Herschel Walker could have arrived at a better time, with Tony Dorsett sidelined with a first half ankle injury, Walker ended his NFL debut by scoring a game-winning touchdown on a 10-yard run with 1:16 to play against the Giants. Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career Main article: 1986 NFL draft 1986 Dallas Cowboys draft No Cowboys were selected for the Pro Bowl in 1986. The offensive line gave up 60 sacks, the offense turned the ball over 41 times, and the team committed 112 penalties. Overall, it was mistakes that would plague the team throughout the 1986 season. The pass rush was still strong, despite defensive tackle Randy White finally beginning to slow down due to age and injury, as fourth year defensive end Jim Jeffcoat stepped up with 14 sacks.
Defensively, the team struggled to stop the run, finishing 23rd against the run, and the secondary, an opportunistic bunch in past seasons, only intercepted 17 passes during the season. Rookie wide receiver Mike Sherrard provided a deep threat, gaining 744 yards on just 41 receptions. Wide receiver Tony Hill and tight end Doug Cosbie both began to show their age, and Mike Renfro was limited because of injury. The passing game flourished under Danny White early in the year, but following White's injury, turnovers and an inability to protect the quarterback neutralized the passing attack. This was the first non-strike season he hadn't rushed for 1,000 yards. Running back Tony Dorsett added 748 yards rushing, and even though he was still the team's starting running back, he was clearly unhappy with his reduced role. Late in the season against the Eagles, Walker had a combined 292 yards rushing and receiving, breaking the team single game record. Running back Herschel Walker rushed for 737 yards, caught 76 passes for 837 yards, and scored 14 touchdowns. The Cowboys undoing certainly wasn't because of an inability to move the football, as the team ranked fourth in the NFL in total offense. Landry returned to the field later in the game wearing a bulletproof vest. During the third quarter of a late-season loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Tom Landry was forced to leave the field due to a threat against his life. It was the Cowboys' first loss on Thanksgiving since 1979. The Cowboys lost seven out of their final eight games, and suffered a five-game losing streak to close out the season, including embarrassing losses to the Redskins (41–14) and the Seahawks in the annual Thanksgiving Day game (31–14). Pelluer took over as the starting quarterback, and struggled mightily, throwing 17 interceptions over the course of the season, as well as seeing constant pressure from opposing pass rushers, including being sacked a team record twelve times in a game against San Diego. However, White broke his wrist on a sack by Carl Banks during a crucial loss to the New York Giants, and was ruled out for the season. Quarterbacks Danny White and Steve Pelluer played well early in the season under Hackett's tutelage, who was brought over from the San Francisco 49ers to breathe new life into the passing game. The Cowboys, re-invigorated by the off-season acquisitions of running back Herschel Walker and passing coordinator Paul Hackett, got off to a strong 6–2 start, including a season opening win on Monday night over the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants, which saw Walker score the winning touchdown late in the game, and a 30–6 blowout win over the Washington Redskins, which ended the Redskins 5–0 start. The team finished the regular season at 7–9 and finishing with a losing record for the first time since 1964. NFL footage © NFL Productions LLC.The 1986 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 27th season in the National Football League. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.