2006 Dallas Cowboys season
2006 Dallas Cowboys season | |
---|---|
Owner | Jerry Jones |
General manager | Jerry Jones |
Head coach | Bill Parcells |
Home field | Texas Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 9–7 |
Division place | 2nd NFC East |
Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Seahawks) 20–21 |
Pro Bowlers | Flozell Adams T Andre Gurode C Mat McBriar P Tony Romo QB DeMarcus Ware LB Roy Williams S Jason Witten TE |
AP All-Pros | Mat McBriar (2nd team) DeMarcus Ware (2nd team) |
Uniform | |
The 2006 Dallas Cowboys season was the 47th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). The season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. The base offense was changed to a 2-tight end formation. Several high-profile free agents were signed including controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens and kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Veteran defensive end Greg Ellis was also converted into a linebacker.
Although veteran Drew Bledsoe was the initial starter at quarterback, fourth-year backup Tony Romo replaced Bledsoe at halftime of their Week 7 matchup with the New York Giants. Romo became the starter in Week 8 due to Bledsoe's rough starts with frequent sacks and interceptions. Romo initially played very well, going 5–1 in his first six NFL starts, including a win over the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts, but he finished the season 1–3 with six touchdowns, six interceptions, and two fumbles lost. The Cowboys secured a playoff berth for the first time since 2003, but they did not win the division when in the final week they were defeated by a 2 win Detroit Lions team. The Cowboys lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks 21–20. A game in which Romo botched the hold on a go-ahead field goal inside the final two minutes.
When Romo started the Thanksgiving Day game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it marked the 7th different Cowboys starting quarterback in seven consecutive Thanksgiving Day games (Troy Aikman, Ryan Leaf, Chad Hutchinson, Quincy Carter, Drew Henson, Drew Bledsoe, and Romo).
This was Bill Parcells' final season as head coach, as he retired after the season ended.
Offseason
During the 2006 offseason, the team signed several high-profile players, including kicker Mike Vanderjagt,[1] linebacker Akin Ayodele,[2] offensive linemen Jason Fabini and Kyle Kosier,[3] safety Marcus Coleman,[4] and highly controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens,[5] who has developed a reputation for causing conflicts with teammates, coaches, opposing players, and fans. The signing of Terrell Owens received a lot of media attention, and was arguably the biggest news story during the NFL offseason. Vanderjagt had the highest field goal percentage in NFL history coming into the season and his signing was expected to solve the inconsistency problems in the Cowboys kicking game. However, Vanderjagt missed most of the pre-season with an injury and missed three very short kicks (including an extra point) in the final pre-season game (which ended in a tie).
The Cowboys also lost veteran leadership in the locker room after losing tight end Dan Campbell to the Detroit Lions, wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson to the Carolina Panthers,[6] left guard Larry Allen to the San Francisco 49ers,[7] defensive tackle La'Roi Glover to the St. Louis Rams,[8] and linebacker Dat Nguyen to a career-ending injury.[8]
The team didn't receive much help from the
Before the season, there were high expectations for the Dallas Cowboys. Sports Illustrated writer Peter King predicted the Cowboys would win Super Bowl XLI.[9]
2006 draft class
2006 Dallas Cowboys draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18 | Bobby Carpenter | LB | Ohio State | |
2 | 53 | Anthony Fasano | TE | Notre Dame
|
|
3 | 92 | Jason Hatcher * | DE | Grambling State | |
4 | 125 | Skyler Green | WR | LSU | |
5 | 138 | Pat Watkins | S
|
Florida State | |
6 | 182 | Montavious Stanley | DT | Louisville | |
7 | 211 | Pat McQuistan | OT
|
Weber State | |
7 | 224 | E.J. Whitley
|
OT | Texas Tech | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Notes
- The Cowboys traded their second-round (No. 49 overall) selection to the New York Jets in exchange for second (No. 53 overall), sixth (No. 189 overall) and seventh-round (No. 211 overall) selections.
- The Cowboys traded their third-round (No. 80 overall) selection to the Jacksonville Jaguars for third (No. 92 overall) and fourth-round (No. 125 overall) selections.
