falling forward to the 31 yard line.
Dave Williams at San Francisco down under that kickoff, nails him.
Knocks him down at the 31 yard line. Branson brings it back about 21 yards on the return.
Dallas has the first down now at their own 31 yard line. They lead in the ball game but that lead has been cut to a touchdown.
It's 28 to 21 as quarterback Roger Stalbach brings them up to the line of scrimmage.
They are formation in the backfield with Newhouse and Dorsett.
Dorsett shifting strong to the right in the process. Here's Stalbach back to throw.
Drops back. He looks. He fires. It is complete. It was into the hands and out of the hands of the intended receiver, Drew Pearson.
The man who knocked it away was Tony Leonard.
Tony Leonard with a savage hit releasing the ball from Golden Richards arms and chalked that up to the San Francisco 49ers.
Just doing fine defensive football in the defensive secondary because Stalbach laid that ball right into the area where Golden Richards should have had it.
The hard tackle releases it. 125 yards passing for Stalbach. He's completed 6 of 10 thus far in this game.
Dorsett has run for 75. Johnson is wide to the right. Puts Johnson out to the left with Drew Pearson.
It is second down for Dallas at that 31 yard line. Second and 10. In the eye. Stalbach pitching it out.
Dorsett sweeping to the right. Cuts in. Out to the 35. Nailed at the 36 yard line by an alert.
Moving defensive unit from San Francisco. Tony Klein in the defensive line and Bruce Ilya are responsible for the tackle.
And the big guy from Michigan State, Billy Joe Dupre, laid the big block on that play for Tony Dorsett.
So that means it's third down and after the five yard game, five to go, Dorsett needs 38 yards to go over a thousand.
Ball at the 36 yard line. It'll be third down and five. And the Cowboys now, with Golden Richards back in there, send him wide to the left.
Out to the right is Pearson. In the backfield, Preston Pearson. And here's Stalbach rolling, throwing to Preston.
Preston Pearson at the 40, across the way and out of bounds at the 44 yard line. Preston Pearson, almost a must on passing down.
Pearson comes into the lineup and he catches the important pass for a first down.
Let's pause briefly now for station identification. This is Mutual, your news and sports radio network.
And this is WGN Radio Chicago.
Dallas settles between the 30 and 35 yard line. We have 27 seconds remaining here in the third quarter.
28 to 21, the Cowboys lead and they have a first down at their own 44 yard line, 45 yard line. And let's correct that.
Here is Stalbach, handing off and right up the middle, Dorsett to the midfield, strikes the 45.
Cut from the side or he'd have been gone to the races. He's nailed at the 41 yard line by Skip Vanderbunt.
Beautiful run by Tony Dorsett. Went right up the middle on the delay, got the good block by Herb Scott on the line and broke through for 13 yards.
Cut to the outside, when he made that cut for the outside sideline to go right down the field.
He was stopped by the defense of the San Francisco 49ers, but it was a superb run by Dorsett, some 13 yards.
And that means he needs 25 to go over a thousand.
Dorsett is down on the field. He is down, he is injured at the 42 yard line.
And that's the one thing that no Cowboy fan wants to hear about.
The one thing that nobody on that bench that we're looking into across the way where the Dallas Cowboys reside during this game want to see.
He is still down, being worked on by the trainers.
Tony Dorsett now is prone on about the, oh let's say the 42 yard line of the San Francisco 49ers.
He took a hard hit when he hit the defensive backfield.
He was trying to make his move to the outside to find the sideline and then sprint down for a touchdown.
But San Francisco covered it too well and he was hit while his body was at an angle making that cut to the outside.
So the force of the blow was coming from the defensive back who hit him.
And Dorsett of course couldn't get, because he was starting to run laterally, he couldn't get any blow in return and thus he was caught at a bad angle.
There was nothing unsavory about the tackle. It was clean all the way.
It was just that Dorsett was making his cut at the time he was hit and he was in a bad position and actually absorbed the entire blow from the defensive back of the San Francisco 49ers.
Now they are lifting Tony Dorsett up. He is in kind of a crouched position on the field and again they are talking to him.
I don't think his legs were hurt on that play. It looks like he just had the wind knocked out of him.
And I don't know, they were checking the ribs there on the rib cage on the right hand side. And of course you know you can get two or three ribs cracked very easily.
It can be extremely painful until you tape them in. Tape them in you can play with them.
Dorsett under his own power goes to the sidelines. But that's the sort of thing that shakes up any Cowboy fan and football fans across the country.
One of the game youngsters and certainly one of the greatest little runners in pro football today and all in his rookie year.
There's the end of the third quarter without another play with a score. The Cowboys 28, the 49ers 21.
First down and 10 for the Dallas Cowboys after that 13 yard run by Dorsett. Dorsett is standing along the Dallas bench right now and he looks okay.
The trainers are elsewhere so maybe he might be back in the game.
