Super Bowl XII (12) Dallas VS Denver Recap

Super Bowl XII Dallas 27, Denver 10 Recap

Dallas Defeats Denver in Super Bowl XII. Randy White and Harvey Martin named MVP

After all the hype about the Broncos' Orange Crush defense, Denver played like a team with a serious vitamin deficiency. Dallas intercepted Denver quarterback Craig Morton four times and recovered four Denver fumbles while holding the Broncos to only 156 yards. The game, a penalty-filled, mistake-riddled mess, was salvaged in some small way by Dallas running back Robert Newhouse, who was asked to attempt his first pass in almost three years. Newhouse was so unprepared for the task that, in the huddle moments before the play, he had to feverishly remove stickum from his hands so he could throw the ball. Newhouse's toss to wide receiver Golden Richards resulted in a 29-yard touchdown.

The Cowboys evened their Super Bowl record at 2-2 by defeating Denver before a sellout crowd of 75,583, plus 102,010,000 television viewers, the largest audience ever to watch a sporting event.

Dallas converted two interceptions into 10 points and Efren Herrera added a 35-yard field goal for a 13-0 halftime advantage.

In the third period Craig Morton engineered a drive to the Cowboys' 30 and Jim Turner's 47-yard field goal made the score 13-3.

After an exchange of punts, Butch Johnson made a spectacular diving catch in the end zone to complete a 45-yard pass from Roger Staubach and put the Cowboys ahead 20-3.

Following Rick Upchurch's 67-yard kickoff return, Norris Weese guided the Broncos to a touchdown to cut the Dallas lead to 20-10.

Dallas clinched the victory when running back Robert Newhouse tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Golden Richards with 7:04 remaining in the game. It was the first pass thrown by Newhouse since 1975.

Harvey Martin and Randy White, who were named co-most valuable players, led the Cowboys' defense, which recovered four fumbles and intercepted four passes.

Scoring Information

                       1  2  3  4  Final
                       _________________
Dallas                10  3  7  7     27
Denver                 0  0 10  0     10

Dallas - Dorsett 3 run (Herrera kick)    
10:31 into the 1st

Dallas - FG Herrera 35              
13:29 into the 1st

Dallas - FG Herrera 43                
3:44 into the 2nd

Denver - FG Turner 47              
2:28 into the 3rd

Dallas - Johnson 45 pass from Staubach (Herrera kick)
8:01 into the 3rd

Denver - Lytle 1 run (Turner kick) 
9:21 into the 3rd

Dallas - Richards 29 pass from Newhouse (Herrera kick)
7:56 into the 4th

Super Bowl XII Logo

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Quick Facts

Score:

Super Bowl XII

Dallas 27
Denver 10

Location:
Superdome
New Orleans, Louisiana
January 15, 1978
Attendance: 76,400

CO MVP's:
Randy White, Defensive Tackle
Harvey Martin, Defensive End
of the Dallas Cowboys

Coaches
DAL Tom Landry
DEN Red Miller

Super Bowl XII Ring, Dallas 27 vs Denver 10, Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, CO MVP's Randy White, Defensive Tackle and Harvey Martin, Defensive End of the Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl XII Ring