Cowboys–Eagles rivalry

The Cowboys–Eagles rivalry is a rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. The rivalry has been one of the higher profile rivalries in the NFL over the past three decades, characterized by bitterly contested games that are typical of the NFC East.

Notable moments

• 1980 NFC Championship Game, January 11, 1981 - After losing to the Cowboys in all but 3 games from 1967–79, the Eagles finished first in the NFC East in 1980 due to tie-breaking procedures (both teams 12-4 and splitting the meetings between each other, but the Eagles having scored more points) and thus claimed the number one overall seed. The 1980 NFC Championship was also called the "Blue Jersey Game", on the account that the Eagles, having the choice as the home team, made the Cowboys wear their seemingly cursed blue jerseys (a stigma that dated back to Super Bowl V). To the cheers of a roaring Veterans Stadium crowd, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys 20-7.

• The 1987 NFL Season - With many of the Cowboys players crossing the picket line during the strike, Dallas humiliated the replacement-laden Eagles 41-22. Buddy Ryan accused Tom Landry of running up the score (something that he had done before against the Eagles), and Ryan had his heart set on revenge. With little time remaining and the Eagles up by ten, Randall Cunningham faked a kneel down and tossed a long pass into the end zone, resulting in a pass interference call. With the Eagles at the one, a final touchdown sealed the revenge for the Eagles, 37-20.

• The Bounty Bowls (I and II) and The Porkchop Bowl - The first two Cowboys-Eagles games of the Jones-Johnson era in Dallas were dubbed the Bounty Bowls, due to the accusation by Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson that the Eagles had set a bounty on Dallas players, particularly Quarterback Troy Aikman and Kicker Luis Zendejas.

• 1991 Regular Season - The Eagles began the 1991 season by pounding the Cowboys 24-0 in Texas Stadium in Week 3. Riding a three-game winning streak, Dallas entered Veterans Stadium in Week 16 with a chance at a playoff berth, their first since 1985. The Cowboys benefitted from Eagles QB Randall Cunningham being injured, and rode a Kelvin Martin punt return for a touchdown to a 25-13 victory. The loss jolted the Eagles from the playoff picture.

• 1993 and 1995 Divisional Playoffs - The Cowboys ousted the Eagles from the NFC Playoffs twice in the 1990s by defeating them in the Divisional Playoffs by the score of 34-10 in 1992, and 30-11 in 1995. The Cowboys eventually advanced to, and won, Super Bowls in both seasons.

• On October 10, 1999, in Week 5 of the 1999 season, Dallas wide receiver Michael Irvin suffered a career ending spinal cord injury while playing at Veterans Stadium.

• On October 8, 2006, controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens played his first game in Philly. The Eagles won 38-24 with a late interception return for a touchdown by Lito Sheppard. Owens was held to just 3 catches and 45 yards.

• On December 28, 2008, in Week 17 of the 2008 season, the Eagles and Cowboys faced off in Philadelphia with a wild card playoff berth on the line. The winner would claim the sixth and final wild card spot in the NFC, and the loser would be eliminated from playoff contention. This situation was brought about by losses earlier in the day by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears, which kept the Eagles playoff hopes alive. The Eagles did not squander the opportunity, as the took a 27-3 halftime lead on their way to a 44-6 blowout of the Cowboys. The Eagles went on to go all the way to the NFC Championship before losing to the Arizona Cardinals. The game would be Terrell Owens' last game as a Cowboy.

• On January 3, 2010, in Week 17 of the 2009 season, the Cowboys (10-5) stayed home for their regular season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) in a regular season-sealing claim for the NFC East crown. The Cowboys would win the day, shutting out the Eagles, 24-0. With the victory, the Cowboys would once again reclaim first place in their division and improve to 11–5 to top off their regular season. Despite the loss, the Eagles claimed the #6 seed in the NFC, while the Cowboys claimed the #3 seed, setting the stage for a rematch in the first round of the playoffs. For the third time that year, the Cowboys would defeat the Eagles, with a final score of 34-14. The Cowboys and Eagles combined to set an NFL record for the most penalty yards in a playoff game, ever. The two teams were penalized 23 times for 228 yards. With the win, not only did the Cowboys improve to 12–5, they finally won their first postseason game since 1996.

• On December 29, 2013, in Week 17 of the 2013 season, the Eagles and Cowboys faced off in Dallas with the Division Title on the line. The winner would claim the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC, and the loser would be eliminated from playoff contention. The Eagles did not squander the opportunity, as they won 24-22. Brandon Boykin intercepted a pass by backup quarterback Kyle Orton to Miles Austin with 1:43 remaining to seal the victory.

References