even if it was the Gaylord. But still, the Cowboys were absolutely no match for the Titans, who finished the season 13-3. To make things worse, the game was played on Christmas night, with a wind chill of 14 degrees, and for the entire country to see. With Anthony Wright starting for an injured Troy Aikman, who would part ways with the organization after the season, the Cowboys never threatened to score. They had just 95 yards of total offense, including just 10 passing yards, the second-lowest output in team history. Dave Campo wrapped up his first season as head coach with a 5-11 record.
2001 - Lions 15, Cowboys 10 - The Cowboys played in the final game held at the Pontiac Silverdome and made it a memorable one for the Lions, who had won just one game before the season finale. The Cowboys got a 1,000-yard effort from Emmitt Smith, his 11th straight, but that was about the only highlight. Quincy Carter and the Cowboys couldn't build momentum from an upset win over the 49ers the previous week. To make matters worse, the Cowboys didn't even return to Dallas with their head coach. Dave Campo was rushed to the emergency room following the game, experiencing dizziness and a case of vertigo. Campo returned home on Jerry Jones' private jet the following day.
2002 - Redskins 20, Cowboys 14 - Lots of things came to an end at FedEx Field that day. Not only did Dave Campo coach his last game, but it had already been reported that Bill Parcells had met with Jerry Jones and was expected to be named the next head coach. Emmitt Smith played his last game with the Cowboys, rushing for just 13 yards on 18 carries, finishing with 975 yards on the season and ending his 11-year streak of 1,000-yard rushing seasons. And the Redskins ended Dallas' recent dominance over the division series by beating the Cowboys for the first time since 1997, ending their 10-game winning streak over Washington. The only highlight this day came from rookies - Roy Williams' 85-yard interception return for a touchdown and Antonio Bryant recording 170 receiving yards.
2003 - Saints 13, Cowboys 7 - In Parcells' first year as head coach, the Cowboys had already clinched a wild-card spot, but had no chance of winning the division. With nothing tangible to play for, the Cowboys played as such, struggling along against a Saints team that ranked 28th in total defense. But the Cowboys never could run the football. Troy Hambrick missed out on a 1,000-yard season by rushing for only 26 yards, ending the year with 972 yards. The Cowboys still had a shot to win the game in the final minutes, but Terry Glenn slipped and fell in the middle of a route. Quincy Carter's throw was intercepted inside the Saints' 10 and New Orleans was able to run out the clock. The Cowboys moved into the playoffs, but lost the next week at Carolina, 29-10.
2004 - Giants 28, Cowboys 24 - This might have been the most entertaining of the last seven regular-season finales. The Cowboys scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:49 to play, only to see then-rookie Eli Manning drive the Giants down the field and set up Tiki Barber's 3-yard touchdown run with just 11 seconds remaining. The loss wasted another stellar performance from Julius Jones, who rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Vinny Testaverde passed for 231 yards and a touchdown in his last game with the Cowboys. The loss wrapped up a 6-10 campaign for the Cowboys, the only losing season in Parcells' four years with the club.
2005 - Rams 20, Cowboys 10 - This game initially had potential to be the most meaningful of the season. When the day started, the Cowboys remained in position for a playoff berth but needed either Carolina or Washington to lose on the road against division opponents. If either team lost, the Cowboys only had to beat the Rams, who entered the game 5-10, to earn a wild-card spot. But before kickoff, the Cowboys watched the Redskins outlast Philadelphia, coupled with Carolina's win over the Falcons earlier in the day. Having been eliminated from the playoffs before even taking the field, the Cowboys gave an uninspired effort. The Cowboys committed 10 penalties, had four turnovers and surrendered five sacks in the loss to a Rams team that ended its
