Jackie Smith and "The Drop"

Good story on Jackie Smith.

Jackie Smith talks extensively about the drop that almost ruined his life | SI.com

It was pretty awful

It was pretty awful

Who will ever forget him going stiff as a board and lifting himself off the ground?

Who will ever forget him going stiff as a board and lifting himself off the ground?

Or, "He must be the sickest man in America."

The only thing I never liked about that play was the way Dallas invented a mythos about it. "It cost us the game."

Not IMO. It would have tied the game. A game where they already had a lead and lost it. A game where they would still kick a FG on the drive. A game where their defense and special teams broke down and aided the Steelers to an insurmountable lead.

When Staubach made a comeback to close it to 35-31 there were only seconds left and the Steelers were playing prevent that as usual, prevented nothing.

Another thing I hate about this play, and stigma being put on Jackie Smith is that it was a perfect pass. You can clearly see that the pass was behind him. I've hated this play going over 15 years when I first saw it. Greatest TE of all-time a when he retired. It was a pass in the 3rd quarter, not the last minute.

Another thing I hate about this play, and stigma being put on Jackie Smith is that it was a perfect pass. You can clearly see that the pass was behind him. I've hated this play going over 15 years when I first saw it. Greatest TE of all-time a when he retired. It was a pass in the 3rd quarter, not the last minute.

In the article I linked to Staubach says he rushed the pass and the angst that most thought was aimed at Smith was really him being mad at himself.

Pros aren't perfect...but...receivers are paid to make that catch in crunch time...he has to make it. And he knows he should have caught it...but no one should blame him for anything, it was a dropped pass, just like dozens of other passes that are dropped in the NFL every year, this one just happed to be bigger than most. And the Cowboys vaunted defense wasn't exactly setting the world on fire that game either. As a young boy and a Cowboys fan and Roger Staubach being my favorite player, when Smith dropped that ball I let out a big scream.

Pros aren't perfect...but...receivers are paid to make that catch in crunch time...he has to make it. And he knows he should have caught it...but no one should blame him for anything, it was a dropped pass, just like dozens of other passes that are dropped in the NFL every year, this one just happed to be bigger than most. And the Cowboys vaunted defense wasn't exactly setting the world on fire that game either. As a young boy and a Cowboys fan and Roger Staubach being my favorite player, when Smith dropped that ball I let out a big scream.

It was almost as pitiful as Preston Pearson and his celebration injury.

As a huge childhood fan of "America's Team", I was ticked off when Smith dropped the ball, but as said, don't think it meant Cowboys would have won for sure. Pittsburgh seemed to always have the answer for Cowboys back in the day. Now they always torment my Bengal fan-dom. Ugh!

Cowboys back then were cool . . . Dorsett (my fav), Robert Newhouse, the Pearsons, Golden Richards, Hollywood, Too Tall, Randy White, Staubach, etc.

As a huge childhood fan of "America's Team", I was ticked off when Smith dropped the ball, but as said, don't think it meant Cowboys would have won for sure. Pittsburgh seemed to always have the answer for Cowboys back in the day. Now they always torment my Bengal fan-dom. Ugh!

 

Cowboys back then were cool . . . Dorsett (my fav), Robert Newhouse, the Pearsons, Golden Richards, Hollywood, Too Tall, Randy White, Staubach, etc.

North Dallas Forty, Nick Nolte, Mac Davis. :smug: