Cowboys Countdown To Kickoff: Top 100 Iconic Games – Day 12

It is Day 12 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

We’re now at Day 12 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit the NFC Championship Game that sent Dallas to Super Bowl XXX and completed the final title run of the 1990s dynasty. The Packers had just survived a difficult postseason road trip through San Francisco, but their next stop was Dallas, and the stakes were higher than ever. 

Sunday, January 14, 1996

Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 38, Green Bay Packers 27

Green Bay struck first after Dallas punter John Jett had a punt blocked, giving the Packers possession deep in Cowboys territory. Chris Jacke converted a 46-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead, but Dallas answered almost immediately. Troy Aikman directed an 80-yard drive and found Michael Irvin from six yards out to put the Cowboys ahead 7-3. 

The defense then created another opportunity when Leon Lett intercepted Brett Favre on a screen pass and returned the ball deep into Green Bay territory. Aikman capitalized with another touchdown pass to Irvin, this time from four yards, giving Dallas a 14-3 advantage. 

Favre responded in explosive fashion. His first completion of the game became a 73-yard touchdown to Robert Brooks, cutting the deficit to 14-10. Early in the second quarter, Favre found tight end Keith Jackson for a 24-yard score, suddenly putting Green Bay ahead 17-14. 

Dallas settled the game down through its running attack. Chris Boniol tied the score with a 34-yard field goal, then the Cowboys produced one of the defining drives of the afternoon. Starting at their own one-yard line, they travelled 99 yards, with Emmitt Smith breaking off a 25-yard run to escape the shadow of the goal line. Smith eventually finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown to send Dallas into halftime leading 24-17. 

Green Bay refused to disappear. Jacke made a 37-yard field goal during the third quarter before Favre connected with Brooks for a one-yard touchdown. That score gave the Packers a 27-24 lead and placed Dallas behind entering the final quarter. 

That was when the Cowboys’ championship experience took over. Dallas responded with a 90-yard drive, pounding Green Bay with Smith until he finished it with a five-yard touchdown run. The Cowboys had regained the lead at 31-27, but there was still plenty of time remaining. 

The defense then delivered the pivotal stop. Favre tried to attack deep while escaping pressure, but Larry Brown intercepted him and returned the ball 28 yards to the Dallas 48. On the very next offensive play, Irvin made a 36-yard reception along the sideline, putting the Packers defense back under immediate pressure. Smith finished the job with a 16-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 38-27. Green Bay never answered, and Dallas closed out another NFC championship at Texas Stadium. 

This game belongs on the countdown because it continued the last great postseason statement of the Cowboys’ 1990s dynasty. Green Bay had an MVP quarterback in Favre, had already knocked off San Francisco on the road and actually carried a lead into the fourth quarter. Dallas responded exactly as a championship team should by controlling the line of scrimmage, forcing the crucial turnover and leaning on Smith when the game tightened. 

Interesting Facts About the Game

Emmitt Smith carried a Cowboys playoff-record 35 times and finished with 150 rushing yards. 

Countdown to kickoff 

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58, 57,56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13