Sweet 16, Region 1: Cowboys top 64 plays of all-time

Over the last two weeks, the BTB community has sifted through 64 of the top plays in the history of the Dallas Cowboys. And each time, the fans have voted to see which play is their favorite. Now, those winners have been rounded up as it’s time to move on to the Sweet 16!

For this round, we will assemble four more groups, based on which plays advanced from their respective regions. Here is a look at the final tally of each of these groups in the first round as we see which plays will now square off against each other in Region 1 of the 64-play BTB March Madness tournament.

Let’s check out the plays that advanced as well as some comments by the BTB community that helped plead their case for why the play was so special.

Zeke’s screen play against the Steelers

In a game that featured eight different lead changes, the Cowboys got the better of the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-30 in 2016, helping Dallas go to 8-1 on the year. Ezekiel Elliott had over 200 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns, including a 32-yard game winner with just nine seconds left in the game. But the play that people remember the most was an 83-yard screen play that Zeke took to the house that helped the Cowboys gain some momentum and get back in the game.

burrito electrico:

I specifically remember watching the Zeke screen with friends at the Grand; we were at a table, maybe 10 feet from the TV on the wall. As soon as I saw the three OL roll into the weak-side flat, I had a brain short-circuit of OMG THIS COULD BE BIG, jumped up and down when we scored, turned around to high five my friends but couldn’t as they were suddenly eight feet away – I realized had been walking toward the TV as the play went on without even knowing I was doing so.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who loses track of where I’m at when I’m overtaken by excitement.

Tony Romo’s snappy recovery

We learned rather quickly that Tony Romo was a playmaker, whether it be good, bad, or extremely unusual. In his first year as the team’s new starting quarterback, the Cowboys started the season undefeated, thanks to a lot of creativity by Romo. He made a career out of turning a disastrous play into something worth celebrating, including this ridiculous run against the St. Louis Rams in 2007.

DarkKnightX:

Romo had to run 35 yards behind the line of scrimmage, secure the ball, then run 40 yards back uphill. Dude ran for 75 yards on a single play. Pure greatness.

Primetime to the house

After the San Francisco 49ers spoiled the Cowboys chances at a three-peat, Jerry Jones went out and signed the electrifying free agent cornerback, Deion Sanders. Primetime did a little bit of everything in Dallas, including playing offense as a wide receiver. But every time he got in open space, Cowboys fans were on the edge of their seat.

ProBowlFactory:

It is very very hard to beat a punt return for a touchdown. I mean, the opponent has the ball. They decide that it is in their best interest to give the ball back to you, but wants to pin you back about 40 or so yards from where they last had it. But Deion has other plans and takes that play in for a score. Also, only a handful of players in the league every year are able to even accomplish this feat. Only a handful of them throughout history made a habit of it.

Harper over the middle

The Cowboys returned to glory during the 1992 season against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs in the early ‘80s. San Francisco appeared to be mounting a comeback as they cut the lead to just four points late in the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys stayed aggressive and caught the 49ers with their guard down. Alvin Harper took a deep slant pass inside the 10-yard line to set up an insurance touchdown and punch the Cowboys ticket to Super Bowl XXVII.

cjh1107:

That Harper catch and run is cemented in my memory...Once he cleared the 50 I thought he might score, but give Dana Hall credit for running him down. I was screaming, laughing and jumping up and down before he was tackled.. I knew they were going to wrap that game up and win the Super Bowl…it was their destiny.

Okay, it’s time to vote. Let us know in the comments why you voted the way you did and it just might get mentioned when the winner squares off in the Final Four.