I would think so. He looks to be alright as the Cowboys come up to the line of scrimmage with the first down of the 41 yard line of San Francisco.
Here's a pass to the sidelines caught right along the shoe top. The catch was made at about the 33 yard line by Drew Pearson and he's run out of bounds there by Bruce Taylor.
Bruce Taylor one on one against Golden Richards as Golden Richards made the move to the outside and then came back.
And Taylor it was Drew Pearson by the way. Drew Pearson was the one and Taylor just gave him too much leeway.
He was five yards back and the ball although not thrown hard was fielded by Pearson before Taylor could come back to make the hit.
And so it's a second down for Dallas but they picked up eight big yards on that play so they only have two to go.
They're now talking, the officials are, to the San Francisco 49ers on the far side of the field.
And let's see what the discussion is all about. They're having a meeting on about the 35 yard line.
As far as the statistics in the first half are concerned. Dallas has 13 first down. San Francisco has 12 at the moment.
156 yard rushing for the Cowboys. So they've done a good job of rushing the football and that's what I think they wanted to do.
Definitely establish a running game and work on that as they come towards the playoffs.
All right there's a slot back to the left hand side. Only one man behind the quarterback. Now they shift over.
Preston Pearson is in that backfield and back to his far back to throw. He looks and he's going into the end zone and he's going to try to force that ball in there.
Incomplete in the end zone but he was trying to force it in between two defenders down there and down deep Golden Richards went.
He was there all right. Bruce Taylor was there and so was Eddie Lewis. Both of them were back there on the nickel defense.
They were expecting the long pass. An incompleted pass back it comes and the Cowboys will try again.
And they were expecting that particular player. They had it covered. The safety rotated over to that zone to help the cornerback and they had him sandwiched between two players.
No way that could have been completed.
Drew Pearson comes out of the middle up to the line of scrimmage. It's third down and two. It will be a tight formation.
Pearson is right off of the tight end. Both the setbacks are strong. Preston Pearson and Robert Newhouse. The handoff. Nope. Back to throw.
Starbuck rolling to the right. He looks throws in the middle at the twenty two. It is complete and he's got the yardage plus some for a first down.
As he hits his tight end Jay Saldy. Eddie Lewis nails him at the twenty two yard line and this time the player on the turf is shaken up is from San Francisco.
That play is designed to freeze the linebackers the line of scrimmage the play action the fake and then Starbuck rolls out right sprints out and tries to find the tight end who will go behind the linebackers who stay in at the line of scrimmage supposedly to follow the player who received the fake from Starbuck on the plunge into the middle.
There's a timeout with the score. The Dallas Cowboys 28 San Francisco 21.
Dallas driving now towards the goal line of the San Francisco 49ers with a score 28 to 21 in favor of Dallas. The Cowboys are going to get it try to get a two touchdown balls here. They have 22 yards to go into the end zone.
Starbuck has completed nine of 13 for 151 yards.
Cowboys in a huddle at the 35 and as they break they come up to the line of scrimmage. It's first down Dallas at the San Francisco 22. Both receivers are out wide. Preston Pearson is in the backfield with Bob Newhouse in behind quarterback Roger Starbuck.
First down for the Cowboys at the 22 yard line of San Francisco and Starbuck with a little one two step tries to lock one down into the end zone. It's caught.
It's caught down there in the end zone. What a beautiful soft pass that was right into the corner pocket. The grab was made by Butch Johnson.
Tony Leonard was there but who would believe that little toss that soft pass in the corner of the end zone would be caught. It's a touchdown for the Cowboys. Absolute perfection on this drive.
A 22 yard touchdown he by the way the safety man of San Francisco came over too late to give the cornerback assistance. He was supposed to rotate in that direction never got over in time and that was the key to that play being successful.
Here's Efrain Herrera now for the fifth time tonight for the point after try.
Water's holes and the kick is up and it is good. So with the score the Cowboys 35 the 49ers 21 there's a timeout on the field now this for GMAC and General Electric.
Herrera will kick off and down deep. Paul Hopper is the deep man at the goal line. He's standing inside of the end zone. Here's the kick. It's a high floater.
Up comes Hopper. He's got it at the 13 after the 20 to 25 to 30 runs right into tacklers at the 35 yard line. But there have been some great returns tonight as he gains or pulls out about an 18 yard return before running into Jim Cooper.
It'll be first down for San Francisco at their own 36. If there had been any debate in the San Francisco organization as to who should be their kickoff returner that debate should be over with the way Hopper has performed here tonight against the Cowboys.
Defensively Harvey Martin and Ed Tuttle Jones at ends for Dallas Randy White and Jethro Pugh at the tackles Bill Gregory playing part of the time. Now San Francisco first down their own 36. The snap plunking back to throw.
