2011 Dallas Cowboys season

The 2011 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 52nd in the National Football League, their third playing home games at Cowboys Stadium and their first full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The team improved on their 6–10 record from 2010, but missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season due to their week 17 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion [2011 2011 New York Giants season|New York Giants season|New York Giants].

2011 draft class

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College
1	9	Tyron Smith	OT	USC
2	40	Bruce Carter	ILB	North Carolina
3	71	DeMarco Murray	RB	Oklahoma
4	110	David Arkin	G	Missouri State
5	143	Josh Thomas	CB	Buffalo
6	176	Dwayne Harris	WR	East Carolina
7	220	Shaun Chapas	FB	Georgia
7		Bill Nagy	C	Wisconsin

Notes
The Cowboys forfeited its original seventh-round selection after selecting defensive tackle Josh Brent in the 2010 supplemental draft.

The Cowboys later acquired a new seventh-round selection in a trade that sent wide receiver Patrick Crayton to the San Diego Chargers.

Schedule

Preseason

The Cowboys' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	NFL.com recap
1	August 11	Denver Broncos	W 24–23	1–0	Cowboys Stadium
2	August 21	San Diego Chargers	L 7–20	1–1	Cowboys Stadium
3	August 27	at Minnesota Vikings	W 23–17	2–1	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
4	September 1	at Miami Dolphins	L 3–17	2–2	Sun Life Stadium

Game summaries

Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions

With their second loss to the Lions at home in five years, the Cowboys fell to 2–2.

Week 6: at New England Patriots

The Cowboys' blue uniforms returned after a 1-year hiatus, and they blew a 3-point fourth quarter lead, and lost to the 2011 AFC champion New England Patriots.

Week 7: vs. St. Louis Rams

This game is notable for DeMarco Murray, in his first NFL start, setting the Cowboys single game rushing record.

Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins

Thanksgiving Day game
Coming off their thrilling overtime road win over the Redskins, the Cowboys went home, donned their throwback uniforms, and played a Week 12 interconference duel with the Miami Dolphins in the annual Thanksgiving game. Dallas trailed early in the first quarter with Dolphins kicker Shayne Graham getting a 26-yard field goal, yet the Cowboys would answer in the second quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Dan Bailey, followed by quarterback Tony Romo finding wide receiver Laurent Robinson on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Miami would close out the half with Graham making a 28-yard field goal.
The Dolphins retook the lead in the third quarter with Graham booting a 27-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Matt Moore completing a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Afterwards, Dallas regained the lead in the fourth quarter with Romo connecting with Robinson again on an 18-yard touchdown pass. Miami struck back with Graham making a 23-yard field goal, but Bailey rescued the Cowboys by nailing the winning 28-yard field goal.
With the win, Dallas improved to 7–4.
Bailey and linebacker DeMarcus Ware were named CBS' All-Iron Award winners.

Week 13: at Arizona Cardinals

With seconds left in regulation with the score at 13-13, Jason Garrett called a time out before Dan Bailey was set to kick a 49-yard field goal that would have ended the game ; Bailey ended up missing the field goal and the Cowboys lost the game in overtime.

Week 17: at New York Giants

With the loss, the Cowboys finished at 8–8 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.