- The Cowboys traded their 2005 fifth-round (No. 148 overall) and 2006 fourth-round (No. 116 overall) selections to the Philadelphia Eagles for 2005 fourth-round (No. 132 overall) and 2006 sixth-round (No. 182 overall) selections.
- The Cowboys traded their fifth (No. 150 overall) and sixth-round (No. 189 overall, from New York Jets) selections to the Jets in exchange for a fifth-round (No. 138 overall) selection.
- The Cowboys traded their sixth-round (No. 186 overall) and 2007 conditional (not exercised) selections to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for linebacker Scott Fujita.
Schedule
Preseason
Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 12 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 13–3 | 1-0 | Qwest Field |
Recap |
August 21 | at New Orleans Saints | W 30–7 | 2-0 | Independence Stadium |
Recap |
August 26 | San Francisco 49ers | W 17–7 | 3-0 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
August 31 | Minnesota Vikings | T 10–10 (OT) | 3-0-1 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
Regular season
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 10 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 17–24 | 0-1 | Alltel Stadium |
Recap |
2 | September 17 | Washington Redskins | W 27–10 | 1-1 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
3 | September 24 | Bye | ||||
4 | October 1 | at Tennessee Titans | W 45–14 | 2-1 | LP Field |
Recap |
5 | October 8 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 24–38 | 2-2 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
6 | October 15 | Houston Texans | W 34–6 | 3-2 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
7 | October 23 | New York Giants | L 22–36 | 3-3 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
8 | October 29 | at Carolina Panthers | W 35–14 | 4-3 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
9 | November 5 | at Washington Redskins | L 19–22 | 4-4 | FedExField |
Recap |
10 | November 12 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 27–10 | 5-4 | University of Phoenix Stadium |
Recap |
11 | November 19 | Indianapolis Colts | W 21–14 | 6-4 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
12 | November 23 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 38–10 | 7-4 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
13 | December 3 | at New York Giants | W 23–20 | 8-4 | Giants Stadium | Recap |
14 | December 10 | New Orleans Saints | L 17–42 | 8-5 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
15 | December 16 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 38–28 | 9-5 | Georgia Dome | Recap |
16 | December 25 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 7–23 | 9-6 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
17 | December 31 | Detroit Lions | L 31–39 | 9-7 | Texas Stadium | Recap |
Standings
NFC East | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(3) Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 398 | 328 | W5 |
(5) Dallas Cowboys | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 425 | 350 | L2 |
(6) New York Giants | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 355 | 362 | W1 |
Washington Redskins | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 307 | 376 | L2 |
Regular season
Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
Jaguars | 0 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
at
- Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), occasional showers
- Game attendance: 67,164
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
The Cowboys opened the regular season on the road against the
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 8:06 – 23-yard TD run by Julius Jones (7–0 DAL)
- Q1 – 5:35 – 32-yard FG by Shaun Suisham (10–0 DAL)
- Q2 – 8:48 – 35-yard FG by Josh Scobee (10–3 DAL)
- Q2 – 0:07 – 6-yard TD pass from Byron Leftwich to Reggie Williams (10–10)
- Q4 – 11:27 – 3-yard TD run by Byron Leftwich (17–10 JAC)
- Q4 – 3:13 – 5-yard TD run by Fred Taylor (24–10 JAC)
- Q4 – 1:54 – 21-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terrell Owens (24–17 JAC)
Week 2: vs. Washington Redskins
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Redskins | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Cowboys | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C), light rain
- Game attendance: 63,152
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and John Madden
In the game, Terrell Owens broke his finger.
