Player Profile: Emmitt Smith (1995)
From the Cowboys*96 Media Guide
(July, 1996)
1995: The 1995 season was a record breaking year for
Smith as he established an NFL mark for touchdowns in a season
with 25, topping John Riggins' mark of 24 set in 1983. Smith
is only the fourth player to lead the NFL in touchdowns for three-or-more
seasons in his career, joining Don Hutson (eight seasons) and
Jim Brown and Lance Alworth (three). In recording his fifth-straight,
1,000 yard season, Smith led the NFL in rushing with 1,773 yards,
the 10th best rushing season in NFL history, and the fourth time
in five years he has captured the league's rushing crown.
He also led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage (2,148), rushing
attempts (377) and scoring (150 points) - the first non-kicker
to lead the league in scoring since Jerry Rice in 1987 (he became
the first non-kicker to lead the league in scoring since Jerry
Rice in 1987 (he became the first non-kicker to lead the league
in scoring since Jerry Rice in 1987 (he became the first non-kicker
to ever lead Dallas in scoring in back-to-back seasons).
All these on-field contributions earned Smith consensus All-Pro
honors for the fourth straight season (first Dallas offensive
player chosen four straight times since Ralph Neely from 1966-69)
and his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl selection, joining Mel Renfro
as the only Dallas players selected in books in 1995 were the
following Cowboys single-season records:
Rushing Yards- New Mark 1,773, Old Mark 1,713 (Smith,
1992)
Rushing Attempts- New Mark 333, Old Mark 373 (Smith, 1992)
100-Yard Rushing Games- New Mark 11, Old Mark 9 (Dorsett,
1981)
Touchdowns- New Mark 25, Old Mark 22 (Smith, 1994)
Rushing Touchdowns- New Mark 25, Old Mark 21 (Smith, 1994)
Points- New Mark 150, Old Mark 132 (Smith, 1994)
Consecutive Games w/TD - New Mark 11, Old Mark 9 (Smith,
1993-94)
Rushing/Receiving Yards - New Mark 2,148, Old Mark 2,048
(Smith, 1992)
Rushing/Receiving Attempts - New Mark 439, Old Mark 432
(Smith 1992)
Smith opened the season on an appropriate note, taking his first
carry 60 yards for a touchdown at the N.Y. Giants (9/4) and earning
NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. In that game, he rushed
for 163 yards and four touchdowns, tying the club record for
touchdowns in a game, and he broke Dorsett's club record of 72
career rushing scores by logging touchdowns number 72, 73, 74
and 75.
Smith came back the next week against Denver (9/10) to run for
114 yards and record his 80th career touchdown, reaching that
mark in his 79th career game, faster than Brown's NFL record
of 81 games. A touchdown was again Smith's calling-card at Minnesota
(9/17) when he reached the end zone in the fourth quarter to
put Dallas ahead 17-10 and again in overtime with the gam-winning
score on a 31-yard run. On the day, he had 150 yards, including
123 yards and both touchdowns on 12 second half carries, and
earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Smith rounded out September, a month in which he would earn NFC
Offensive Player of the Month honors, with his fourth-consecutive
100-yard day to start the season, a 116 yard effort against Arizona
(9/24). In posting four-straight 100-yard days, Smith tied Dorsett's
club record, and with two rushing touchdowns, he extended his
club record by scoring in his 11th consecutive game (tying Lenny
Moore of the Colts for the third longest streak in NFL history).
Late in the Cardinals game he suffered a bruised ulnar nerve
and ruptured bursa sac in his left elbow, but he bounced back
at Washington (10/8) before establishing a new club record with
his 87th and 88th career touchdowns when Dallas traveled to San
Diego (10/15).
When the Cowboys traveled to Atlanta (10/29), Smith became the
20th player in NFL history to surpass the 8,000 yard mark for
his career when he rushed for a season-high 167 yards. He recorded
his second-consecutive 150-yard rushing day, and fourth of the
season, with 158 yards and two scores on 27 carries against Philadelphia
(11/6). When the Cowboys visited Oakland (11/19), Smith visited
the end zone three times while adding 110 yards rushing, his
ninth 100-yard rushing day of the season-tying Dorsett's club
record for 100-yard games in a season.
Smith left the Thanksgiving Day game against Kansas City (11/23)
in the third quarter with a sprained left knee, but not before
scoring his 21st rushing touchdown of the season to tie his club
record.
A true iron-man, Smith has started 104-of-106 career games in
Dallas, including postseason. He bounced back from the sprain
the following week to set a club record with his 22nd touchdown
of the season while gaining 91 yards on 21 carries against Washington
(12/3). With 108 yards and a touchdown at Philadelphia (12/10),
Smith logged his 10th 100-yard rushing day of the season to set
a new club record, while also scoring his 23rd touchdown of the
year and 138th point, also club records.
The next week against the N.Y. Giants (12/17), Smith tied the
NFL record with his 24th touchdown of the season, and his 103
yards rushing gave him his 11th 100-yard day of the season, extending
this club record and tying the second most in a season in NFL
history. The final record-breaking touchdown of the regular-season
came on Christmas night at Arizona (12/25) when Smith logged
his 25th rushing touchdown of the season, tying his club record
with a touchdown in his 11th consecutive game. In that game,
Smith led the team in rushing for the 26th consecutive game,
and for his career he has led the team in rushing in 85-of-93
regular-season games.
In the postseason opener against Philadelphia (1/7/96), Smith
rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown to become the fifth player
in NFL history to accumulate 1,000 postseason rushing yards in
a career. In the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay (1/14/96),
Smith tied a career-high and set a Dallas postseason record with
35 carries, and he set a new club record with three touchdowns,
including two key fourth quarter scores to give Dallas the lead
and the win. He ran 150 yards and recorded a club-record with
37 combined rushing/receiving attempts.
When Dallas captured the Super Bowl XXX title with a win over
the Pittsburg Steelers (1/28/96), Smith capped the season the
way he began it with two second half touchdowns to give Dallas
a 27-17 win. His two scores gave him 18 career postseason touchdowns,
tying him for the NFL record with Thurman Thomas, and also gave
him a seven-game scoring streak in postseason play, tied for
the second longest in NFL history. Smith has now scored in 36
of the last 38 games, including postseason.
Emmitt's Seasons: 1994 ...
1993 ... 1992
... 1991 ... 1990
Emmitt in College & Game Starts
Emmitt's Personal Data
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