2011 Dallas Cowboys season
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Article ImagesThe 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 | |
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Owner | Jerry Jones |
General manager | Jerry Jones |
Head coach | Jason Garrett |
Home field | Cowboys Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 8–8 |
Division place | 3rd NFC East |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | DT Jay Ratliff LB DeMarcus Ware |
AP All-Pros | DeMarcus Ware (1st team) |
Uniform | |
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Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
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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 |
Notes ^[a] The Cowboys forfeited its original seventh-round selection after selecting defensive tackle Josh Brent in the 2010 Supplemental Draft.
- The Cowboys later acquired a new seventh-round selection in a trade that sent wide receiver Patrick Crayton to the San Diego Chargers.[2]
The Cowboys' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
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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 |
Week 1: at New York Jets
Game information | ||
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Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers
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Week 3: vs. Washington Redskins
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Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions
Week Four: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Lions | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 34 |
Cowboys | 7 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 30 |
at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Date: October 2
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 78,122
- Referee: John Parry
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
- Recap
Gamebook
Game information | ||
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With their second loss to the Lions at home in five years, the Cowboys fell to 2–2.
Week 6: at New England Patriots
Week Six: Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Cowboys | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
Patriots | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
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 | ||
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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
Week Seven: St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Rams | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
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 | ||
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This game is notable for DeMarco Murray, in his first NFL start, setting the Cowboys single game rushing record.
Week 8: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week Eight: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Eagles | 14 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 34 |
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 | ||
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Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week Nine: Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Seahawks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 23 |
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 | ||
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Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week Ten: Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bills | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Cowboys | 14 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 44 |
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 | ||
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Week 11: at Washington Redskins
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Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week Twelve: Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 3 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 19 |
Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
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 | ||
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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
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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
Week Fourteen: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Giants | 5 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 37 |
Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Date: December 11
- Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 95,952
- Referee: Scott Green
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, & Michele Tafoya
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Week 15: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week Sixteen: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Eagles | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
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 | ||
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Week 17: at New York Giants
Week Seventeen: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Giants | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: January 1
- Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST/7:20 p.m. CST[5]
- Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C) (Rain Showers)
- Game attendance: 81,077
- Referee: Walt Anderson
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, & Michele Tafoya
Game information | ||
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With the loss, the Cowboys finished at 8–8 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
NFC East | |||||||||
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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 |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Opening preseason roster
- ^ "Giants Defeat Cowboys to Take Final Playoff". The New York Times. January 2, 2012.
- ^ "2011 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com.
- ^ "VIDEO: Jason Garrett Iced His Own Kicker". December 4, 2011.
- ^ "Garrett's decision to ice his own kicker numbs the brain". NFL.com.
- ^ 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
- "2011 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Dallas Cowboys Official Site