Super Bowl XII

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Lore & Background

The game pitted Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach against their former quarterback, Craig Morton. Led by Staubach and the Doomsday Defense, Dallas advanced to its fourth Super Bowl after posting a 12–2 record in the regular season and home playoff victories over the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. The Broncos, led by Morton and the Orange Crush Defense, made their first-ever postseason appearance after a franchise-best 12–2 regular season record. Also with home-field advantage, Denver posted playoff wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders. The Cowboys defense dominated Super Bowl XII, forcing eight turnovers and allowing only eight pass completions by the Broncos for 61 yards. Two interceptions led to 10 first-quarter points. Denver's longest play of the game was 21 yards, which occurred on their opening drive. Dallas extended its lead to 20–3 in the third quarter after wide receiver Butch Johnson made a diving catch in the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown reception. An ineffective Morton (who became the only quarterback to post a zero passer rating in a Super Bowl) was replaced by Norris Weese late in the third quarter. He drove the Broncos downfield to score a touchdown to close the gap on the lead to 20–10, capped by a Rob Lytle one-yard touchdown run. However, the Cowboys put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter when fullback Robert Newhouse threw a 29-yard touchdown pass on a halfback option play to receiver Golden Richards.

In Their Own Story

The Cowboys' defense completely overwhelmed Denver, forcing eight turnovers and limiting quarterback Craig Morton to just eight completions for 61 yards. Two interceptions early in the first quarter set up 10 points for Dallas. The Broncos' longest play of the game was a mere 21 yards on their opening drive. In the third quarter, Dallas extended the lead to 20–3 when wide receiver Butch Johnson made a diving catch for a 45-yard touchdown. Morton, who posted a zero passer rating and became the only quarterback in history to do so in a Super Bowl, was replaced by Norris Weese late in the third quarter. Weese drove Denver downfield to score on a one-yard run by Rob Lytle, closing the gap to 20–10. However, Dallas sealed the victory in the fourth quarter when fullback Robert Newhouse threw a 29-yard touchdown pass on a halfback option play to receiver Golden Richards.

Reader's Guide

For the first and only time, two players won Super Bowl MVP honors: defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin. This was also the first time that a defensive lineman was named Super Bowl MVP. The NFL awarded Super Bowl XII to New Orleans on March 16, 1976, at the owners' meetings held in San Diego. It was the first of eight Super Bowls (as of the source) to be played at the Louisiana Superdome. However, it was not the first one scheduled for the Superdome; Super Bowl IX was scheduled to be played there, but construction delays forced it to be played at Tulane Stadium. A total of six cities submitted bids: New Orleans, Miami, Pasadena (Rose Bowl), Los Angeles (Coliseum), Dallas, and Houston. However, Dallas dropped out of the running due to a date conflict with a convention. A favorite going into the vote, New Orleans won on the fourth ballot after representatives promised they would prevent price gouging by the local hotels. In selecting the Superdome, owners rejected maintaining an AFC/NFC host site rotation, an unofficial, and mostly coincidental pattern that had been in place for several seasons.

Did You Know?

• This was the first Super Bowl in a domed stadium.
• This was the first time the Super Bowl was played in prime time in the Eastern United States.
• For the first and only time, two players won Super Bowl MVP honors: defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin.
• Craig Morton became the only quarterback to post a zero passer rating in a Super Bowl.
• This was the final Super Bowl in the 14-game schedule era.