With the win, the Cowboys went into their bye week at 1–1.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 7:59 – 26-yard FG run by Mike Vanderjagt (3–0 DAL)
- Q1 – 2:33 – 4-yard TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Patrick Crayton (10–0 DAL)
- Q2 – 14:20 – 39-yard FG by John Hall(10–3 DAL)
- Q2 – 8:38 – 1-yard TD run by Marion Barber (17–3 DAL)
- Q2 – 8:25 – 100-yard kickoff return TD by Rock Cartwright (17–10 DAL)
- Q4 – 14:53 – 40-yard TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terry Glenn (24–10 DAL)
- Q4 – 7:43 – 50 FG by Mike Vanderjagt (27–10 DAL)
Week 4: at Tennessee Titans
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 45 |
Titans | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
at
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 69,143
- Referee: Jerome Boger
- TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
After their Bye Week, the Cowboys traveled to
During the game, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomped on Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode. Haynesworth was suspended for five games without pay. [2]. Later during the week, Terrell Owens accidentally overdosed on painkillers causing a media circus, but recovered within a day. [3][permanent dead link]
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 7:26 – 33-yard FG by Rob Bironas (3–0 TEN)
- Q1 – 0:34 – 13-yard TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terry Glenn (7–3 DAL)
- Q2 – 12:43 – 13-yard TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terry Glenn (14–3 DAL)
- Q2 – 0:00 – 39-yard FG by Rob Bironas (14–6 DAL)
- Q3 – 11:53 – 5-yard TD run by Julius Jones(21–6 DAL)
- Q3 – 6:38 – 1-yard TD run by Marion Barber (28–6 DAL)
- Q3 – 3:40 – 17-yard TD pass from Vince Young to Ben Troupe, and Vince Young run for two-point conversion (28–14 DAL)
- Q4 – 13:04 – 43-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (31–14 DAL)
- Q4 – 8:23 – 15-yard TD interception return by Bradie James (38–14 DAL)
- Q4 – 5:43 – 5-yard TD run by Tyson Thompson (45–14 DAL)
Week 5: at Philadelphia Eagles
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
Eagles | 10 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 38 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 69,268
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
The game received significant attention due to Terrell Owens' return to Philadelphia, where he had played for 2 years with considerable controversy. Owens had 3 receptions for 45 yards. The Eagles capitalized on early Dallas turnovers, and the Cowboys fell behind 10–0. The Cowboys rallied to score a touchdown. At halftime, the Cowboys were up 21–17. However, in the second half the Cowboys offense was dominated by the Eagles defense and were held to only 3 points. In the fourth quarter, the defining play took place as the Cowboys, assisted by a pass interference penalty, managed to reach the Eagles six-yard line with less than a minute left. On second and goal, Drew Bledsoe threw an interception in the end zone that was returned 102 yards by Lito Sheppard for a touchdown, essentially ending any chance of a Dallas victory as the team fell to 2–2. Stats
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 11:37 – 5-yard TD run by Brian Westbrook (7–0 PHI)
- Q1 – 9:59 – 27-yard FG by David Akers (10–0 PHI)
- Q1 – 4:11 – 2-yard TD run by Marion Barber (10–7 PHI)
- Q2 – 10:30 – 69-yard TD opponent fumble return by DeMarcus Ware (14–10 DAL)
- Q2 – 9:13 – 1-yard TD run by Donovan McNabb (17–14 PHI)
- Q2 – 3:23 – 7-yard TD run by Drew Bledsoe (21–17 DAL)
- Q3 – 7:28 – 87-yard TD pass from Donovan McNabb to Hank Baskett (24–21 PHI)
- Q4 – 11:14 – 39-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (24–24)
- Q4 – 8:23 – 40-yard TD pass from Donovan McNabb to Reggie Brown (31–24 PHI)
- Q4 – 0:16 – 102-yard TD interception return by Lito Sheppard (38–24 PHI)
Week 6: vs. Houston Texans
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texans | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Cowboys | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 34 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), light rain
- Game attendance: 63,186
- Referee: Larry Nemmers
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Eagles, the Cowboys returned home for a Week 6 battle against their in-state rival, the Houston Texans. In the first quarter, Dallas trailed early when Kris Brown kicked a 19-yard field goal for an early Houston 3–0 lead. In the second quarter, the Cowboys tied the game at 3–3 when Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 22-yard field goal. At the end of the first half, Houston regained the lead when Brown kicked a 48-yard field goal. For the rest of the game, the Dallas defense shut out the Houston Texans. Drew Bledsoe and Terrell Owens hooked up on two touchdown passes, and Marion Barber ran a 1-yard touchdown, Vanderjagt kicked another 21-yard field goal, and backup quarterback Tony Romo threw another touchdown pass to Owens. Tony Romo completed his first two NFL passes, including one touchdown.