He sets up and he goes long way down. Nobody's there. He was throwing for the 30 yard line. There wasn't a man within 20 yards. Even Cliff Harris couldn't get to that one for Dallas.
Harrison was supposed to be the receiver but what he did he was bumped at the line of scrimmage by the Dallas Cowboys and he just couldn't get down under the ball in time. So all plunket did was unloaded. No receiver anywhere in the area.
So the San Francisco 49ers have a second down coming up and 10 yards to go on the 36 yard line. Plunket is 9 of 17 for 161 yards in the ballgame. Second down for second and 10.
And the handoff given off to fullback Wilbur Jackson on the cross buck over the left tackle after about the 37 yard line. D.D. Lewis reached up and just got the helmet and jammed him down I believe into the turf.
At the 37 a gain of a yard it'll be third down for San Francisco. Third and nine. I want to tell them where you're going to be next Monday Al. Next Monday Al and Lindsay Nelson will be in Memphis for the Liberty Bowl game.
Nebraska squares off with North Carolina. Join Al and Lindsay for all the action over many of these mutual stations. That's Bud Dudley's great football game. It'll be Nebraska and North Carolina.
It is third down and nine for San Francisco at their own 37. And here's Plunket back in the pocket. The rush is on. He rolls to the right. He's looking for somebody to throw to. Can't find him. Has to get rid of it.
He throws it out there complete at the 45 to the midfield strike in the Dallas territory with the football goes Delvin Williams Williams made the catch over his shoulder a beautiful catch by Williams.
He's finally caught from behind by Aaron Kyle and Plunket with the white jerseys all over him was scrambling on the far sideline desperately looking for the pass receiver couldn't find him and then went to the secondary man who was hanging up around the line of scrimmage and was
very well by Aaron Kyle a nice play on both ends by the receiver at Delvin Williams and by Plunket first down for San Francisco at the Dallas 48 yard line in the eye again.
Plunket with a long count has the snap and off to Williams Williams driving over the right tackle down to the 45 yard line. He filed up at the 45. They had to call Jones is there. Bob Broening was there the middle linebacker. They put it down with about.
We'll call it a game of about four yards. We'll call it second down and six and the time left is 1223 in this football game. We are in the fourth quarter at Candlestick Park Dallas leads 35 to 21 and the 49ers are coming back.
Harrison is wide to the right hand side. Gene Washington split out to the left second down and six for San Francisco from the Dallas 45 and Plunket is back to throw a long one the bomb is way down there off the fingers of an intended interceptor.
Charlie Clippy Clif Harris was down at the five yard line reaching for the football that originally was intended for San Francisco's Kenny Harrison. He couldn't get to it and neither could Clif Harris and Harrison was open. He had the cornerback Barnes beat on the play.
The safety was closest to the ball for the Dallas Cowboys but that could have well been at Plunket been on target a touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers because the little wide receiver Harrison was wide open. So the San Francisco 49ers have a third down coming up and they have six yards to go.
So the long pass was a good gamble long pass a good gamble just didn't click like they say then that don't work ain't too good. Well the 49ers are going to try to make something work this time third down big yardage third and six I formation shifting to the right side into the
pro set is Delvin Williams now here's Plunket ending off trying to fight his way up the middle is Wilbur Jackson right at the 45 Bill Gregory ties him up and throws him down. Plunket checked off at the line of scrimmage.
The checkoff was because Dallas was blitzing every one of their linebackers on the play had Plunket gone back on the pass that he had called and tried to throw he would have been sacked in the backfield.
So the play went off the right guard but the blocking was not good on the right side of the line and it didn't work.
Tony Hill is a long safety deep for the Cowboys back in the punt formation Tom Whitham stands at the 40 has to jump with a football he's going to throw a forward pass he throws it is completed the 30 yard line.
The catch down at the 30 yard line they had changed over jerseys down there and the catch is made a change of jerseys on one of the players down there who made that catch it coming in and believe it or not it does happen.
We're waiting to get a look but the completion gives San Francisco a first down at the 30 yard line of the Dallas Cowboys.
Tony Klein is the man who made the he made the catch client a defensive end playing offensive football first down back to throw along.
I call the unbelievable as Jim Plunkett hits him at the four yard line he falls forward to about the yard and a half line.
What a catch.
It was incredible.
Nobody in this stadium would have said when the ball came down the seal was going to get it.
Nobody.
And yet he came up with a football former Michigan All-American played for both Schenbechler had a tour of duty at New Orleans now here at San Francisco.
28 yards on the pass play it's first and goal to go for San Francisco. They'll trail 35 to 21.
Plunkett brings them up to the line of scrimmage high formation.
Both tight ends are in there.
Waiting for the snap ends it off straight ahead goes Delvin Williams and Williams is hit right at the line of scrimmage.
He may have gotten that helmet forward half a yard before Aaron Kyle and Tom Henderson make the stop but they hit him head on down there.
