NFL game summary for 09/30/1973:
Billie Joe DuPree, a rookie TE from Michigan State, caught three TD passes, two from starter Roger Staubach and one from Craig Morton while the Cowboys rolled up 578 yards to hand St. Louis its first defeat. Dallas mixed the running of Calvin Hill (84 yards) and Walt Garrison (53) with Staubach's accurate passes for a 31-3 lead before Morton took over in the final quarter. Morton hit with two TD passes. Rookie QB Gary Keithley led the Cards to their only touchdown. The win put unbeaten Dallas into sole possession of first place in the NFC Eastern Division.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 131.0 (15) | 236.5 (1) | 367.5 (4) | 3 |
| DEFENSE | 89.0 (2) | 217.0 (23) | 306.0 (17) | 4 | |
 | OFFENSE | 178.5 (6) | 135.0 (16) | 313.5 (8) | 4 |
| DEFENSE | 155.0 (15) | 64.0 (1) | 219.0 (2) | 8 |
Line: Cowboys by 8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals (2-1-0) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Dallas Cowboys (3-0-0) | 14 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
( 0- 7) DAL Billy Joe DuPree 8 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
( 0-14) DAL Calvin Hill 19 yard rush (Toni Fritsch kick)
( 0-17) DAL Toni Fritsch 24 yard field goal
( 0-24) DAL Roger Staubach 1 yard rush (Toni Fritsch kick)
( 3-24) STL Jim Bakken 16 yard field goal
( 3-31) DAL Billy Joe DuPree 2 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
( 3-38) DAL Golden Richards 53 yard pass from Craig Morton (Toni Fritsch kick)
(10-38) STL Donny Anderson 1 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(10-45) DAL Billy Joe DuPree 1 yard pass from Craig Morton (Toni Fritsch kick)
STL DAL
First Downs: 17 31
Rushes-yards: 20-44 42-250
Yards/rush: 2.2 6.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 23-38-254-2 20-25-335-0
Sacked-yards: 1-8 1-7
Net pass yards: 246 328
Net yards/pass: 6.3 12.6
Total net yards: 290 578
Total plays: 59 (33% run) 68 (61% run)
Yards/play: 4.9 8.5
Fumbles-lost: 5-2 2-2
Turnovers: 4 2
Penalties-yards: 4-39 11-112
Attendance: 64,729
Passing:
STL: Jim Hart, 19 of 34 for 202 yards (2 int); Gary Keithley, 4 of 4 for 52 yards DAL: Roger Staubach, 17 of 22 for 276 yards and 2 TDs; Craig Morton, 3 of 3 for 59 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
STL: Terry Metcalf, 8 for 28 yards; Donny Anderson, 6 for 2 yards and 1 TD; Gary Hammond, 4 for 11 yards; Gary Keithley, 1 for 3 yards; Jim Hart, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Calvin Hill, 16 for 84 yards and 1 TD; Walt Garrison, 9 for 53 yards; Robert Newhouse, 7 for 31 yards; Les Strayhorn, 3 for 39 yards; Roger Staubach, 3 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Larry Robinson, 2 for 17 yards; Otto Stowe, 1 for 9 yards; Golden Richards, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
STL: Terry Metcalf, 5 for 77 yards; Donny Anderson, 5 for 34 yards; Gary Hammond, 4 for 39 yards; Jackie Smith, 3 for 37 yards; Mel Gray, 2 for 35 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 23 yards; Walker Gillette, 1 for 6 yards; Jim McFarland, 1 for 3 yards DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 6 for 74 yards and 3 TDs; Calvin Hill, 6 for 36 yards; Otto Stowe, 3 for 62 yards; Bob Hayes, 2 for 67 yards; Golden Richards, 2 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Robert Newhouse, 1 for 38 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Don Shy, 1 for 29 yards; Jim McFarland, 1 for 19 yards DAL: Drew Pearson, 2 for 39 yards; Larry Robinson, 1 for 24 yards
Punt returns:
STL: Norm Thompson, 1 for -2 yards; Roger Wehrli, 1 for -3 yards DAL: Golden Richards, 1 for 3 yards; Cliff Harris, 1 for 0 yards; Drew Pearson, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Cliff Harris, 1 for 5 yards; Charlie Waters, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
STL: Gary Keithley, 7 for 272 yards DAL: Marv Bateman, 4 for 191 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 1/2 DAL: Toni Fritsch, 1/1
STL: Jim Hart, 19 of 34 for 202 yards (2 int); Gary Keithley, 4 of 4 for 52 yards DAL: Roger Staubach, 17 of 22 for 276 yards and 2 TDs; Craig Morton, 3 of 3 for 59 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
STL: Terry Metcalf, 8 for 28 yards; Donny Anderson, 6 for 2 yards and 1 TD; Gary Hammond, 4 for 11 yards; Gary Keithley, 1 for 3 yards; Jim Hart, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Calvin Hill, 16 for 84 yards and 1 TD; Walt Garrison, 9 for 53 yards; Robert Newhouse, 7 for 31 yards; Les Strayhorn, 3 for 39 yards; Roger Staubach, 3 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Larry Robinson, 2 for 17 yards; Otto Stowe, 1 for 9 yards; Golden Richards, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
STL: Terry Metcalf, 5 for 77 yards; Donny Anderson, 5 for 34 yards; Gary Hammond, 4 for 39 yards; Jackie Smith, 3 for 37 yards; Mel Gray, 2 for 35 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 23 yards; Walker Gillette, 1 for 6 yards; Jim McFarland, 1 for 3 yards DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 6 for 74 yards and 3 TDs; Calvin Hill, 6 for 36 yards; Otto Stowe, 3 for 62 yards; Bob Hayes, 2 for 67 yards; Golden Richards, 2 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Robert Newhouse, 1 for 38 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Don Shy, 1 for 29 yards; Jim McFarland, 1 for 19 yards DAL: Drew Pearson, 2 for 39 yards; Larry Robinson, 1 for 24 yards
Punt returns:
STL: Norm Thompson, 1 for -2 yards; Roger Wehrli, 1 for -3 yards DAL: Golden Richards, 1 for 3 yards; Cliff Harris, 1 for 0 yards; Drew Pearson, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Cliff Harris, 1 for 5 yards; Charlie Waters, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
STL: Gary Keithley, 7 for 272 yards DAL: Marv Bateman, 4 for 191 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 1/2 DAL: Toni Fritsch, 1/1