The Dallas Cowboys season was their sixth in the National Football League and their best record to date, at 7–7. After five consecutive losses, Dallas was 2–5 halfway through the season. They won five of the final seven games and finished in a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference, with the New York Giants, four games behind the defending NFL champion Cleveland Browns (11–3).
The Cowboys defeated the Giants twice and earned the berth in the third place Playoff Bowl in Miami, held three weeks after the regular season, but lost 35–3 to the Baltimore Colts, runners-up of the Western Conference.
Offseason NFL draft
Roster
Dallas Cowboys 1965 roster Quarterbacks Don Meredith Craig Morton Jerry Rhome
Running backs Perry Lee Dunn Don Perkins Dan Reeves J. D. Smith A. D. Whitfield
Wide receivers Buddy Dial Pete Gent Bob Hayes
Tight ends Frank Clarke Pettis Norman Offensive linemen Jim Boeke T Mike Connelly C/G Leon Donohue G Mitch Johnson G/T Jake Kupp G Dave Manders C Ralph Neely T Don Talbert T
Defensive linemen George Andrie DE Jim Colvin DT Bob Lilly DT Jethro Pugh DT/DE Larry Stephens DE/DT Maury Youmans DELinebackers Dave Edwards OLB Harold Hays OLB Chuck Howley OLB Lee Roy Jordan MLB Jerry Tubbs MLB
Defensive backs Don Bishop CB Mike Gaechter SS Cornell Green CB Warren Livingston CB Obert Logan SS Mel Renfro FS
Special teams Colin Ridgway P Danny Villanueva K/PTaxi squad Brig Owens S Russell Wayt LB
Reserve lists Joe Isbell G (IR) Tony Liscio T (IR) Roger Pettee LB (IR) Bill Sandeman DT (IR) Jimmy Sidle RB (IR) Malcolm Walker C/G/T (IR)
Rookies in italics 40 active, 8 inactive
Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game Site Attendance Recap 1 September 19 New York Giants W 31–2 1–0 Cotton Bowl 59,366 Recap 2 September 26 Washington Redskins W 27–7 2–0 Cotton Bowl 61,577 Recap 3 at St. Louis Cardinals L 13–20 2–1 Busch Stadium 32,034 Recap 4 October 10 Philadelphia Eagles L 24–35 2–2 Cotton Bowl 56,249 Recap 5 October 17 at Cleveland Browns L 17–23 2–3 Cleveland Stadium 80,451 Recap 6 October 24 at Green Bay Packers L 3–13 2–4 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,311 Recap 7 October 31 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 13–22 2–5 Pitt Stadium 37,804 Recap 8 November 7 San Francisco 49ers W 39–31 3–5 Cotton Bowl 39,677 Recap 9 November 14 Pittsburgh Steelers W 24–17 4–5 Cotton Bowl 57,293 Recap 10 November 21 Cleveland Browns L 17–24 4–6 Cotton Bowl 76,251 Recap 11 November 28 at Washington Redskins L 31–34 4–7 D.C. Stadium 50,205 Recap 12 December 5 at Philadelphia Eagles W 21–19 5–7 Franklin Field 54,714 Recap 13 St. Louis Cardinals W 27–13 6–7 Cotton Bowl 38,499 Recap 14 December 19 at New York Giants W 38–20 7–7 Yankee Stadium 62,871 Recap Conference opponents are in bold text
Postseason
Round Date Opponent Result Game Site Attendance Playoff Bowl January 9, 1966 vs Baltimore Colts L 3–35 Orange Bowl 65,569
Standings
References