Well the San Francisco 49ers just keep coming back.
The Dallas Cowboys score the 49ers come back and they score and Plunkett has inspired this team with terrific passing considering the great pressure Dallas has put on him.
Up to the line of scrimmage come the 49ers now at his second down and goal to go from the yard and a half line.
Jim Plunkett with his hands outstretched sends a man in motion to the right.
Plunkett's Williams, Plunkett rolling to the right hand side he looks he throws it into the end zone incomplete just off the fingertips of Wilbur Jackson.
Plunkett's pass was just too low.
Denny Barnes the strong safety was over there trying to cover two men.
Both the backs Williams and Jackson were in the zone.
Yes they were and Barnes did an excellent job on the coverage of that play which was a spread out to the right and the back coming out of the back field slants over after making a stop toward the goal
and then slants over to the sideline.
The pass was under throw.
It is third down and goal to go for San Francisco from the Dallas yard and a half line.
Again both tight ends in.
Man in motion to the left is Paul Seale in the handoff and straight ahead trying to drive it in as Wilbur Jackson and he stopped at the half yard line.
He could not get it in.
Cliff Harris met him right there.
Cliff Harris, Bill Gregory, Randy White, Bob Rooney they just clogged the hole for him.
Oh he was oh so close got right down near the goal and then the Dallas defense rose up with hard hitting blasting the ball carrier very close to the goal line.
Fourth down coming up.
Fourth down goal to go to half yard line San Francisco knocking on the door.
This may be the last chance to get it in there now in this series.
Plunkett has the staff out to the left looks and throws into the end zone.
Touchdown.
Delvin Williams scores the touchdown and San Francisco on fourth down gets it in.
Delvin Williams put on a little act because he juggled that football.
Throwed softly by Plunkett and looked for a moment like he was going to drop it.
That finally secured it and the hearts of the fans went right into their throats here at Candlestick Park because this San Francisco 49er team will not give up.
Williams almost dropped it and finally put a little suspense on it by eventually holding onto it.
Ray Wershing will try to add the putt after.
Here's the snap and the kick is on the way.
It is good.
So with the score the Cowboys 35 to 49ers 28 there's a timeout on the field.
Johnson and Larry Brinson.
Johnson is at about the eighth yard line Brinson's back around the five.
Wershing his foot into it.
A sailor.
It's going out of bounds it'll bring a flag and San Francisco will have to kick again but from five yards further back.
Yes the penalty will be assessed so they're going to take it back again and they will kick off again.
Dallas after every single score in this second half has just roared back right after those touchdowns.
As a matter of fact that's the way the pattern of the game has been.
One team gets the momentum the other team takes it back.
One team scores the other team gets the ball and launches a drive and it scores.
It's been an exciting game to watch with some sensational plays on offense and when you consider that the Dallas Cowboys are ranked so high in the NFC defensively they are ranked right at the top.
You've got to say that the San Francisco 49ers are putting on a super effort.
Dallas is second in total defense second against the rush third against the pass.
Ray Wershing once again to kick off and this time a sailor down the middle.
Moving over Brinson has it at about the six yard line out to the ten to fifteen to twenty to twenty five to the sidelines to the thirty.
He's up to the thirty five and he has wrestled down right in front of the 49er bench.
Up to the thirty five and he has wrestled down right in front of the 49er bench along the sidelines at about the thirty six yard line.
Johnny Ayers is responsible for the initial stop.
The ball is brought in at the thirty six and there it will be the Cowboys first in chance.
Ball possession for the Dallas Cowboys in the last half of this football game the fifty to forty eight to thirty one to thirty six.
And they kept throughout much of the third quarter the 49ers in their own territory making the yardage very long as the 49ers had to go for.
Drew Pearson to the left Golden Richards out to the right a slot back to the right is Tony Dorsett.
Now he shifts back into the backfield. Newhouse spreads the defensive backs a little bit.
Waiting for the snap.
Sabah catches.
Fluff rolls to the right hand side.
He looks throws in the middle.
Got his man at the midfield stripe making the catch.
Here's the big tight end Billy Joe Dupree.
Dupree is a prime target although he has a bad back.
He's got twenty three passes this year for two hundred seventy two yards and three touchdowns coming into this game.
Well that's more than enough for the first down.
That is the first down for the Cowboys at the midfield stripe.
They play action sent the motion to the left.
Stabach throws to the right.
The linebackers weren't full though.
In the eye and a quick snap and off the door set and Dorsett runs right into trouble.
A lot of red jerseys over there that just snow him under as he gets back to the line of scrimmage.
Back to the 49.
Cleveland Elam was the man who led the charge against Dorsett.
The veer of the defense went right into the teeth of where Dallas wanted to go.
The sweep to the left Dorsett had nowhere to go but into a pile of red jerseys.
Couldn't get the blocks from A. Pat Donovan and B. his running mate Newhouse in the backfield.
