The Rivalry That Is The Philadelphia Eagles vs. The Dallas Cowboys: Through My Eyes
Tonight marks the Philadelphia Eagles final visit to Texas Stadium (barring a playoff match up), the site of many great battles between the Birds and the ‘Boys. With both teams sights locked on Tampa in February, this early season battle will add another chapter to one of the NFL’s most bitter rivalries. But for yours truly, it will be one more game where I keep the TUMS within arms reach.
It is a rivalry that has divided homes, ended friendships and strained marriages. The Eagles/Cowboys saga has left me on the edge of sanity. Now my five-year old Quentin is involved because his two favorite players happen to be Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb. Mostly because of when Owens was here in Philly.
Q’s prediction on the game later.
January 11, 1981: My father’s dislike for the Dallas Cowboys had an immediate trickle down effect. Hatred for the Cowboys is as traditional in Philly as scrapple. On this frigid day Wilbert Montgomery goes 42 yards on the game’s second play from scrimmage in the NFC Championship. The Birds head to Super Bowl XV with a 20-7 victory over the Cowboys.
October 25, 1987: Randall Cunningham fakes taking a knee and throws a last second touchdown to Keith Byars. Coach Buddy Ryan says, “I just played the hand I was dealt,” mimicking Landry’s quote two weeks prior when he used Tony Dorsett and Randy White against the Eagles replacement players during the NFL strike.
November 23,1989: Plymouth Rock lands on the Cowboys as they are shut out by Buddy Ryan’s Birds. In a case of sour grapes, coach Jimmy Johnson accuses Ryan of putting a bounty on former Eagles placekicker Luis Zendejas.
Monday October 5, 1992: This game was important to me for many reasons. It was the last game my dad would watch (he passed two days later), we talked about the game at length the next day. It was one of the last conversations we would have. Randall Cunningham and the Birds trash the Cowboys 31-7.
October 31, 1993: In a Dallas victory, Emmitt Smith rushes for 237 yards on a cold rainy Halloween night in Philly. As he’s running, I know in my heart that if Jerome Brown was here things would be different.
Sunday December 10, 1995: I’m watching the game with my cousin who’s recovering from surgery, it’s freezin’ outside and it must have affected the thinking of Cowboys coach Barry Switzer who went for it TWICE on fourth and inches from the Cowboys own 29, with two minutes to play, on the road. Christmas came early that season. Eagles 20 – Cowboys 17
November 3, 1996: With the Eagles leading late in the fourth quarter 24-21, James Willis intercepts Troy Aikman four yards deep in the end zone, laterals the ball to Troy Vincent at the 14, who takes it the remaining 90 yards as time expires. Eagles 31 - Cowboys 21.
There was the Monday Night game in Dallas on September 17,1997, the Cowboys clinging to a 21-20 lead late in the 4th quarter. Ty Detmer took the Birds 80 yards from their own 16 yard line to the Dallas 4. With 4 seconds to play Ray Rhodes trotted out former Cowboys placekicker Chris Boniol, for a 22 yard game-winning chip shot. Holder and punter Tommy Hutton fumbled the snap that was recovered by Deion Sanders, killing any chance of an Eagles victory. I drove around for 2 hours after that game, sick to my stomach, even more sick of the Cowboys.
September 4, 2000: Pickle juice was irrelevant to the world prior to this game. In the sweltering Texas heat, Andy Reid opened the game with an onside kick and Duce Staley rushed for over 200 yards in a 41-14 Eagles victory. Apparently pickle juice was used to curve dehydration during the game. Here are some of the thoughts of Eagles on that day:
Safety Brian Dawkins: “I sure did. It was so hot there that I was willing to drink whatever Rick recommended. It didn’t taste that bad, just like pickles. And it must work because we won the game. I’ve used it in a few games since then, too.”
Quarterback Donovan McNabb: “Heck, no. I wouldn’t drink no pickle juice. I’d eat the pickles, but I would never drink that juice. That stuff is disgusting.”
Tackle Jon Runyan: “No way. When I open a jar of pickles, I pour the juice down the drain. Pickles might make for a nice snack after a game, though.”
If it meant beating the Cowboys, I know a few people willing to drink something a lot worse than pickle juice.
October 12, 2003: Andy Reid outsmarts himself as a failed onside kick at the start of the game is returned by Randal Williams 37 yards for a touchdown. Cowboys 23 – Eagles 21.
November 15, 2004: Terrell Owens gets a striptease from Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan in the pre-game promo. Owens then goes out and undresses the Cowboys in a 49-21 romp.
November 14, 2005: Roy Williams returns an interception 46 yards for a score only 21 seconds after a Terry Glenn touchdown pulled the Cowboys within 6 points. Dallas would go on to win 21-20.
October 8, 2006: Terrell Owens returns to Philadelphia disguised as Benedict Arnold. But it was Lito Sheppard’s return of a Drew Bledsoe pass intended for Owens that mattered in a 38-24 Eagles win.
