2011 Dallas Cowboys season

The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the third playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the first full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The team improved on their 6–10 record from 2010, but missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season due to their week 17 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.[1]

2011 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerJerry Jones
General managerJerry Jones
Head coachJason Garrett
Home fieldCowboys Stadium
Results
Record8–8
Division place3rd NFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersDT Jay Ratliff
LB DeMarcus Ware
AP All-ProsDeMarcus Ware (1st team)
Uniform

2011 draft class

edit
2011 Dallas Cowboys Draft
Round Selection Player Position College
1 9 Tyron Smith OT USC
2 40 Bruce Carter ILB North Carolina
3 71 DeMarco Murray RB Oklahoma
4 110 David Arkin G Missouri State
5 143 Josh Thomas CB Buffalo
6 176 Dwayne Harris WR East Carolina
7 220 [a] Shaun Chapas FB Georgia
7 252 Bill Nagy C Wisconsin
Compensatory selection

Notes ^[a] The Cowboys forfeited its original seventh-round selection after selecting defensive tackle Josh Brent in the 2010 Supplemental Draft.

Schedule

edit

Preseason

edit

The Cowboys' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 August 11 Denver Broncos W 24–23 1–0 Cowboys Stadium Recap
2 August 21 San Diego Chargers L 7–20 1–1 Cowboys Stadium Recap
3 August 27 at Minnesota Vikings W 23–17 2–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Recap
4 September 1 at Miami Dolphins L 3–17 2–2 Sun Life Stadium Recap

Schedule

edit
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 September 11 at New York Jets L 24–27 0–1 MetLife Stadium Recap
2 September 18 at San Francisco 49ers W 27–24 (OT) 1–1 Candlestick Park Recap
3 September 26 Washington Redskins W 18–16 2–1 Cowboys Stadium Recap
4 October 2 Detroit Lions L 30–34 2–2 Cowboys Stadium Recap
5 Bye
6 October 16 at New England Patriots L 16–20 2–3 Gillette Stadium Recap
7 October 23 St. Louis Rams W 34–7 3–3 Cowboys Stadium Recap
8 October 30 at Philadelphia Eagles L 7–34 3–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
9 November 6 Seattle Seahawks W 23–13 4–4 Cowboys Stadium Recap
10 November 13 Buffalo Bills W 44–7 5–4 Cowboys Stadium Recap
11 November 20 at Washington Redskins W 27–24 (OT) 6–4 FedExField Recap
12 November 24 Miami Dolphins W 20–19 7–4 Cowboys Stadium Recap
13 December 4 at Arizona Cardinals L 13–19 (OT) 7–5 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap
14 December 11 New York Giants L 34–37 7–6 Cowboys Stadium Recap
15 December 17 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–15 8–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap
16 December 24 Philadelphia Eagles L 7–20 8–7 Cowboys Stadium Recap
17 January 1 at New York Giants L 14–31 8–8 MetLife Stadium Recap

Game summaries

edit

Week 1: at New York Jets

edit
Week One: Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 3 7724
Jets 0 7 31727

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers

edit
Week Two: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Cowboys 0 7 710327
49ers 0 14 73024

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Game information

Week 3: vs. Washington Redskins

edit
Week Three: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Redskins 6 3 7016
Cowboys 3 6 3618

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions

edit
Week Four: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Lions 0 3 141734
Cowboys 7 13 10030

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

With their second loss to the Lions at home in five years, the Cowboys fell to 2–2.

Week 6: at New England Patriots

edit
Week Six: Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 3 7 3316
Patriots 3 10 0720

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: October 16
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m. EDT/3:15 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) (Partly Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 68,756
  • Referee: Walt Coleman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
Game information

The Cowboys' blue uniforms returned after a 1-year hiatus, and they blew a 3-point fourth quarter lead, and lost to the 2011 AFC champion New England Patriots.

Week 7: vs. St. Louis Rams

edit
Week Seven: St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 7 007
Cowboys 7 10 31434

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: October 23
  • Game time: 3:15 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 80,086
  • Referee: Alberto Riveron
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton and John Lynch
Game information

This game is notable for DeMarco Murray, in his first NFL start, setting the Cowboys single game rushing record.

