Former Cowboys QB Craig Morton's memorable play vs. Washington

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton died this weekend. He was 83.

Morton brings back childhood memories of him being the guy NFL fans forget. Don Meredith was the starter before Morton, and Roger Staubach succeeded Morton, which led to Morton being lost in Cowboys lore. But Morton was effective, and in the early years of Staubach, it was Roger who was inconsistent, leading head coach Tom Landry to stick with Morton much longer than many have remembered.

Morton also holds a special Redskins memory for me over the years, a game I have managed to remember fondly, perhaps even annually. In the 1972 preseason, Staubach was badly injured, and so Morton led the Cowboys to a 10-4 season and a playoff birth. When Morton struggled the next week at San Francisco, Landry turned to Staubach, who led a Cowboys rally to defeat the 49ers 30-28. Setting the stage for Landry to name Staubach as the starter for the NFC Championship game against the Redskins. Staubach was harassed all day, struggling, unable to get the Cowboys into the end zone as the Redskins dominated the Cowboys 26-3 to win the NFC.

The following season, 1973, Staubach started every game, including the MNF contest at Washington on October 8. Again, the Redskins defense made Staubach look bad, sacking him six times and forcing him out of the game after he went 9-17 for 101 yards. Morton entered the game, and he too struggled. With the score tied 7-7 in the final quarter, Morton dropped back to pass, trying to avoid a sack by Redskins DT Diron Talbert. Consequently, Morton lofted a weak pass downfield about 15 yards to his right. But not having much velocity on the ill-advised pass, Redskins safety Brig Owens read and jumped the route, picking off Morton at the Dallas 26, racing in for a pick-six touchdown, giving the Redskins a 14-7 lead.

RFK Stadium went crazy. Now standing in our family living room in Berryville, Va., I, too, went crazy. But Craig Morton again displayed composure, regrouping and leading the Cowboys down the field. In fact, Morton had the Cowboys at the Washington four with only seconds remaining. Morton dropped back, not finding a receiver open, he looked secondarily to fullback Walt Garrison, who caught the pass at the one and was held back by Redskins safety Ken Houston, saving an exciting Redskins win over the Cowboys.