With the win, the Cowboys improved to 3–2.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 8:55 – 19-yard FG by Kris Brown (3–0 HOU)
- Q2 – 5:58 – 22-yard TD FG by Mike Vanderjagt (3–3)
- Q2 – 0:00 – 48-yard FG by Kris Brown (6–3 HOU)
- Q3 – 10:13 – 3-yard TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terrell Owens (10–6 DAL)
- Q3 – 3:41 – 21-yard TD pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terrell Owens (17–6 DAL)
- Q4 – 14:57 – 1 yd run by Marion Barber (24–6 DAL)
- Q4 – 11:28 – 21-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (27–6 DAL)
- Q4 – 2:24 – 2 yd TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens (34–6 DAL)
Week 7: vs. New York Giants
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giants | 9 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 36 |
Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 22 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 63,512
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Tony Kornheiser and Joe Theismann
Hoping to build on their win over the
With the loss, the Cowboys fell to 3–3.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 12:01 – 50-yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress (7–0 NYG)
- Q1 – 3:59 – Drew Bledsoe tackled in the end zone by LaVar Arrington for a safety (9–0 NYG)
- Q2 – 11:51 – 31-yard FG by Jay Feely (12–0 NYG)
- Q2 – 3:51 – 1-yard TD run by Drew Bledsoe (12–7 NYG)
- Q3 – 14:01 – 13-yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Jeremy Shockey (19–7 NYG)
- Q3 – 1:26 – 3 yd TD run by Brandon Jacobs (26–7 NYG)
- Q4 – 13:01 – 8 yd TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens–Tony Romo on Suc. 2-Point Conv. (26–15 NYG)
- Q4 – 3:54 – 32 yd FG by Jay Feely (29–15 NYG)
- Q4 – 2:33 – 96 yd TD interception return by Kevin Dockery (36–15 NYG)
- Q4 – 2:03 – 53 yd TD pass from Tony Romo to Patrick Crayton (36–22 NYG)
Week 8: at Carolina Panthers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 0 | 25 | 35 |
Panthers | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST/7:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 73,682
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and John Madden
Six days after losing at home,
With the win, the Cowboys improved to 4–3.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 3:35 – 1-yard TD run by DeShaun Foster (0–7 CAR), John Kasay extra point is good
- Q1 – 1:21 – 24-yard TD run by Steve Smith (0–14 CAR), John Kasayextra point is good
- Q2 – 12:12 – 3-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Jason Witten, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (7–14 CAR)
- Q2 – 0:27 – 38-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (10–14 CAR)
- Q4 – 9:52 – 24-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (13–14 CAR)
- Q4 – 9:43 – 14-yard TD run by Julius Jones, pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owenson successful 2-Point conversion) (21–14 DAL)
- Q4 – 2:17 – 3-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (28–14 DAL)
- Q4 – 1:37 – 14-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (35–14 DAL)
Week 9: at Washington Redskins
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 0 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
Redskins | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 22 |
at
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 90,250
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
With the emergence of QB
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 6:29 – Julius Jones tackled in the end zone by Lemar Marshall for a safety (0–2 WAS)
- Q1 – 1:21 – 28-yard FG run by Nick Novak (0–5 WAS)
- Q2 – 12:55 – 10 yd TD pass from Tony Romo to Terry Glenn, pass from Tony Romo to Patrick Crayton on failed 2-point conversion (6–5 DAL)
- Q2 – 5:42 – 33-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (9–5 DAL)
- Q2 – 2:23 – 38-yard TD run by Clinton Portis, Nick Novak extra point is good (9–12 WAS)
- Q2 – 0:03 – 30-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (12–12)
- Q3 – 10:17 – 4-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (19–12 DAL)
- Q4 – 14:05 – 18-yard TD pass from Chris Cooley, Nick Novakextra point is good (19–19)
- Q4 – 0:00 – 47-yard FG by Nick Novak (19–22 WAS)
Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals
The Cowboys bounced back from a painful loss by beating the Cardinals, who came into the game with the league's worst record at 1–7. Tony Romo passed for 308 yards in his best game to date as a starter. Greg Ellis was also lost for the year in this game due to a torn achilles, costing the Cowboys a key contributor and one of only 2 players who could consistently rush the passer.