Both of them couldn't make the blocks for him.
Seven minutes and thirty three seconds remaining in the football game.
Thirty five twenty eight the Cowboys lead and they're trying to get insurance.
Now they send both receivers wide to the right.
There is Pearson and Richards.
The man in motion out to the left hand side of the door set.
Newhouse off the tackle.
He's to the 45 yard line.
Wow a cartwheel.
He was hit right along the top of the shoes by Mel Phillips and flipped into a cartwheel at the 45 yard line.
Dorsett goes out in motion to the far side of the field and then the running back goes on the sweep.
Newhouse carrying the ball.
Dorsett could not make the block on Phillips the cornerback.
Our regularly scheduled program will follow ten seconds after the conclusion of this broadcast.
And we have six fifty five to go in this the fourth quarter of play.
Third down and about four yards to go a long four as the Cowboys take time calling to play.
They have a single back.
Newhouse is the only man behind Starbuck.
A slot back to the left was Dorsett.
Now he shifts into the backfield.
Both backs are spread.
Back goes Starbuck to throw.
The rush is on.
He looks and fires to the 40 yard line.
It's complete at the 40 yard line.
Making the catch is Dorsett out of the backfield.
He made the grab at the 40 and it's very close to the first down as Willie Harper racks him up the moment he made the catch.
Oh did he hit him?
Willie just laid it into him.
Gave him the lumber right in the back.
And it happened on about the 40 yard line.
The ball popped loose when Dorsett hit the ground.
The ball on the 40 and it's a first down for the Dallas Cowboys as the Cowboys now get a drive going.
It started on their 36.
They're now at the 49er 40 yard line.
Next Monday a great football game.
The Liberty Bowl from Memphis, Tennessee.
Bud Dudley's great bowl game has the University of North Carolina, the University of Nebraska.
You'll hear it over many of these mutual stations.
And Lindsay Nelson and I will be right there in Memphis, Tennessee working another of those great encounters.
It's always a pleasure to be there.
Birmingham is next on the stop on December the 22nd and that's when we bring you the Hall of Fame Classic.
First down Dallas at the San Francisco 40.
A quick pass, a rush on, jumped off, catching the ball.
Preston Pearson to the 35, the 30, down to the 25.
He's out of bounds at the 25 yard line.
That was a very, very fast pass by Roger Starbuck.
He really unloaded the gun in a hurry there.
He pulled the trigger rapidly.
Starbuck off to the left to Preston Pearson in the backfield and he went all the way to the 25.
And Pat Donovan was out in front of Preston Pearson.
Donovan laid a beautiful block on Phillips, the cornerback who came up.
He just leveled him and bounced him along the sidelines.
In the backfield is Robert Newhouse and Preston Pearson now.
Pearson is the 11-year veteran and the eighth receiver in the National Football League.
And here's the handoff and there goes Newhouse cracking over the tackle down to the 20 yard line.
The officials say that he was down at about the 22 yard line, 21 yard line.
Newhouse picked up just about five yards, very close to it.
Let's see where they finally put it down.
He picked up about four yards on the play so it'll be second down and six for Dallas at the 21 yard line of the San Francisco 49ers.
Newhouse has a very good leg drive, very powerful leg drive and that's what got him the yardage on that play.
Broke the tackle at the line of scrimmage.
Drew Pearson out to the left hand side, the only wide receiver split out.
Preston Pearson shifts behind Newhouse into the eye formation.
Starbuck with the count, handing it off to Preston.
Preston jitterbugs up to the line, hits the 20 yard line.
It's driven back by a tremendous tackle by Cleveland Elam.
Cleveland Elam making the stop for the San Francisco 49ers.
I was taking a look at Dorsett's total.
Also notice that Newhouse now has 40 yards and Dorsett has run for 93.
We pause briefly for station identification.
This is Mutual, your news and sports radio network.
This is WGN Radio Chicago at a minute and a half until 11.
Four minutes and the clock running now, 3.58 and it ticks away as we have a third down, a third and five where the ball sits at the moment at the 20 yard line.
Dallas is down at the San Francisco 20 and back in the pocket.
Starbuck will put it up, he throws to the sideline.
It's caught, it's caught over at the 8 yard line and out of bounds after making the catches, Drew Pearson.
He was run out by linebacker Willie Harper.
Harper was over there and that's the ideal matchup when you can match up a great receiver like Drew Pearson, the number one receiver incidentally,
going into this game in the National Football Conference against a linebacker, you've got the right matchup.
Well that's what the Dallas Cowboys worked so hard to do on their pass offense to get those favorable matchups.
And Cleveland Elam came in and hit Starbuck at the time he threw the ball.
It's a wonder he ever got the ball there.
It's first down, first and goal for the Cowboys at the 8 yard line of San Francisco.
Starbuck handing it off to Newhouse following his interference.
He's over the five, he's down to the three.
