1975 NFC Divisional Playoff: the Hail Mary Game (Cowboys vs Vikings)
The Hail Mary Game: the wild-card Cowboys win at Minnesota on the way to Super Bowl X.
The "Hail Mary" Game was the first-round NFC playoff game of the 1975 season, played at Minnesota on December 28, 1975, in which the wild-card Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17–14. It was not the NFC Championship Game: Dallas won that the following week against the Los Angeles Rams, then reached Super Bowl X.
Quick Facts
- Final score
- Cowboys 17, Vikings 14
- Round
- NFC first round (divisional playoff)
- Date
- December 28, 1975
- Venue
- Minnesota
- Key play
- Staubach to Drew Pearson
Lore & Background
The Cowboys finished second in the NFC East with a 10–4 record and made the playoffs as a wild-card team. Roger Staubach's game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson beat the Vikings 17–14, and Staubach's description of it made "Hail Mary" the common name for such a pass. Dallas then defeated the heavily favored Rams 37–7 on the road to win the NFC Championship Game, becoming the first non-division winner to advance to the Super Bowl, and lost Super Bowl X 21–17 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Reader's Guide
This game is the NFC Divisional Playoff between the Cowboys and Vikings. The Cowboys won 17–14 on a last-second touchdown pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson, known as the "Hail Mary" play. The victory sent Dallas to the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams.
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