Undrafted free agents 1983 Undrafted Free Agents of note Player Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career Main article: 1983 NFL draft 1983 Dallas Cowboys draft Despite having the home field advantage, the Cowboys fell, 24–17. The failed play led to a rare emotional outburst from Landry as he yelled "No, Danny, no." After a 42–17 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers the following week, the Cowboys faced the Los Angeles Rams in the wild card game of the NFC playoffs. There appeared to be a miscommunication between quarterback Danny White and Tom Landry as to whether to run the play. With the Cowboys trailing 14–10 in the third quarter, the Cowboys failed on a fourth and one at midfield. Both teams entered the game with 12–2 records, but the defending champion Redskins proved too much for the Cowboys and emerged with a 31–10 victory, giving them the NFC East title.
Late in the season, the Cowboys met the Redskins at Texas Stadium with the NFC East crown up for grabs. In particular, the young secondary was guilty of giving up many big plays throughout the season. However, the defense gave up many points, despite strong play from Randy White, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, and Everson Walls. The Cowboys scored a team record 479 points and staged a few come-from-behind victories during the season. The Cowboys were particularly strong on offense, led by quarterback Danny White and running back Tony Dorsett. The team started the season with seven straight victories, including a memorable Monday night win over the Washington Redskins in which the team erased a 20-point halftime deficit and prevailed, 31–30.
The team broke the record for consecutive playoff appearances with 9 (the 2010 Colts later tied the record). The Cowboys finished second in the NFC East and improving their 6-3 record from 1982. The 1983 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 24th season in the National Football League.