With the win, the Cowboys improved to 5–4.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 0:37 – 28-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (3–0 DAL)
- Q2 – 8:33 – 30-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Patrick Crayton, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (10–0 DAL)
- Q2 – 3:31 – 28-yard FG by Neil Rackers (10–3 DAL)
- Q2 – 0:00 – 38-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (13–3 DAL)
- Q3 – 5:15 – 51-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (20–3 DAL)
- Q4 – 14:17 – 5-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (27–3 DAL)
- Q4 – 11:53 – 3-yard TD run by Matt Leinart, Neil Rackers extra point is good (27–10 DAL)
Week 11: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 63,706
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
In what Cowboys Owner
With the win, the Cowboys improved to 6–4.
Scoring summary
- Q2 – 0:10 – 23-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne, Adam Vinatieri extra point is good (7–0 IND)
- Q3 – 14:09 – 39-yard TD interception return by Kevin Burnett, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (7–7)
- Q3 – 5:09 – 4-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Dallas Clark, Adam Vinatieri extra point is good (14–7 IND)
- Q4 – 11:36 – 5-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (14–14)
- Q4 – 6:00 – 1-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (21–14 DAL)
Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buccaneers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 63,183
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
The Cowboys slugged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38–10 in the annual Thanksgiving Day game. Tony Romo had his best game so far throwing for 306 yards and a near-perfect 148.9 passer rating, and he tied a team record with five touchdown passes in one game. No Cowboys quarterback had done that since Troy Aikman in the 1999 season opener (including overtime), and since Danny White in 1983 in regulation. Romo's five touchdown passes were the most ever for a Thanksgiving Day game. Stats
On 27 November 2006, the Cowboys cut kicker Mike Vanderjagt and signed veteran Martin Gramatica in his place. Vanderjagt had made only 13 of 18 field goals in the season, well below his career average.
With the win, the Cowboys improved to 7–4.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 9:18 – 1-yard TD run by Mike Alstott, Matt Bryant extra point is good (7–0 TB)
- Q1 – 1:09 – 20-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terry Glenn, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (7–7)
- Q2 – 11:33 – 2-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terry Glenn, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (14–7 DAL)
- Q2 – 6:38 – 46-yard FG by Matt Bryant (14–10 DAL)
- Q2 – 0:30 – 1-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (21–10 DAL)
- Q3 – 9:55 – 2-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Marion Barber, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (28–10 DAL)
- Q3 – 6:30 – 7-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens, Mike Vanderjagt extra point is good (35–10 DAL)
- Q4 – 10:00 – 22-yard FG by Mike Vanderjagt (38–10 DAL)
Week 13: at New York Giants
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 23 |
Giants | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 20 |
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C), sunny (wind chill was 38 °F (3 °C))
- Game attendance: 78,666
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
The Cowboys extended their winning streak to four straight wins in a close game when newly signed
With the win, the Cowboys improved to 8–4.
This game was moved from the originally scheduled time at 1:00 pm to 4:15 pm (EST) because of the NFL's new "flex scheduling" policy.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 4:39 – 17-yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Jeremy Shockey (7–0 NYG)
- Q1 – 1:28 – 1-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Martin Gramatica extra point is good (7–7)
- Q2 – 0:01 – 41-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (10–7 DAL)
- Q3 – 4:32 – 23-yard FG by Jay Feely (10–10)
- Q3 – 0:05 – 35-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (13–10 DAL)
- Q4 – 9:44 – 22-yard FG by Jay Feely (13–13)
- Q4 – 3:33 – 7-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Martin Gramatica extra point is good (20–13 DAL)
- Q4 – 1:06 – 5-yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress (20–20)
- Q4 – 0:01 – 46-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (23–20 DAL)
Week 14: vs. New Orleans Saints
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saints | 0 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 42 |
Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. Gerald Austin
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and John Madden
On November 27, the NFL announced that the game was moved to 8:15 pm. EST (7:15 pm. CST) to be nationally televised on NBC Sunday Night Football.
New Orleans Head Coach and former Dallas Offensive Coordinator, as well as Passing Coordinator, Sean Payton thoroughly dissected the Cowboys defense by showcasing the talents of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Deuce McAllister. Perhaps more surprising was the performance of Mike Karney. Previously an unknown fullback who had never had a touchdown in his 43 NFL games, Karney scored a hat trick (three touchdowns). Brees topped 4,000 season passing yards for the first time in his career, having 26 completions for 38 attempts and 384 yards and five touchdowns. Deuce McCallister and Reggie Bush both proved their worth with 135 and 162 all-purpose yards, respectively. Payton was even feeling so confident as to attempt an onside kick early in the third quarter, further demoralizing the Cowboys and increasing momentum for the Saints when they recovered it. With 3 minutes left in the game and the ball deep in Cowboys territory, Payton's Saints went to kneeling, either to let Parcells keep some of his pride intact, or to make a statement.
