And you thought the Fast & Furious franchise was tired and predictable.
When the Cowboys open their 60th NFL season Sunday in AT&T Stadium, they’ll do it against the same opponent for the fifth time in six years: the New York Giants. For the fifth time in seven years, the Giants will be Dallas’ home opener.
Depleted of creativity, the lid-lifting series has at least been saturated with drama.
Since the recurring theme commenced in 2012 the heroes have included Kevin Ogletree (two touchdown catches in ’12), Brandon Carr (game-sealing pick six in ’13) and Jason Witten (rally-capping touchdown catch with :07 left in ’15). Dak Prescott lost his NFL debut to Big Blue in ’16. Eli Manning was held without a touchdown in ’17. And last year, Tavon Austin caught a 64-yard touchdown pass on Dallas’ third snap to ignite a 20-13 win.
Of the six recent Cowboys-Giants matchups that served as the season or home opener, only one was decided by more than seven points.
They’ll need another classic finish Sunday to get on this list: the most memorable openers in franchise history.
No. 10: 9.24.60 Steelers 35, at Cowboys 28 – Cowboys late rally falls short in franchise debut game before a half-empty Cotton Bowl.
No. 9: 9.15.68 at Cowboys 59, Lions 13 – Don Meredith throws 4 TDs as Dallas establishes a still-standing record for most points in a game.
No. 8: 9.18.77 Cowboys 16, at Vikings 10 – Roger Staubach scrambles in from 4 yards out in OT to launch a Super Bowl season.
No. 7: 7. 10.89 at Saints 28, Cowboys 0 – A sobering debut en route to 1-15 disaster for Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones.
No. 6: 6. 13.15 at Cowboys 27, Giants 26 – Tony Romo finds Jason Witten for an 11-yard touchdown with :07 remaining, the latest game-winning touchdown pass in franchise history.
No. 5: 9.7.92 at Cowboys 23, Redskins 10 – Isaac Holt blocks a punt and Dallas launches its dynasty by upsetting the Super Bowl champs on Monday Night Football.
No. 4: 9.12.99 Cowboys 41, at Redskins 35 – Troy Aikman 76 yards to Rocket Ismail in OT caps a frantic, fantastic rally from 21 points down.
No. 3: 9.8.86 at Cowboys 31, Giants 28 – The “Dynamic Duo” works for at least one night as Herschel Walker scores a leaping touchdown late in his much-hyped debut with Tony Dorsett.
No. 2: 9.8.02 at Texans 19, Cowboys 10 – Jerry Jones still calls the hapless loss to expansion Houston his most humbling defeat.
No. 1: 9.5.83 Cowboys 31, at Redskins 30 – Danny White’s TD pass to Tony Hill with two minutes remaining helps erase 20-point halftime deficit at a stunned RFK Stadium on MNF.
