America's Team was born in this weirdly wonderful game. The flashy, young Cowboys lost when they self-destructed after facing second down from the Packers 1 in the final minute, but they won millions of hearts with their dash and determination. Green Bay led, 14-0, in the first five minutes before the Dallas offense ever touched the ball, but it was an even game by the second quarter when the Cowboys answered with 14 points.
The veteran Packers, thrice NFL champions in the previous five years, finally seemed in control when Bart Starr threw his fourth touchdown pass with 5:20 left to make it 34-20. But Bob Lilly stormed through to block the extra-point kick to leave the door ajar for a comeback.
Quarterback Don Meredith soon stormed through it with a 68-yard bomb to Frank Clarke. An inspired defense forced a weak punt on fourth-and-25, and Dallas had the ball on Green Bay's 47 with 2:19 left. Meredith quickly threw deep again for Clarke, who was racing open near the goal line, but desperate defender Tom Brown grabbed Clarke at the 2 before he could run under the ball. Pass interference gave the Cowboys a first down there, but they never scored – an illegal procedure penalty and a dropped pass helping do them in.
The Cowboys came so close and were so exciting that nearly everyone figured they couldn't miss winning the next NFL title. Yeah, sure.