The Cowboys had one of the worst games of their season. Payton's defense never gave them a chance to get into a rhythm, and Tony Romo threw for 16 completions of 33 attempts for 249 yards for a single touchdown and a pair of interceptions. The Cowboys started out promising, stopping the Saints' offense and Julius Jones responding with a career record 77-yard touchdown run. Though after that play, nothing seemed to go right. Gramatica missed another crucial field goal, soaring wide right, and the only other touchdown came from a fourth-down pass to Terrell Owens that could have been an interception had cornerback Fred Thomas not had a cast on his hand.
New Orleans defeated Dallas 42–17, snapping Dallas' four-game winning streak and dropping them to 8–5 while improving their own record to 9–4.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 12:06 – 77-yard TD run by Julius Jones (0–7 DAL) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q2 – 14:53 – 2-yard TD run by Mike Karney (7–7), (John Carney kick)
- Q2 – 10:19 – 3-yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Mike Karney (14–7 NO) (John Carney kick)
- Q2 – 0:44 – 27-yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Jamal Jones (21–7 NO) (John Carney kick)
- Q3 – 11:26 – 24-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (21–10, NO)
- Q3 – 9:59 – 61-yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Reggie Bush (28–10 NO) (John Carney kick)
- Q3 – 7:46 – 34-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens (28–17 NO) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q3 – 5:16 – 6-yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Mike Karney (35–17 NO) (John Carney kick)
- Q3 – 3:47 – 42-yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Devery Henderson (42–17 NO) (John Carney kick)
Week 15: at Atlanta Falcons
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 38 |
Falcons | 0 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST/7:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Indoors
- Game attendance: 71,102
- TV announcers (NFL Network): Bryant Gumbel and Dick Vermeil (with second half fill-in work from Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders)
Hoping to rebound from their Sunday night home loss to the Saints, the Cowboys flew to the Georgia Dome for a Saturday night fight with the Atlanta Falcons. In the first quarter, Dallas took an early lead with QB Tony Romo completed a 7-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Cowboys increased its lead as on the very first play, OLB DeMarcus Ware returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown. However, the Falcons started to fight back with QB Michael Vick completing a 1-yard TD pass to FB Justin Griffith and a 9-yard TD pass to WR Michael Jenkins. Fortunately, the 'Boys struck back with Romo and Owens hooking up with each other again with a 51-yard TD pass. Yet again, Atlanta fought back with Vick completing an 8-yard TD pass to WR Ashley Lelie. In the third quarter, Dallas temporarily fell behind with Vick completing 5-yard TD pass to Griffith. Afterwards, the Cowboys regained control with kicker Martin Gramatica's 48-yard field goal and RB Marion Barber 9-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Barber helped the Cowboys wrap the game up with a 3-yard TD run. With the win, the 'Boys improved to 9–5 and put themselves in position to clinch a playoff berth following the day.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 7-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens (7–0 DAL) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q2 – 14:50 – 41-yard TD interception return by DeMarcus Ware (14–0 DAL) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q2 – 11:11 – 1-yard TD pass from Michael Vick to Justin Griffith (14–7 DAL) (Morten Andersen kick)
- Q2 – 6:30 – 9-yard TD pass from Michael Vick to Michael Jenkins (14–14) (Morten Andersen kick)
- Q2 – 3:08 – 51-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens (21–14 DAL) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q2 – 0:11 – 8-yard TD pass from Michael Vick to Ashley Lelie (21–21) (Morten Andersen kick)
- Q3 – 11:09 – 5-yard TD pass from Michael Vick to Justin Griffith (28–21 ATL) (Morten Andersen kick)
- Q3 – 7:17 – 48-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (28–24 ATL)
- Q3 – 2:32 – 9-yard TD run by Marion Barber (31–28 DAL) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q4 – 2:18 – 3-yard TD run by Marion Barber (38–28 DAL) (Martin Gramatica kick)
Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 7 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 5:00 p.m. EST/4:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C), Clear
- Game attendance: 62,839
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and John Madden
