Pro Football : NFL Exhibition Roundup : Hogeboom Rallies Cowboys to 20-10 Victory Over Oilers

Gary Hogeboom threw a pair of touchdown passes Saturday night, and the Dallas Cowboys finished the National Football League exhibition season unbeaten for the first time since 1971 with a 20-10 victory over the Houston Oilers at Irving, Tex.

The game-winner came on a 24-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Leon (Speedy) Gonzalez with 4:44 left in the third period. Gonzalez is a seventh-round pick from Bethune-Cookman.

Dallas finished 4-0 and Houston 1-4. The Cowboys joined the New York Giants and Washington Redskins as the only teams with perfect exhibition records.

The Cowboys fell behind, 10-0, in a first quarter in which they didn’t produce a first down.

Tony Zendejas kicked a 49-yard field goal, and Warren Moon connected with rookie Mike Akiu on a 51-yard scoring pass pass play to put the underdog Oilers ahead. Moon later suffered a ripped nail on his right thumb and sat out the second half.

Dallas came back on a 34-yard field goal by Rafael Septien and a 24-yard Hogeboom-to-Tony Dorsett touchdown pass to tie the game, 10-10, at halftime.

Rookie linebacker Jesse Penn intercepted an Oliver Luck pass late in the fourth period to set up a 29-yard field goal by Septien.

Danny White didn’t suit up for the Cowboys because of a rib injury. Hogeboom, playing three quarters, completed 13 of 25 passes for 186 yards.

Chicago 45, Buffalo 14--Calvin Thomas ran for two touchdowns, and Jim McMahon and Walter Payton ran for one each at Chicago to lead the Bears to their first win.

Buffalo’s Vince Ferragamo completed 9 of 19 passes for 183 yards, including touchdown plays of 59 and 40 yards to Andre Reed. The Bears finished 1-3, the Bills 0-3-1.

N.Y. Jets 30, Green Bay 20--Johnny Hector scored twice, and Freeman McNeil had 116 yards in 13 carries for the Jets at Green Bay.

Jet receiver Jojo Townsell, formerly of the Los Angeles Express, caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Ken O’Brien. Both teams finished 1-3.

Kansas City 17, St. Louis 13--A 28-yard scramble by Chief quarterback Bill Kenney set up a five-yard run by Ken Lacy for the winning score at Kansas City. The Chiefs finished 3-1, the Cardinals 2-2.