He slashed off the left tackle and he had good blocking up in front of him.
He fights his way to about the three yard line.
And we have three minutes and 29 seconds to go as this Dallas drive has eaten up the time on the clock.
And this of course is what Tom Landry and the Dallas staff want.
They want to control the clock now in the waiting moments of this football game and assure the fact that they are going to win.
Sure they'd like to score, but the big thing they want to do now is just keep that clock running, which they are doing.
It goes all the way down to three minutes and 15 seconds to go now as Starbuck brings them out of the huddle.
Up to the line of scrimmage they come at the three yard line.
3.09 and the clock ticking away.
One man directly behind the quarterback.
Now they shift and it is Pearson and Newhouse spread wide.
Pearson diving over the middle end of the end zone.
Preston Pearson has scored the touchdown from three yards out.
And Dallas now moves back to a two touchdown lead.
The Dallas Cowboys with a great big touchdown drive.
Pearson going over for the score.
And now taking a look at where Dallas started in the yardage situation.
They went 64 yards for this last score.
And more importantly for the Dallas Cowboys they consumed time on the clock down to two minutes and 57 seconds to go in that 64 yard drive for the TD.
One thing Bet that Win, who has been a great Dallas fan and part owner of one of the Cowboys at one time, I think may still own part of them,
said to us before the game he said watch, watch this football team run the ball.
They're the best we've ever had. The kick is up, it's good.
So there's time out here with the score.
The Cowboys 42, the 49ers 28.
Two minutes 57 seconds to go on the fourth quarter of play.
Pat Sheridan and Al Wester on mutual with a big match up between the Cowboys and the 49ers at Candlestick Park.
Cowboys have just scored on a four yard plunge by Pearson, Preston Pearson, 64 yard drive making the score 42 to 28.
49ers score, Cowboys come right back and score.
Keep that 14 point edge in this football game.
Now the kickoff. Paul Hopper is right at the goal line.
Efron Herrera waiting for the whistle.
From the 35 the Cowboys kick off a high shot.
Down to about the 13 yard line taking the Davey Williams instead to the 20.
He's up to the 24 yard line up ended at that point.
It did not get to Hopper. He moved over but Williams on the sidelines made the catch.
And Jay Saldy across the way hits him down.
The officials replace the ball at the San Francisco 24.
First down for the 49ers.
Well our statistician for this game was Bob Coffey.
The remote engineer was Cliff Rezaia.
Our field producer was Luke Griffin.
Washington studio engineer Rick Kaplan.
And the studio producer was Peggy Solomon.
San Francisco with 2.48 on the clock.
Up to the line. They have a first down at their own 24.
Jim Plunkett with a setback spread.
Waiting for the snap has the ball back in the pocket.
Has the time, throws it out complete.
Wilbur Jackson at the 20, out to the 25.
And out of bounds at about the 28 yard line.
He's run out there by Charlie Waters.
Run out by Charlie Waters after picking up about three yards on the play.
And that stops the clock at two minutes and 40 seconds to go.
Our regularly scheduled program will follow ten seconds after the conclusion of this broadcast.
The broadcast of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.
Mr. Plunkett has had a good evening.
14 completions and 25 attempts for 253 yards.
And he has had a big rush against it.
San Francisco with a second down seven.
28 and here again.
Mr. Plunkett throwing to the sidelines.
Overthrowing the intended receiver.
Kenny Harrison across the way trying to get there.
It goes out of bounds.
So back comes the ball and it will be third down.
The most lethal combination for the San Francisco 49ers has been that of the pass combination of Plunkett to Washington.
Washington has caught five for 131 yards.
So he's had a tremendous evening catching the Plunkett passes.
We've got a beautiful telegram here from Zeke Stanfield in Bloomington, Illinois.
Saying keep up the good work.
And how is Lindsey?
Well I'll tell you he's doing fine.
Getting over that cold he'll be back in action.
He'll be with me as a matter of fact next Monday night.
Here's a pass out of the backfield thrown to halfback Delvin Williams at the 30.
He's at the 35 and he gets it out of bounds to the 37 yard line.
And Cliff Harris finally runs him out.
Delvin Williams with some nifty footwork down there after making the catch from Plunkett.
I believe he has more than enough for the first down.
He does.
What Dallas is doing defensively now is just dropping back deep and protecting the deep zones.
And therefore Plunkett is using both the sideline and his backs coming out.
Setting his backs in front of the linebackers.
After the linebackers make their deep drops unloading the ball out to his backs.
And his backs step out of bounds to stop the clock.
Two minutes and 26 seconds remaining in the ball game.
First down for San Francisco.
The 49ers have it at that 37 yard line.
Here's Plunkett.
Back deep.
Drops 12.
Looks throws to the sidelines.
Down too low at the 47 yard line of Dallas.
He intended or tried to get the ball to Gene Washington.