Following a Saturday victory over the Falcons, the Cowboys returned home, donned their 1960s throwbacks again, and prepared for an NFC East rematch on Christmas Day with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys had a chance to clinch the NFC East for the first time since 1998 with a victory. In the first quarter, the 'Boys trailed early with QB Jeff Garcia completing a 25-yard TD pass to TE Matt Schobel for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, Philadelphia's lead increased with kicker David Akers nailing a 25-yard field goal. Dallas would get its only score of the game with QB Tony Romo completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens. Afterwards, the Eagles wrapped up the half with Akers kicking a 45-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Philly's lead increased with Akers' 21-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Dallas fell with RB Correll Buckhalter's 1-yard TD run. While the Eagles clinched a playoff berth, the loss for Dallas would have significant ramifications entering week 17 as not only did they fail to clinch the NFC East, they were officially out of contention for a first-round bye and no longer controlled their destiny in winning the NFC East as they slipped behind Philadelphia in the standings.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 4:00 – 25-yard TD from Jeff Garcia to Matt Schobel (7–0 PHI) (David Akers kick)
- Q2 – 5:16 – 25-yard FG by David Akers (10–0 PHI)
- Q2 – 0:36 – 14-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens (10–7 PHI) (Martin Gramatica kick)
- Q2 – 0:00 – 45-yard FG by David Akers (13–7 PHI)
- Q3 – 12:14 – 21-yard FG by David Akers (16–7 PHI)
- Q4 – 6:54 – 1-yard TD run by Correll Buckhalter (23–7 PHI) (David Akers kick)
Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lions | 13 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 39 |
Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C), Partly cloudy
- Game attendance: 63,008
- Referee: Gene Steratore
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert and Brian Baldinger
Following their loss to the Eagles, the Cowboys wrapped up the regular season at home against the 2–13 Detroit Lions. In the first quarter, Dallas shockingly trailed early as Lions kicker Jason Hanson nailed a 33-yard and a 25-yard field goal, while QB Jon Kitna completed a 20-yard TD pass to WR Roy Williams. In the second quarter, the Cowboys took the lead with RB Marion Barber getting a 1-yard TD run, while QB Tony Romo completed a 6-yard TD pass to WR Patrick Crayton. However, Detroit regained its lead with Kitna and Williams hooking up with each other again on a 15-yard TD pass. In the third quarter, the back-and-forth battle began with Dallas CB Terence Newman returning a punt 56 yards for a touchdown. However, the Lions regained the lead with Hanson kicking a 26-yard field goal, while Kitna completed a 13-yard TD pass to WR Mike Furrey. Afterwards, Cowboys kicker Martin Gramatica helped Dallas with a 39-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys took the lead with Romo completing a 56-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens. However, Detroit regained the lead with Kitna completing a 21-yard TD pass to WR Mike Williams and Hanson kicking a 23-yard field goal. Late in the game, Dallas had one last chance to take back the lead, but on 4th & Goal, Romo's run towards the endzone was stopped one yard short. With the shocking loss, the Cowboys ended the regular season at 9–7 and with the NFC's #5 seed.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 11:08 – 33-yard FG by Jason Hanson (3–0 DET)
- Q1 – 5:13 – 25-yard FG by Jason Hanson (6–0 DET)
- Q1 – 2:37 – 20-yard TD pass from Jon Kitna to Roy Williams, Jason Hanson extra point is good (13–0 DET)
- Q2 – 11:38 – 1-yard TD run by Marion Barber, Martin Gramatica extra point is good (13–7 DET)
- Q2 – 2:48 – 6-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Patrick Crayton, Martin Gramatica extra point is good (14–13 DAL)
- Q2 – 0:02 – 15-yard TD pass from Jon Kitna to Roy Williams, Jason Hanson extra point is good (20–14 DET)
- Q3 – 12:16 – 56-yard TD punt return by Terence Newman, Martin Gramatica extra point is good (21–20 DAL)
- Q3 – 6:06 – 26-yard FG by Jason Hanson (23–21 DET)
- Q3 – 4:16 – 13-yard TD pass from Jon Kitna to Mike Furrey, Jason Hanson extra point is good (30–21 DET)
- Q3 – 0:04 – 39-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (30–24 DET)
- Q4 – 8:09 – 56-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens, Martin Gramatica extra point is good (31–30 DAL)
- Q4 – 4:24 – 21-yard TD pass from Jon Kitna to Mike Williams, failed 2 pt. conversion from Jon Kitna to Mike Williams (36–31 DET)
- Q4 – 2:58 – 23-yard FG by Jason Hanson (39–31 DET)
Playoffs
The Cowboys secured a playoff berth after the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers each got a victory. Their season ended after a 21–20 loss.
