The 2011 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their third playing home games at Cowboys Stadium and their 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.
Offseason
Players added Pos. Player 2010 TeamDE Kenyon Coleman Cleveland Browns
Players lost Pos. Player 2011 TeamRB Marion Barber III Chicago BearsDE Stephen Bowen Washington RedskinsT Marc Colombo Miami DolphinsG Leonard Davis Detroit LionsWR Sam Hurd Chicago BearsWR Roy Williams Chicago Bears
2011 draft class
Notes 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.
Undrafted free agents Name Position College Jose Acuna Tackle Nevada Corey Adams Long Snpper Kansas State Alex Albright Linebacker Boston College Dan Bailey Kicker Oklahoma State Billy Blackard Defensive tackle Northeastern State Mario Butler Cornerback Georgia Tech Zach Eskridge Quarterback Midwestern State Alex Ibiloye Cornerback TCU Chris Jones Punter Carson–Newman Kevin Kowalski Center Toledo Orie Lemon Linebacker Oklahoma State Lyle Leong Wide receiver Texas Tech Pepa Letuli Guard Hawaii Tysson Poots Wide receiver Southern Utah Raymond Radway Wide receiver Abilene Christian Chris Randle Cornerback Utah State Collin Zych Safety Harvard
Staff
Rosters
Opening preseason roster Dallas Cowboys 2011 opening preseason roster Quarterbacks Tom Brandstater Jon Kitna Stephen McGee Tony Romo
Running backs Shaun Chapas FB Tashard Choice Chris Gronkowski FB Felix Jones Lonyae Miller Jason Pociask FB/TE Phillip Tanner Frank Warren
Wide receivers Miles Austin Dez Bryant James Cleveland Dominique Edison Dwayne Harris Jesse Holley Manuel Johnson Lyle Leong Kevin Ogletree Tysson Poots Raymond Radway Titus Ryan Teddy Williams CB
Tight ends Martellus Bennett John Phillips Martin Rucker Jason Witten Offensive linemen Jose Acuna T/G David Arkin G Phil Costa C/G Doug Free T Montrae Holland G Kyle Kosier G/C Kevin Kowalski G/C Pepa Letuli T/G Bill Nagy C/G Jermey Parnell T Tyron Smith T Sam Young T
Defensive linemen Josh Brent NT Kenyon Coleman DE Clifton Geathers DE Jason Hatcher DE Sean Lissemore DE/NT Igor Olshansky DE Jay Ratliff NT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen NT/DE Marcus Spears DELinebackers Alex Albright OLB Mike Balogun ILB Keith Brooking ILB Victor Butler OLB Kenwin Cummings ILB Alex Daniels OLB Isaiah Greenhouse ILB Bradie James ILB Sean Lee ILB Orie Lemon ILB Anthony Spencer OLB/DE DeMarcus Ware OLB/DE Brandon Williams OLB
Defensive backs Alan Ball CB/FS Mario Butler CB Barry Church SS Abram Elam SS/FS Alex Ibiloye CB/SS Mike Jenkins CB Bryan McCann CB Danny McCray FS Terence Newman CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah FS/CB Chris Randle CB Orlando Scandrick CB Andrew Sendejo SS Gerald Sensabaugh FS/SS Josh Thomas CB Ross Weaver CB Collin Zych SS/FS
Special teams Corey Adams LS Dan Bailey K David Buehler K Chris Jones P L. P. Ladouceur LS Mat McBriar P Reserve lists Billy Blackard NT (Waived/Injured) Bruce Carter ILB (Active/NF-Inj.) Kai Forbath K (Active/NF-Inj.) Andre Gurode C (Active/NF-Inj.) DeMarco Murray RB (Active/NF-Inj.)