Aaron Kyle was there but the pass was far too low.
Aaron Kyle has played super defensive football for the Dallas Cowboys.
He's one of the strong men in that defensive secondary.
And the strength of that secondary of course is we find at the safety positions in Charlie Waters and Cliff Harris.
You couldn't find two better safety men than those two.
And they really help out their cornerbacks.
Paul Steel is in there so you can look for speed there from the tight end position.
And as San Francisco comes up to the line.
Kenny Harrison is wide to the right.
Gene Washington out to the left.
Plunkett with a second down.
Hands off instead.
Right up the middle goes Wilbert Jackson.
Over the left tackle he goes.
Out to the 45.
And hit down at the 46 yard line.
Very close to the first down.
Dee Dee Lewis finally added the, how do they say it in French?
The coup de grace.
That's that point.
And that wouldn't be the first coup de grace in Dee Dee Lewis's career either.
The Lazy Boy winners on offense.
Tony Dorsett.
And on defense Cliff Harris.
The safety of the Dallas Cowboys.
He's an all pro performer.
And Tony Dorsett is due to be one one of these days.
About a yard shy.
San Francisco has a third and one.
From their own 46 yard line.
Now they have two minutes.
There's a whistle.
And here comes the two minute warning.
It will be.
So with the score.
The Cowboys 42.
The 49ers 28.
Once again the Lazy Boy winners for this game.
On offense Tony Dorsett on defense.
Cliff Harris.
Both of the Dallas Cowboys.
And they get those wonderful.
Relaxing.
Lazy Boy recliners.
They're gonna love them too.
So Dorsett and Harris are the offensive and defensive players of the game.
Third down and one.
A tight formation.
Both the setbacks are.
Spread wide.
Here's the snap.
Here's the handoff.
Williams cracking over the right tackle.
Over the midfield strike.
He's into Dallas territory.
And he has the first down.
He was piled up.
He was piled up by Bill Gregory.
At about the 47 yard line of Dallas and San Francisco.
Has first down.
With a minute 53 remaining.
And the situation is this.
They called time out due to the fact that they want to stop the clock.
And they stop it at one minute and 53 seconds to go.
Time off left.
The 49ers have two of them left.
So they have two to spend before the end of the game.
49ers trying to score again.
They put up 28 points.
Plunkett has been particularly affected.
And our key play award will go to Butch Johnson on his 74 yard kickoff return.
That set up a 20 yard touchdown pass to Tony Dorsett.
That was a part of the game where Dallas wrested back the momentum.
And they wrested it back at a crucial time in this contest.
And actually that run was the big difference between victory and a possible tie for the Dallas Cowboys.
So the key play award goes to Butch Johnson on the 74 yard run.
Monday night remember the Liberty Bowl next Monday night.
Lindsay Nelson and I will be in Memphis for that and then on the 22nd we'll be in Birmingham, Alabama for the Hall of Fame Classic.
The first Hall of Fame Classic ever.
Maryland and Minnesota will be battling in that.
Then the AFC and the NFC playoffs.
The AFC championship game, the Sugar Bowl game.
I'll be broadcasting the Sugar Bowl over mutual on January the 2nd.
And we will also have the Orange Bowl coming your way.
First down San Francisco at the 47 yard line of Dallas.
Here's Plunkett back to throw.
He looks he goes right down the line incomplete at the 20 yard line.
He was throwing for Paul Seale.
Cliff Harris was coming over to cover Seale.
But that pass just overshot him completely.
Yes and it might have been a touchdown.
Harris probably would have made the tackle because he's such a short tackler.
But Seale was wide open.
He was about six yards in front of Harris when the ball was lofted over his head.
A big play for the San Francisco 49ers.
And our key play award winner, Butch Johnson, gets a case of Pennzoil.
That's a case of Pennzoil for Butch Johnson.
It is second down, Ben.
San Francisco at the 47 yard line of the Cowboys.
From the eye, Jackson and William Schiff.
Here's Plunkett back to throw and he's going with a long bomb.
Way down for Washington at the 10 yard line.
Washington bumped into Aaron Kyle right there at the 10.
No flag on the play.
No problem at all, said the officials.
It was just a matter of bumping as they both went for the ball.
It was free.
And Aaron Kyle had the speedy Washington one on one.
Washington, of course, doesn't have the great speed that he had when he was a youngster coming out of Stanford University.
But he has the gift of those great moves.
And another thing that he does so well when he runs his pass routes is accelerate and go from low to high gear and back again.
And of course, this really confuses a cornerback on one on one coverage.
Washington has had a great evening against the Dallas Cowboys catching passes for 131 yards.
Third down, 10.
49ers at the 47 yard line of Dallas.
A minute 41 on the clock.
Again, Williams and Jackson are spread wide.
And again, Plunkett drops back to throw.
He's got the time. The rush is on. He cuts the pass.
