The Dallas Cowboys are champions once again — in a virtual sense, anyway.
Thanks to Cowboys Wire readers who voted in our Homegrown Legends tournament bracket over the past several weeks, we’re hoisting a metaphorical trophy. We scoffed when Dallas came in merely ranked No. 3 in the Power Rankings. After five rounds of voting, the true king was crowned.
When voting closed at noon ET on Oct. 9, our Dallas legends held a 51-49% advantage over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Representing Dallas and all of North Texas, our mission was simple. Using homegrown regional talent, we developed a starting lineup of pro football legends to match up against rosters representing the other 31 NFL teams. When your state coins the phrase, “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose,” it should go without saying that football runs through Texas forever.
But it wasn’t as simple as that. Texas is a huge state, so not all talent was available. The Houston area took a big chunk, claiming the AFC’s top seed (which was upset in the second round by the No. 8-seed Chargers). Still, our Dallas franchise of Homegrown Legends possessed a ridiculous arsenal of talent.
It started with being able to utilize North Texas schemes. The Wishbone offense is the brainchild of Fort Worth’s own Spud Cason. On defense, we deployed the 3-3-5 of former McMurry State assistant Joe Lee Dunn.
And the talent available fits our schemes like a glove.
Patrick Mahomes beat out Y.A. Tittle, Don Meredith, Sammy Baugh and Matthew Stafford for the chance to throw to Hall of Fame wideouts Charley Taylor and Tim Brown. Mahomes would get a ridiculous amount of man coverages to dissect, because defenses would be forced to crowd the box in hopes of containing star running backs Earl Campbell, Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson. All on the field at the same time? Disgusting.
On defense, the three-man line of Mean Joe Greene, Bob Lilly and Harvey Martin would dominate — with Von Miller screaming off the edge. Mixed with blitzing from safety Jamal Adams, the pressure would be too much for opposing QBs, allowing cornerbacks Everson Walls and Aqib Talib to get interceptions on the regular.
It all came together in a string of dominant victories to navigate the NFC field, and then our crew toppled the John Elway-led virtual Chargers in the tournament championship. There won’t be a parade, but take a bow, Dallas and North Texas. No area has birthed a greater set of NFL superstars.
Championship result:
NFC No. 1 Dallas def. AFC No. 8 Los Angeles Chargers, 51-49%.
Semifinals results:
AFC championship: 8. Los Angeles Chargers def. 2. Miami, 56-44%.
NFC championship: 1. Dallas def. 3. Los Angeles Rams, 60-40%.
Third-round results:
AFC semifinals: 8. Los Angeles Chargers def. 12. Kansas City, 67-33%; 2. Miami def. 6. Pittsburgh, 52-48%.
NFC semifinals: 1. Dallas def. 5. Atlanta, 73-27%; 3. Los Angeles Rams def. 2. New Orleans, 53-47%.
Second-round results:
AFC: 8. Los Angeles Chargers def. 1. Houston, 67-33%; 12. Kansas City def. 13. Tennessee, 66-34%; 6. Pittsburgh def. 3. Cleveland, 61-39%; 2. Miami def. 10. Las Vegas, 74-26%.
NFC: 1. Dallas def. 8. Washington, 79-21%; 5. Atlanta def. 4. San Francisco, 52-48%; 3. Los Angeles Rams def. 6. Carolina, 73-27%; 2. New Orleans def. 10. Detroit, 67-33%.
First-round results:
AFC: 1. Houston def. 16. Denver, 62-38%; 8. LA Chargers def. 9. Buffalo 74-26%; 12. Kansas City def. 5. Jacksonville, 68-32%; 13. Tennessee def. 4. Cincinnati, 53-47%; 6. Pittsburgh def. 11. Baltimore, 83-17%; 3. Cleveland def. 14. Indianapolis, 70-30%; 10. Las Vegas def. 7. NY Jets, 62-38%; 2. Miami def. New England, 87-13%.
NFC: 1. Dallas def. 16. Minnesota, 76-24%; 8. Washington def. 9. NY Giants, 65-35%; 5. Atlanta def. 12. Tampa Bay, 58-42%; 4. San Francisco def. 13. Seattle, 67-33%; 6. Carolina def. 11. Arizona, 68-32%; 3. LA Rams def. 14. Green Bay, 64-36%; 10. Detroit def. 7. Philadelphia, 59-41%; 2. New Orleans def. 15. Chicago, 58-42%.
AFC rosters:
Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC
NFC rosters:
Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea
- Doug Farrar: Ranking the 32 Homegrown Legends rosters