Player Profile: Michael Irvin (1994)
From the Cowboys*96 Media Guide
(July, 1996)
1994: Irvin closed the season with a heroic effort
in the NFC Championship Game that left Dallas just short of its
third straight Super Bowl appearance. In the 38-28 loss at Candlestick
Park (1/15/95). Irvin established Dallas postseason records for
receptions (12) and yards (192).
He tied Raymond Berry's NFC Championship Game record for receptions
(12), while eclipsing Berry's title game mark of 178 yards. Irvin
also had touchdown receptions of 44 and 10 yards against San
Francisco. The previous week, Irvin led a trio of Dallas receivers
who all surpassed the 100-yard receiving barrier in the Cowboys
playoff win over Green Bay (1/8/95).
Irvin hauled in six catches for 111 yards - joining Jay Novacek
(104) and Alvin Harper (108) to mark just the second time in
NFL history that three receivers from the same team went over
100 yards in a postseason game. During the regular season, Irvin
led Dallas in receptions and yardage for the fourth straight
year.
He finished the regular season ranked eighth in the NFL in receiving
yards (fifth in the NFC) with 1,241. He was also 13th in the
NFL in receptions (eight in the NFC) with 79. His six touchdown
catches were second best on the team (Harper, 8), marking the
first time since 1989 that Irvin did not lead Dallas in touchdown
receptions.
His five 100-yard receiving days were highlighted by a pair of
130-yard-plus outings against Pittsburgh (9/4) and Arizona (10/9).
While working against Rod Woodson of the Steelers on opening
day, Irvin registered eight catches for a regular-season high
139 yards. A month later against the Cardinals, he again had
eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Two weeks later in Phoenix (10/23), Irvin picked up his longest
scoring reception of the year on a 65-yard bomb from Rodney Peete.
He finished that day with five catches for 115 yards and two
scoring receptions in the Cowboys 28-21 win. In the Cowboys'
NFC East clinching effort at Philadelphia (12/4).
Irvin averaged a career-high 29.3 yards-per-catch with four receptions
for 117 yards and a score. In that victory at Veterans Stadium,
Irvin eclipsed the 400 career catch barrier, while also surpassing
1,000 yards on the season for a club-record fourth straight year.
Irvin's Seasons: 1995, 1992-93,
1991, 1988-90
Irvin's College/Game Starts
Irvin's Personal Data
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