NFL game summary for 10/09/1977:

Roger Staubach's 17-yard touchdown pass to Golden Richards with 6:53 left in the game capped a 14-point come-from-behind effort in the fourth quarter to preserve the Cowboys' perfect record and their lead in the NFC East. The Cardinals, never behind until Richards' catch, built their largest lead of the game, 24-16, with 36 seconds left in the third period when Charlie Davis scooped up a Staubach fumble and returned it 35 yards for a TD. After scoring a 77-yard first-half touchdown, Tony Dorsett, who gained 141 yards for his first 100-yard game, started the Cowboys' fourth period winning surge with a one-yard TD run 1:45 into the quarter, topping off an eight-play, 70-yard drive. Staubach then drove Dallas 67 yards on their next possession for the go-ahead TD to Richards.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

	Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
OFFENSE	173.7 (5)	211.7 (2)	385.3 (1)	5
DEFENSE	100.3 (5)	105.7 (5)	206.0 (4)	12
OFFENSE	102.7 (21)	214.0 (1)	316.7 (7)	8
DEFENSE	133.3 (13)	168.0 (20)	301.3 (18)	7

Line: Cowboys by 5

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Dallas Cowboys (4-0-0)	3	10	3	14	30
St. Louis Cardinals (1-3-0)	10	7	7	0	24

( 0- 3) STL Jim Bakken 32 yard field goal ( 3- 3) DAL Efren Herrera 29 yard field goal ( 3-10) STL Terry Metcalf 62 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick) (10-10) DAL Tony Dorsett 77 yard rush (Efren Herrera kick) (10-17) STL Mel Gray 60 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick) (13-17) DAL Efren Herrera 40 yard field goal (16-17) DAL Efren Herrera 44 yard field goal (16-24) STL Charles Davis 35 yard fumble return (Jim Bakken kick) (23-24) DAL Tony Dorsett 1 yard rush (Efren Herrera kick) (30-24) DAL Golden Richards 17 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)

                     DAL             STL
First Downs:         22              15
Rushes-yards:        39-264          31-146
Yards/rush:          6.8             4.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     18-29-153-0     10-34-195-2
Sacked-yards:        3-29            2-21
Net pass yards:      124             174
Net yards/pass:      3.9             4.8
Total net yards:     388             320
Total plays:         71 (54% run)    67 (46% run)  
Yards/play:          5.5             4.8
Fumbles-lost:        3-2             0-0
Turnovers:           2               2
Penalties-yards:     9-109           11-166

Attendance: 50,129

Passing:
DAL: Roger Staubach, 18 of 29 for 153 yards and 1 TD STL: Jim Hart, 9 of 32 for 186 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Terry Metcalf, 1 of 2 for 9 yards
Rushing:
DAL: Tony Dorsett, 14 for 141 yards and 2 TDs; Robert Newhouse, 12 for 67 yards; Preston Pearson, 10 for 46 yards; Roger Staubach, 3 for 10 yards STL: Wayne Morris, 19 for 78 yards; Terry Metcalf, 10 for 79 yards and 1 TD; Jim Otis, 1 for 2 yards; Terry Joyce, 1 for -13 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Drew Pearson, 6 for 55 yards; Preston Pearson, 4 for 26 yards; Butch Johnson, 2 for 25 yards; Robert Newhouse, 2 for 13 yards; Golden Richards, 1 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Jay Saldi, 1 for 10 yards; Tony Dorsett, 1 for 4 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 1 for 3 yards STL: Mel Gray, 3 for 84 yards and 1 TD; Ike Harris, 3 for 52 yards; J.V. Cain, 2 for 37 yards; Wayne Morris, 2 for 22 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 4 for 81 yards; Larry Brinson, 1 for 35 yards STL: Terry Metcalf, 7 for 166 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 1 for -1 yards STL: Terry Metcalf, 2 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Cliff Harris, 1 for 7 yards; Charlie Waters, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
DAL: Danny White, 4 for 137 yards STL: Terry Joyce, 6 for 204 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Efren Herrera, 3/4 STL: Jim Bakken, 1/1