Seale has got it at the 20, the 15, the 10, the 5.
Puts down. Paul Seale made the grab.
Beautiful throw by Jim Plunkett and Seale over his shoulder at the 20.
Made the grab and goes on to score.
That's a 47 yard pass play.
And a pick one, too, for the San Francisco 49ers who just refused to give up against the Dallas Cowboys.
Seale, the former Michigan All-American, ran a route that sent him up the middle and then he cut toward the far corner.
And as he cut, Plunkett let the ball go.
By the time he let the ball go, the entire Dallas defensive line just slammed into him.
But he got the ball. He let the ball go.
Waited until the last minute. He was courageous on the play.
Ray Wershing will try the extra point.
Here is the kick. It's on the way and it is good.
And believe it or not, it's six touchdowns to five touchdowns.
That's the score at the moment.
The Cowboys 42 to 49ers, 35.
One more after this special 60-second message.
An onside kick by San Francisco, picked up at the 40, run down to the 30, out of bounds at the 28-yard line.
The onside kick was fielded by Steve Rivera.
And Rivera runs it back and finally is run out of bounds.
The San Francisco Gamble then couldn't quite make it.
Jim O'Bradovich is the man who ran him out of bounds.
18 completions and 30 attempts for Plunkett, his best effort of the year, for 307 yards and four touchdowns.
Plunkett has had a great evening here in Candlestick Park.
Meanwhile, Dallas with Roger Staubach at the helm has completed 14 of 18 for 223.
So Staubach has done well.
Dallas has the football, first and 10, at the 28-yard line of San Francisco.
North Set is back in the backfield with the Newhouse.
The Newhouse takes a handoff and goes straight ahead over the 25.
He's piled up at the 24-yard line.
At the Gator Bowl, which will be coming up over mutual, I'll be working with an old friend and a very fine broadcaster, Rick Weaver.
He's a good friend of the president of our network, Mr. C. Edward Little.
Rick will be down at the Gator Bowl to work with me.
It would be a great pleasure to have Rick with us again because he worked with us down in Miami.
It is second down and five as Dallas hands off to Tony Dorsett at the 20.
He breaks inside the tackle and gets down to about the 15-yard line.
It's first down for Dallas, and I believe we're going to have a timeout.
There will be a timeout down on the field, and the score right now is Dallas 42 and San Francisco 35.
There it will be first down for Dallas with 38 seconds remaining,
and it's just a matter now of whether Roger Staubach wants to put that little extra touch on the football.
He can finesse a football when he wants to so beautifully, as he showed us a little earlier in the fourth quarter,
with that little soft toss into the end zone, into the corner pocket for touchdown number six of the night.
Six touchdowns to five. We've had 11 in this ballgame and it's been plenty of excitement.
There is a full house backfield, all three backs behind the quarterback.
Staubach takes the staff and simply falls down on it.
Would you believe it? With 34 seconds and the clock, nope, they've stopped the clock.
They have stopped the clock, but that's the last timeout I believe for the 49ers.
Yes, the 49ers now run out of timeouts.
Our regular scheduled program will follow 10 seconds after the conclusion of this broadcast.
Dallas Cowboys now just want to run out the clock and end it all.
They have a one touchdown lead, 42 to 35 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Big evening both for Roger Staubach and for Jim Plunkett.
Maybe you're wondering about Dorsett's running total.
He will not make 1,000 yards tonight, but in his first few carries next Sunday against Denver,
he certainly has a chance to do so, to be one of the few rookies in the history of the NFL in his first year to gain over 1,000 yards.
And of course, Del Williams didn't come anywhere near the 1,000 yard figure tonight.
He was handled pretty well by the Dallas defense, Del's final total, 47 yards.
Here come the Cowboys again up to the line and they fold set backfield.
They have the three backs straight across right behind quarterback Roger Staubach.
He takes the snap again and he falls on the football.
The clock is running 29, 28, running it out.
There is no way for San Francisco now to be able to get the football.
Now all their timeouts have been used.
It's a matter of the clock running out.
Everybody seems to know it.
There is an injured player on the field though.
You don't think for one moment that a San Francisco ballplayer would pull a Hepburn here, do you?
Well, the Bears' always used to do it back in the old era, in the 30s, the 40s, and 50s. That used to be one of their best plays.
16 seconds remain on the clock as the officials hold up the clock.
The trainers come out to look over Cedric Hardman.
He had a broken ankle last year and I guess he is still having a problem with that at times in the 11th game of last season.
A broken ankle and wait a minute now, the players are coming across the field. They have let the clock start and it's run out.
It's all over. Tom Landry waving from the sidelines across the way instead of coming across to shake hands with the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers with Kenny Meyer.
We'll have our wrap-up now.
The final score here, we'll tell you, the Cowboys 42, the 49ers 35.
And we'll have our wrap-up after this word.
MUSIC