These are some of the moments that have shaped this series for me, of course there are those that were before my time and some that I haven’t included. Tony Franklin’s 59 yard field goal on the Star in 1979, the division title win in Dallas in 1980, Deion Sanders returning a pick for a touchdown in 1997 while Philly was under 3 feet of snow. There’s Michael Irvin laid out on the turf of Veteran’s Stadium, while some idiots cheered, in what turned out to be his last game.
Who can forget the Roy Williams tackle of Terrell Owens that sidelined him for 2 months in the 2004 season. Owens would return in the Super Bowl and have a game for the ages in defeat. Finally, there was Donovan McNabb scambling 14 seconds and finding Freddie “Fred-Ex” Mitchell 60 yards downfield in Texas Stadium.
Now as for Q’s pick, I let him know who was playing tonight and he was excited off the bat.
Dad: Who do you think will win tonight?
Q: The Eagles.
Dad: How many touchdowns will Donovan McNabb throw?
Q: Six
Dad: You sure???
Q: Yes
Dad: How many touchdowns will T.O. catch?
Q: I don’t think he’s gonna catch any.
Dad: Not even one???
Q: Nope.
Out of the mouths of babes.
That ’97 game was magic. I remember being in my dorm room happy as Hell when the ‘Boys finally grabbed the lead. Then out of nowhere Ty Detmer (Ty. Freaking. Detmer) leads the Iggles down the field. Hope was lost. It was a wrap…but wait! OMG! He muffled the snap! Cowboys win!! I ran out into the Hall going absolutely apeshit. Me and my boy, Big Sean from across the hall, celebrated like we had just won the Super Bowl. For Iggles fans, that has to be one of the all time gut punches. You deserved that gut punch. Yes, you did:)
I was watching that game w/my cousin (a Cowboys fan) and all I can hear to this day is him laughing hysterically when he fumbled that damn snap. That was an all timer for me.
Q is my mans! As far as that Cowboy fan above you, tell him to prepare for his whuppin’.
Sup with the blog post D? Put ya writing where ya mouth is.
Forget the past, let’s talk present. GO COWBOYS!!! WE ARE GOING TO WIN TONIGHT!!!
I hope the eagles win. But I believe that the cowboys will win by 7 points. Andy Reid dumb butt will expose Mcnabb to sacks (and late hits which they never call for Mcnabb) with 70% passing against a decent pass rush.
Lying @ss Jaworski Mcnabb would not have ran for that first down five years ago. Fool must have forgot how he killed the bears, packers and Tampa Bay in the playoffs scrambling around in the pocket buying time for WRs. Then throwing a pass to a wide open WR (ala a young Elway). Most of the time Mcnabb only ran on designed plays or when the line broke down.
I remember the NFC Championship game and Wilbert Montgomery
breaks the Cowboys heart on that first possesion, I hated the Cowboys “America’s Team” BS image (I loved the Oakland Raiders and Bucs) and they should have lost to Atlanta the week before. Seeing them lose was on of the happiest days of my life next to seeing my Bucs “SHUT DOWN THE VET” in the NFC Championship Game 22 years later after going up to Philly and losing because of DMac and Brian Mitchell.
Quentin I am sorry but T.O. just went 86 yards for a td but the Eagles can still win the game though.
Is Romo related to Jay Cutler???
I swear those 2 are turnover prone. I guess that happens when Brett Farve is your hero!!
LOL!!!
C’mon Iggles! Cover them kickoffs!
I gotta say, I’ve never been a big Eagles fan, but this site made me a convert. Especially in regards to pulling hard for Donovan McNabb. Granted, I always rather despised the ‘Boys. . . I’m thinking/hoping this will eventually all settle down nicely for Philly.
Mr. Tillery has been quite yappy as of late. I will let the ‘Boys do the talking…during the game. Afterwards, if we’re fortunate enough to win? I don’t make the rules.
Hell of a game, so far huh? lol
Dang silly rookie. he didn’t even cross the goaline.
Wow. Even if it isn’t overturned. Wow.
“DeSean? Umm…yeah…Coach Reid would like a word with you.”
I hate that cause now the media will never let this kid forget about this.
The messed up part is Diallo is that no one grabbed the ball and ran with it. Either team….thats not heads up on any of the players.
Pretty much. This may be the craziest MNF game of the century. I don’t have a clue who’s gonna win this. It might be 52-51.
Crazy how the eagles got less talent on the offensive end and still hanging with the talented Cowboys.
Man if Romo and the boys don’t go to the superbowl they need to blow that team up.
The messed up part is, even if Dallas wins I don’t know how much shit I can talk:)
See what happens when you have a legitmate playmaking threat how it makes your QB look better. Desean next time make sure you cross the goaline before celebrating.
Mental mistakes are killing us. Mental toughness will be the key.
True Eric. I was just telling my wife if Mcnabb was healthy and on the cowboys the last 2 years the cowboys would have been in the superbowl both years.
So let me see no credit to Mcnabb for reading the defense???
Usual crap.
Game of the Year (so far) – First Half anyway. Donovan looking like your 2008-2009 MVP. Shazam!!!