Week 8: at Philadelphia Eagles

edit
Week Eight: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 0 0 077
Eagles 14 10 3734

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

  • Date: October 30
  • Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT/7:20 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C) (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 69,144
  • Referee: Gene Steratore
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
Game information

Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks

edit
Week Nine: Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 3 3 0713
Cowboys 3 3 71023

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 6
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 81,510
  • Referee: Terry McAulay
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Tim Ryan and Jaime Maggio
Game information

Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills

edit
Week Ten: Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bills 0 7 007
Cowboys 14 14 61044

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 13
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 85,157
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Game information

Week 11: at Washington Redskins

edit
Week Eleven: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Cowboys 7 3 014327
Redskins 0 14 37024

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

Game information

Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins

edit

Thanksgiving Day game

Week Twelve: Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 3 3 10319
Cowboys 0 10 01020

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 24
  • Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 87,418
  • Referee: Pete Morelli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Game information

Coming off their thrilling overtime road win over the Redskins, the Cowboys went home, donned their throwback uniforms, and played a Week 12 interconference duel with the Miami Dolphins in the annual Thanksgiving game. Dallas trailed early in the first quarter with Dolphins kicker Shayne Graham getting a 26-yard field goal, yet the Cowboys would answer in the second quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Dan Bailey, followed by quarterback Tony Romo finding wide receiver Laurent Robinson on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Miami would close out the half with Graham making a 28-yard field goal.

The Dolphins retook the lead in the third quarter with Graham booting a 27-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Matt Moore completing a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Afterwards, Dallas regained the lead in the fourth quarter with Romo connecting with Robinson again on an 18-yard touchdown pass. Miami struck back with Graham making a 23-yard field goal, but Bailey rescued the Cowboys by nailing the winning 28-yard field goal.

With the win, Dallas improved to 7–4.

Bailey (2/2 on field goal, including game-winning 28-yarder) and linebacker DeMarcus Ware (1 assist and a fumble recovery) were named CBS' All-Iron Award winners.

Week 13: at Arizona Cardinals

edit
Week Thirteen: Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Cowboys 0 10 30013
Cardinals 3 0 37619

at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Game information

With seconds left in regulation with the score at 13-13, Jason Garrett called a time out before Dan Bailey was set to kick a 49-yard field goal that would have ended the game (commonly referred to as "icing the kicker"); Bailey ended up missing the field goal and the Cowboys lost the game in overtime.[3][4]

Week 14: vs. New York Giants

edit
Week Fourteen: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Giants 5 10 71537
Cowboys 7 10 31434

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Week 15: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

edit
Week Fifteen: Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 14 14 3031
Buccaneers 0 0 15015

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

edit
Week Sixteen: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Eagles 7 7 3320
Cowboys 0 0 077

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: December 24
  • Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 84,834
  • Referee: Bill Leavy
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
Game information

Week 17: at New York Giants

edit
Week Seventeen: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 0 0 7714
Giants 7 14 01031

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

With the loss, the Cowboys finished at 8–8 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

Standings

edit
NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) New York Giants 9 7 0 .563 3–3 5–7 394 400 W2
Philadelphia Eagles 8 8 0 .500 5–1 6–6 396 328 W4
Dallas Cowboys 8 8 0 .500 2–4 6–6 372 347 L2
Washington Redskins 5 11 0 .313 2–4 5–7 288 367 L2

Staff

edit
2011 Dallas Cowboys staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning




Rosters

edit

Opening preseason roster

edit
Dallas Cowboys 2011 opening preseason roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

90 active, 1 inactive

Week one roster

edit
Dallas Cowboys 2011 week one roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice Squad

53 active, 3 inactive, 8 PS

Final roster

edit
Dallas Cowboys 2011 final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice Squad

53 active, 10 inactive, 6 Practice Squad

References

edit
  1. ^ "Giants Defeat Cowboys to Take Final Playoff". The New York Times. January 2, 2012.
  2. ^ "2011 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com.
  3. ^ "VIDEO: Jason Garrett Iced His Own Kicker". December 4, 2011.
  4. ^ "Garrett's decision to ice his own kicker numbs the brain". NFL.com.
  5. ^ http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=732F6F95-CB21-F198-D66AC3156A9EB700 Archived 2012-01-07 at the Wayback Machine NBC Flexes Muscles; Jan. 1 Game Moved
edit