only get one foot down in bounds in the end zone. After two more incompletions, Staubach completed a pass to tight end Billy Joe DuPree at the 8, but he was immediately tackled by safeties Bill Simpson and Dave Elmendorf 1 yard short of the first down marker, causing a turnover on downs. After three "kneel downs" and Cowboy time outs, the Rams faced a 4th and 14 with seconds left in the game. Wary of another blocked punt, Coach Knox ordered Ram punter Rusty Jackson to step out of the back of the end zone for an intentional safety, and the Rams won 14–12. "We said there was just no way they were getting into the end zone after they blocked that punt," said Simpson (a college teammate of DuPree at Michigan State University) after the game. We've come through too far and gone through too much. Staubach went to the wide receivers twice before, and we figured he'd go to DuPree. We both dove for him the moment Staubach threw. I think I got a hand on the ball. We had to play him tough. Goddamn it was the whole season on one play. That stuff happened to us too much in the past. We're going all the way this time." "Where the official marked the ball wasn't where I caught it", DuPree protested after the game. "That play was designed to get 10 yards." The Ram defense held Dallas to only 85 rushing yards; Dallas' defense was equally stingy, allowing 120 rushing yards but the Rams needed 49 attempts to achieve this. Constant Ram pressure caused Staubach to have one of his worst playoff games ever as he was 15 of 37 for 150 yards; he was sacked 4 times and threw 3 interceptions. In addition, Staubach, who had hurt the Rams the year before with his scrambling runs, gained only 8 yards rushing. Ram QB Pat Haden couldn't do much better vs. Dallas' tough defense; he was 10 for 21 for 152 yards and also threw 3 interceptions. This was the third postseason meeting between the Rams and Cowboys, with Dallas winning both previous meetings. Conference Championships Sunday, December 26, 1976 AFC: Oakland Raiders 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 7 Pittsburgh had defeated the Raiders in the AFC championship game in each of the last two seasons. But with Steelers running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier out