Barry Switzer stood on the frigid Veterans Stadium sidelines, pleading with officials to give his team a chance to redeem themselves amidst 65,000 screaming fans watching with manic glee as the hated Cowboys seemingly handed their underdog Eagles a thrilling victory.
Dallas’ head coach had just foolishly refused to punt the ball away late in the 4th quarter of an early December, 17-17 tie game in Philadelphia, and instead ran Emmitt Smith into a wall of Eagles defenders just before the two-minute warning. Deep in their own territory, Switzer’s gaffe placed the Eagles in field goal range and in position to win a huge game over their hated divisional rivals.