NFL game summary for 09/19/1976:
Dallas had to settle for a first quarter field goal instead of a possible 14 points following an illegal motion penalty and the Saints' recovery of a fumble in the end zone, but the Cowboys drove for touchdowns on their two possessions of the second quarter. Scott Laidlaw scored both Dallas touchdowns in the second period but Roger Staubach, who completed 15 of 22 attempts for 239 yards, kept the drives alive. Drew Pearson got the final touchdown for the Cowboys when he picked up Billy Joe DuPree's fumble of a 32-yard Staubach pass in the end zone.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 180.0 (9) | 265.0 (5) | 445.0 (4) | 3 |
| DEFENSE | 136.0 (17) | 144.0 (10) | 280.0 (11) | 5 | |
 | OFFENSE | 50.0 (28) | 82.0 (26) | 132.0 (27) | 3 |
| DEFENSE | 173.0 (19) | 276.0 (26) | 449.0 (26) | 1 |
Line: Cowboys by 13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys (2-0-0) | 3 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| New Orleans Saints (0-2-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
( 3- 0) DAL Efren Herrera 25 yard field goal (10- 0) DAL Scott Laidlaw 10 yard rush (Efren Herrera kick) (17- 0) DAL Scott Laidlaw 1 yard rush (Efren Herrera kick) (24- 0) DAL Drew Pearson 0 yard fumble return (Efren Herrera kick) (24- 6) NO Alvin Maxson 1 yard rush (kick failed)
DAL NO
First Downs: 22 11
Rushes-yards: 41-198 20-69
Yards/rush: 4.8 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-22-239-0 16-29-135-1
Sacked-yards: 2-14 5-41
Net pass yards: 225 94
Net yards/pass: 9.4 2.8
Total net yards: 423 163
Total plays: 65 (63% run) 54 (37% run)
Yards/play: 6.5 3.0
Fumbles-lost: 5-4 1-0
Turnovers: 4 1
Penalties-yards: 6-30 5-36
Attendance: 61,413
Passing:
DAL: Roger Staubach, 15 of 22 for 239 yards NO: Bobby Scott, 12 of 21 for 76 yards (1 int); Bobby Douglass, 4 of 8 for 59 yards
Rushing:
DAL: Scott Laidlaw, 17 for 71 yards and 2 TDs; Doug Dennison, 12 for 54 yards; Robert Newhouse, 5 for 20 yards; Charley Young, 4 for 41 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 13 yards; Danny White, 1 for -1 yards NO: Chuck Muncie, 13 for 50 yards; Tony Galbreath, 3 for 13 yards; Bobby Scott, 1 for 8 yards; Mike Strachan, 1 for 3 yards; Alvin Maxson, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD; Paul Seal, 1 for -6 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 5 for 108 yards; Drew Pearson, 3 for 40 yards; Scott Laidlaw, 3 for 15 yards; Golden Richards, 2 for 51 yards; Charley Young, 1 for 19 yards; Beasley Reece, 1 for 6 yards NO: Chuck Muncie, 6 for 36 yards; Don Herrmann, 3 for 29 yards; Tony Galbreath, 3 for 10 yards; Henry Childs, 2 for 42 yards; Tinker Owens, 1 for 13 yards; Larry Burton, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Jim Jensen, 1 for 26 yards; Butch Johnson, 1 for 25 yards NO: Tony Galbreath, 4 for 78 yards; Chuck Muncie, 1 for 16 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 3 for 44 yards NO: Pete Athas, 1 for 18 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Charlie Waters, 1 for 5 yards
Punting:
DAL: Danny White, 3 for 108 yards NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 318 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Efren Herrera, 1/1 NO: Rich Szaro, 0/1
DAL: Roger Staubach, 15 of 22 for 239 yards NO: Bobby Scott, 12 of 21 for 76 yards (1 int); Bobby Douglass, 4 of 8 for 59 yards
Rushing:
DAL: Scott Laidlaw, 17 for 71 yards and 2 TDs; Doug Dennison, 12 for 54 yards; Robert Newhouse, 5 for 20 yards; Charley Young, 4 for 41 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 13 yards; Danny White, 1 for -1 yards NO: Chuck Muncie, 13 for 50 yards; Tony Galbreath, 3 for 13 yards; Bobby Scott, 1 for 8 yards; Mike Strachan, 1 for 3 yards; Alvin Maxson, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD; Paul Seal, 1 for -6 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 5 for 108 yards; Drew Pearson, 3 for 40 yards; Scott Laidlaw, 3 for 15 yards; Golden Richards, 2 for 51 yards; Charley Young, 1 for 19 yards; Beasley Reece, 1 for 6 yards NO: Chuck Muncie, 6 for 36 yards; Don Herrmann, 3 for 29 yards; Tony Galbreath, 3 for 10 yards; Henry Childs, 2 for 42 yards; Tinker Owens, 1 for 13 yards; Larry Burton, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Jim Jensen, 1 for 26 yards; Butch Johnson, 1 for 25 yards NO: Tony Galbreath, 4 for 78 yards; Chuck Muncie, 1 for 16 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 3 for 44 yards NO: Pete Athas, 1 for 18 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Charlie Waters, 1 for 5 yards
Punting:
DAL: Danny White, 3 for 108 yards NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 318 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Efren Herrera, 1/1 NO: Rich Szaro, 0/1