NFC Wild-Card Playoffs: at Seattle Seahawks
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
Seahawks | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 21 |
- Game time: 8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST; Saturday, January 6, 2007
- Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C), Overcast
- Game attendance: 68,058
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, John Madden and Andrea Kremer
Entering the NFC playoffs as the fifth-seed, the Cowboys began their playoff run at
With the loss, Dallas ended its season with three-straight losses and an overall record of 9–8.
Scoring summary
- Q1 – 11:13 – 23-yard FG by Josh Brown (3–0 SEA)
- Q1 – 4:50 – 50-yard FG by Martín Gramática(3–3)
- Q2 – 5:14 – 30-yard FG by Josh Brown (6–3 SEA)
- Q2 – 0:11 – 13-yard TD pass from Martín Gramáticaextra point is good (10–6 DAL)
- Q3 – 6:08 – 15-yard TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Jerramy Stevens, Josh Brown extra point is good (13–10 SEA)
- Q3 – 5:57 – 93-yard TD kickoff return by Martín Gramáticaextra point is good (17–13 DAL)
- Q4 – 10:15 – 29-yard FG by Martin Gramatica (20–13 DAL)
- Q4 – 6:32 – Safety (20–15 DAL)
- Q4 – 4:24 – 37-yard TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Jerramy Stevens, failed 2 pt. conversion from Matt Hasselbeck to Deion Branch (21–20 SEA)
Coaching staff
Dallas Cowboys 2006 coaching staff | ||||||
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Rosters
Opening training camp roster
Week one roster
Final roster
Other information
- The Cowboys had nine starting quarterbacks in the six seasons after Troy Aikman retired in 2000. They were Quincy Carter (started 32 games), Vinny Testaverde (started 15), Ryan Leaf (3), Anthony Wright (3), Clint Stoerner (2 games), Chad Hutchinson (9), Drew Henson (1 game), Drew Bledsoe (22), and then Tony Romo.
- The Cowboys had not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Emmitt Smith had 1,021 yards in 2001. Herschel Walker was the last running back before Smith to rush for over 1,000 yards, in 1988. Julius Jones snapped that streak of futility for Dallas by posting 1,084 yards in 2006. In the previous season, Jones fell just short of the mark (993).
- DeMarcus Ware had 11.5 sacks in 2006, the most in team history by a linebacker. He broke that record in 2007 with 14 sacks, and then he broke it again in 2008 with a league-leading 20.
Publications
- The Football Encyclopedia ISBN 0-312-11435-4
- Total Football ISBN 0-06-270170-3
- Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes ISBN 0-446-51950-2
References
- ^ "Cowboys sign accurate PK Vanderjagt". NFL.com. March 23, 2006. Archived from the original on December 13, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Cowboys sign free-agent OLB Ayodele". NFL.com. March 14, 2006. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Cowboys address O-line with Kosier, Gurode". NFL.com. March 12, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Cowboys sign safety Coleman". NFL.com. April 19, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Owens joins Cowboys, signs three-year deal". NFL.com. March 18, 2006. Archived from the original on December 10, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Cowboys cut WR Johnson, may seek T.O." NFL.com. March 14, 2006. Archived from the original on May 7, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Cowboys release former All-Pro lineman Allen". NFL.com. March 21, 2006. Archived from the original on December 11, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ a b "Cowboys cut Glover; Nguyen to retire". NFL.com. March 3, 2006. Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ King, Peter (May 29, 2006). "Early favorites: Pats–Cowboys matchup awaits in Super Bowl XLI". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "2006 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com.