That’s why I was mad at the Bucs for not drafting Jackson, with the running game we have and with Galloway on the other side We would have Super Bowl contenders. That’s what VY is missing a playmaker on the wings who can bail him out when there’s trouble. Now Collins will start until they lose and that’s the Titans fault for not getting him some help at WR
Eric and Temple couldn’t agree more.
Oh and Temple you know there ain’t noway Mcnabb will win the MVP. Even if he threw 60 tds they would figure out how to give it to another QB………..Eli anyone.
He11 Farve.
Cowboy defense? Not. Good.
diallo you are right about that
I’d rather be wronger than two left shoes:)
Jerry getting nervous he is on the sideline.
Is Jerry Jones coaching the Cowboys because he is the modern era’s Al Davis.
Yeap he is Eric. Except the league and media likes him, so he is rarely criticized. Slick pimp Jones got folks in Arlington paying 1 billion dollars for a stadium in which he only chipped in like 30 mill of his own money.
Also what number is roy williams wearing now. And is he even on the field???
I wouldn’t say Jerry is rarely criticized. He caught heat for signing TO, Tank, and Pacman. He gets grief for not hiring a GM. He gets his fair share.
Very little compared to Al. The media usually kisses his butt.
In the end he is one of the big movers and shakers in the league.
Whats the unfunny dude who has the late night show on ABC. He even mentioned that when he was on fox he wasn’t allowed to make fun of Jones because of his ties with with ESPN and Fox.
Anyway screw that slick pimp.
I live in Dallas and refuse to help put a dollar in that pimps pocket.
Also Diallo how about the refs. Man if DWil thought the refs were bad yesterday man he ain’t seen nothing yet. With these missed face mask calls.
The refs are bad. Not exactly a news flash:)
And I love Jerry Jones…as much as I can love a 60 year old white billionaire.
HAHA I here you Diallo.
The 2nd game of the season shouldn’t be this emotionally draining.
What was that call?
Damn, TBR, you killed me by bringing up the ’97 game because just like Diallo said it was a damn gut punch for me. I couldn’t even go to sleep after that game from watching the ceiling all night. Homer voice: >stupid Boniol<
Two other games I’d like to add are the Xmas Day Massacre of ’06 and the Eagles’ upset in Big D last year.
Xmas of ’06 and the media is ready to anoint Tony Romo as the new glamor boy of the NFL. Starting QB for America’s Team with his then-girlfriend singer Carrie Underwood in the stands. The Eagles come to town in the middle of an unprecedented three game road trip against their in NFC East rivals. The month previously all-world QB Donovan McNabb is lost for the season with an ACL injury. Even though the Eagles have righted the ship somewhat with fiery back-up Jeff Garcia and a playoff berth is still possible. That being said the Eagles still come in as underdogs; underdogs who precede to kick a hole in the Dallas star with a 23-7 win after slapping the Dallas offense around all afternoon. The win propels the Eagles to an NFC East title and a playoff win.
Last year, the Eagles are muddling through the year as the offense and McNabb have struggled to get in sync all season. The Eagles have drafted McNabb’s apparent heir apparent in the off-season with Kevin Kolb and the rabid Philly fans are in full throat in calling for an in end to the tumultuous Donovan McNabb Era. The Cowboys on the other hand are riding high with the best record in the NFC with Romo piloting a high-octane offense. The conventional wisdom is that the Cowboys will run roughshod over the demoralized Eagles on their way to SB41 while Philly is preparing for another off-season of might-have-beens. Conventional wisdom is disproven again as the Eagles come in and administer an old-time defensive beatdown to the home team. Looking more like Buddy Ryan’s fabled Gang Green defense the Eagles smother the ‘Boys and eke a 10-6 win which was memorable for the Brian Westbrook downing the ball on the Dallas 1 to let the clock run down faster instead of padding his fantasy stats with a TD. The Eagles would end the season 8-8 but with a swagger while the Cowboys are mortally wounded and limp into the playoffs to a home defeat at the hands of eventual champion and NFC East rival the NY Giants.
Great games and this one goes on the mantle as well even though the bad guys won. Good game and bring your popcorn and Chunky Soup for the end of season rematch at the Linc.
You’re right, D, this game was draining but I’m glad it’s only the second game because it gives me time to get my head right for next week because the Steelers are coming to town and the Silver and Green better be looking at them instead of at this.
Move along. Nothing to see here.
Great piece of art of Montgomery running too, TBR.
McNabb chokes again. He had a chance to really shove the pigskin down TO’s throat, and, despite some good plays here and there, McNabb’s performance was scarred by an inexplicable inability to hand the ball off to his running back. McNabb’s penchant for blaming his teammates (mainly Westbrook) also was noticeable.
In case some of you are still wondering why McNabb is deemed by many to be a second rater, look no further than this game. Anyone who lets Tony Romo get the best of him doesn’t deserve to be mentioned amongst the elites.
So Diallo, you’d love some random 60 year old black millionaire more simply because he was black? It’s truly amazing how blind some of you are to your own racism, bigotry, and stereotyping.
I think same analysis
I agree HD, time to move on.