90 active, 1 inactive
Week one roster Dallas Cowboys 2011 week one roster Quarterbacks Jon Kitna Stephen McGee Tony Romo
Running backs Tashard Choice Felix Jones DeMarco Murray Phillip Tanner
Wide receivers Miles Austin Dez Bryant PR Dwayne Harris Jesse Holley Kevin Ogletree Laurent Robinson
Tight ends Martellus Bennett John Phillips FB Martin Rucker Jason Witten Offensive linemen David Arkin G Phil Costa C Derrick Dockery G Doug Free T Kyle Kosier G Kevin Kowalski C/G Bill Nagy G Jermey Parnell T Tyron Smith T
Defensive linemen Josh Brent NT Kenyon Coleman DE Clifton Geathers DE Jason Hatcher DE Sean Lissemore DE/NT Jay Ratliff NT Marcus Spears DELinebackers Alex Albright OLB Keith Brooking ILB Victor Butler OLB Bradie James ILB Sean Lee ILB Anthony Spencer OLB/DE DeMarcus Ware OLB/DE
Defensive backs Alan Ball CB Barry Church SS Abram Elam SS/FS Mike Jenkins CB Bryan McCann CB/KR Danny McCray FS Terence Newman CB Orlando Scandrick CB Gerald Sensabaugh FS/SS
Special teams Dan Bailey K David Buehler K L. P. Ladouceur LS Mat McBriar P Reserve lists Bruce Carter ILB (NF-Inj.) Kai Forbath K (NF-Inj.) Raymond Radway WR (IR)
Practice Squad Mario Butler CB Rob Callaway NT/DE Shaun Chapas FB Isaiah Greenhouse ILB/FB Andre Holmes WR Orie Lemon ILB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah FS Teddy Williams WR
53 active, 3 inactive, 8 PS
Final roster Dallas Cowboys 2011 final roster Quarterbacks Chris Greisen Stephen McGee Tony Romo
Running backs Shaun Chapas FB Tony Fiammetta FB Felix Jones Sammy Morris Chauncey Washington
Wide receivers Miles Austin Dez Bryant PR Dwayne Harris KR Jesse Holley Andre Holmes Kevin Ogletree Laurent Robinson
Tight ends Martellus Bennett John Phillips Jason Witten Offensive linemen David Arkin G Phil Costa C Derrick Dockery G Doug Free T Kyle Kosier G Kevin Kowalski C/G Jermey Parnell T Tyron Smith T
Defensive linemen Josh Brent NT Kenyon Coleman DE Clifton Geathers DE Jason Hatcher DE Sean Lissemore DE Jay Ratliff NT Marcus Spears DELinebackers Alex Albright OLB Keith Brooking ILB Victor Butler OLB Bruce Carter ILB Bradie James ILB Sean Lee ILB Anthony Spencer OLB DeMarcus Ware OLB
Defensive backs Alan Ball CB Abram Elam SS Mike Jenkins CB Danny McCray FS Terence Newman CB Orlando Scandrick CB Gerald Sensabaugh FS Mana Silva SS Frank Walker CB
Special teams Dan Bailey K Chris Jones P L. P. Ladouceur LS Reserve lists David Buehler K (IR) Barry Church SS (IR) Kai Forbath K (NF-Inj.) Montrae Holland G (IR) Jon Kitna QB (IR) Mat McBriar P (IR) DeMarco Murray RB (IR) Bill Nagy G (IR) Raymond Radway WR (IR) Phillip Tanner RB (IR)
Practice Squad Mario Butler CB Rob Callaway NT/DE Brandon Carter G Orie Lemon LB Teddy Williams WR C. J. Wilson CB
53 active, 10 inactive, 6 Practice Squad
Schedule
Preseason
The Cowboys' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011. Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 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
Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 11 at New York Jets L 24–27 0–1 MetLife Stadium Recap 2 September 18 at San Francisco 49ers W 27–24 1–1 Candlestick Park Recap 3 September 26 Washington Redskins W 18–16 2–1 Cowboys Stadium Recap 4 October 2 Detroit Lions L 30–34 2–2 Cowboys Stadium Recap 5 Bye 6 October 16 at New England Patriots L 16–20 2–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 7 October 23 St. Louis Rams W 34–7 3–3 Cowboys Stadium Recap 8 October 30 at Philadelphia Eagles L 7–34 3–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 9 November 6 Seattle Seahawks W 23–13 4–4 Cowboys Stadium Recap 10 November 13 Buffalo Bills W 44–7 5–4 Cowboys Stadium Recap 11 November 20 at Washington Redskins W 27–24 6–4 FedExField Recap 12 November 24 Miami Dolphins W 20–19 7–4 Cowboys Stadium Recap 13 December 4 at Arizona Cardinals L 13–19 7–5 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 14 December 11 New York Giants L 34–37 7–6 Cowboys Stadium Recap15 December 17 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–15 8–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap 16 December 24 Philadelphia Eagles L 7–20 8–7 Cowboys Stadium Recap 17 January 1 at New York Giants L 14–31 8–8 MetLife Stadium Recap
Game summaries
Week 1: at New York Jets
Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers
Week 3: vs. Washington Redskins
Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions
With their second loss to the Lions at home in five years, the Cowboys fell to 2–2.
Week 6: at New England Patriots
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
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 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 11: at Washington Redskins
Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins Thanksgiving Day game
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
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.
Week 14: vs. New York Giants
Week 15: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 17: at New York Giants
With the loss, the Cowboys finished at 8–8 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Standings
References
External links
Pro Football Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys Official Site