It is Day 18 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.
It’s Day 18 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit one of the greatest rivalry games and late comebacks in Cowboys history. Dallas trailed Washington by 13 points with less than four minutes remaining, but Roger Staubach produced one final display of his “Captain Comeback” magic in what most call “The Wreath Game”.
Sunday, December 16, 1979
Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 35, Washington Redskins 34
Both teams entered the regular-season finale at 10-5, making the stakes straightforward. Dallas could claim the division and a first-round bye with a victory, while Washington needed to win to reach the playoffs. The rivalry was already heated after Washington had beaten the Cowboys 34-20 four weeks earlier.
The Cowboys could hardly have started worse. Fumbles on their first two possessions helped Washington build a 10-0 lead through Mark Moseley’s 24-yard field goal and Joe Theismann’s one-yard touchdown run. Theismann then connected with Benny Malone for a 55-yard score early in the second quarter, placing Dallas in a 17-0 hole.
Dallas finally responded behind rookie running back Ron Springs, who was starting in place of the injured Tony Dorsett. Springs scored from one yard out before Staubach found Preston Pearson for a diving 26-yard touchdown with nine seconds left in the half. The Cowboys had cut a 17-point deficit to 17-14 before entering the locker room.
The comeback continued after halftime. Robert Newhouse scored on a two-yard run to give Dallas its first lead at 21-17, but Washington regained control during the fourth quarter. Moseley made another 24-yard field goal before John Riggins scored from one yard out following a Staubach interception. Riggins then broke free for a 66-yard touchdown, moving Washington ahead 34-21 with 6:54 remaining.
The game appeared finished until Randy White recovered a Washington fumble with 3:49 left. Staubach needed only three plays to find Springs for a 26-yard touchdown, reducing the deficit to 34-28 with 2:20 remaining. Dallas still needed its defense to provide another opportunity.
Washington faced third-and-one with a chance to protect the lead, but veteran defensive tackle Larry Cole stopped Riggins for a two-yard loss. Following the punt, Dallas took possession at its own 25-yard line and asked Staubach to travel 75 yards with the division title hanging in the balance.
Staubach answered with a seven-play drive. He completed passes of 20 yards to Tony Hill and 22 and 25 yards to Preston Pearson, quickly moving the Cowboys into the red zone. From the Washington eight-yard line, Staubach lofted a pass to Hill for the winning touchdown with 39 seconds remaining. Rafael Septién converted the extra point to complete the 35-34 comeback.
The drama continued after the final whistle. A funeral wreath had been delivered to the Cowboys before the game, apparently suggesting their season was about to die. Dallas players believed it had come from Washington supporters, although later accounts said a Cowboys fan had ordered it through a florist in Maryland. Harvey Martin carried the wreath to Washington’s locker room and threw it inside. From there the game got its enduring nickname.
This game belongs on the countdown because it combined everything that defined the Cowboys-Washington rivalry. It was division-title stakes, hostility, controversy and an extraordinary finish. It was also the final victory of Staubach’s career.
Interesting Facts About the Game
The funeral wreath thrown by Martin struck Washington kicker Mark Moseley’s knee, reportedly leaving a cut that required three stitches. Martin later apologized for his actions.
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
