On This Day in Sports: January 30, 1994
On January 30, 1994, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 30–13 in Super Bowl XXVIII at the Georgia Dome, winning a second consecutive championship. It was a rematch of the previous season’s blowout, but Buffalo controlled the first half and led 13–6 at intermission. The Bills appeared determined to change the outcome of their fourth straight Super Bowl appearance, while Dallas looked surprisingly flat. The championship turned not on a complicated drive, but on one defensive play early in the third quarter.
Thurman Thomas took a handoff and was hit by Leon Lett, knocking the ball free. Dallas safety James Washington recovered and ran 46 yards for a touchdown, tying the score and instantly changing the game’s energy. The Cowboys then leaned on Emmitt Smith. On the go-ahead drive he touched the ball on seven consecutive plays, gaining 64 yards and finishing with a 15-yard touchdown run. Buffalo knew exactly where the ball was going and still could not stop him, a sequence that distilled Smith’s value to the Dallas offense.
Smith finished with 132 rushing yards, added four receptions and scored two touchdowns to earn the game’s most valuable player award. Troy Aikman attempted only 27 passes because the running game and defense steadily took control. Dallas scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, while the Cowboys’ defense held the Bills scoreless and forced the mistakes that prevented a response. Washington added an interception to his fumble return, making him one of the night’s most important contributors even though Smith received the trophy.
The victory made Dallas the first team to win a Super Bowl after beginning the season 0–2, a start caused by Smith’s contract holdout. It also gave the Cowboys consecutive titles and confirmed that their young core had become the league’s new dynasty. For Buffalo, the defeat completed an unprecedented and heartbreaking sequence of four straight Super Bowl losses, an achievement of sustained conference excellence overshadowed by the final results. Coach Jimmy Johnson left Dallas soon afterward, so Super Bowl XXVIII became the last game of his turbulent, transformative tenure. The comeback captured his team’s formula perfectly: force a turnover, trust its offensive line and let Smith control the championship when the pressure became greatest. The Georgia Dome crowd had watched Buffalo control the first thirty minutes, which made the speed of the reversal especially striking. Dallas did not need a frantic passing comeback; it imposed order through defense and repeated runs. That physical certainty wore down the Bills and turned a seven-point deficit into a seventeen-point victory, reinforcing how completely the Cowboys could dictate a game after halftime.
Buffalo led 13–6 at halftime before Dallas scored 24 unanswered points in the second half.
Washington’s 46-yard fumble return tied the game and reversed the momentum early in the third quarter.
Smith touched the ball on seven straight plays during the go-ahead drive and finished it with a touchdown.
Smith rushed for 132 yards, caught four passes and earned Super Bowl MVP honors.
Dallas became the first champion to recover from an 0–2 start to the regular season.
The game ended Buffalo’s run of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances and was Johnson’s final game as Cowboys coach.
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