This upcoming game against the Chargers marks only the 12th time these two have matched up with Dallas owning a 7-5 record. However, this is the first meeting between the clubs on a Monday.
Not that this is anything new for Cowboys fans, though, as their favorite team has appeared 85 times on Monday Night Football, the second most in NFL history behind only the Dolphins' 86. Given that, let's take a look back at some of the great games in franchise history played on this particular day.
Of course, narrowing the list down to just 10 isn't easy, so we've stuck with only victories, leaving out the likes of Tony Dorsett's 99-yard run, which came during a loss to Minnesota on Jan. 3, 1983, and the great showdown between Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders on Sept. 19, 1994 that saw the Lions pull out a victory in overtime.
Let's take a look back at some of the great games in franchise history played on this particular day.
10. Cowboys vs. Eagles • Sept. 15, 1997 • Texas Stadium • W, 21-20
The Cowboys had stormed back with two field goals and a touchdown in the fourth quarter to pull ahead with just one minute remaining. All seemed lost, however, when a 46-yard pass set the Eagles up at the Dallas 4-yard line with 4 seconds left. Fortunately, holder Tim Hutton fumbled the snap, ruining Philadelphia's final field goal attempt.
9. Cowboys vs. Giants • Sept. 8, 1986 • Texas Stadium • W, 31-28
This was the debut of the Cowboys' new dream backfield of Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker. And while in the end the experiment didn't exactly work out, at least on this night all was good. Dorsett had the game's first touchdown with Walker later scoring twice, including a 10-yard run in the final minutes to secure the comeback victory.
8. Cowboys at Saints • Dec. 19, 1994 • Louisiana Superdome • W, 24-16
In case you'd forgotten, this was the Larry Allen game. The game when the rookie right tackle and future Hall of Famer sprinted some 50 yards downfield to tackle Saints linebacker Darion Conner on his interception return. In doing so, Allen prevented a touchdown and stunned the Monday Night Football booth, in particular analyst and former lineman Dan Dierdorf.
7. Cowboys at Redskins • Sept. 5, 1983 • RFK Memorial Stadium • W, 31-30
A familiar rival would await the Cowboys in their season opener as they traveled to Washington to face the 1982 Super Bowl winners. And though trailing 23-3 after two quarters, Danny White threw three touchdown passes, including 75 and 51 yarders to Tony Hill, and rushed for another in the second half to pull out the upset win.
6. Cowboys at Giants • Sept. 15, 2003 • Giants Stadium • W, 35-32 (OT)
Bill Parcells' return to New York for the first time as head coach of the Cowboys lived up to the billing. After the Giants scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to take the lead, Billy Cundiff kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to tie it before then booting the game-winner from 25 yards out in overtime.
5. Cowboys vs. Redskins • Sept. 7, 1992 • Texas Stadium • W, 23-10
This was a statement game. The reigning NFL champs were in town for the 1992 season opener, but with newcomer Charles Haley recording a sack and Emmitt Smith rushing for 140 yards, the Cowboys dominated Washington. In doing so, the eventual Super Bowl winners served notice that they were the new bully on the block.
4. Cowboys at Eagles • Nov. 14, 2005 • Lincoln Financial Field • W, 21-20
Down by 10 with 3:44 on the clock, the Cowboys needed just four plays to travel 72 yards to the end zone, Drew Bledsoe completing a 20-yard pass to Terry Glenn. And then the unthinkable happened. Safety Roy Williams picked off a Donovan McNabb pass just seconds later and returned it 46 yards for the game-winning score.
3. Cowboys at Seahawks • Dec. 6, 2004 • Qwest Field • W, 43-39
The third of three Monday Night Football appearances in 2004, Dallas was down by 10 with 2:49 left. But Vinny Testaverde and Keyshawn Johnson connected on a 34-yard touchdown pass before Jason Witten recovered the ensuing onside kick. Julius Jones then finished things off, crossing the goal line on a 17-yard run with 32 seconds remaining.
2. Cowboys at Buccaneers • Jan. 16, 2023 (NFC Wild Card) • Raymond James Stadium • W, 31-14
The Cowboys had a daunting challenge in their first playoff appearance on Monday Night Football, traveling to Tampa to face Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. But Dak Prescott was up to the task, throwing for 305 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another score as Dallas jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
1. Cowboys at Bills • Oct. 8, 2007 • Ralph Wilson Stadium • W, 25-24
Wait, how did that happen? Although a Patrick Crayton touchdown catch narrowed the Cowboys' deficit to just two points, there were only 20 seconds left in the game. But after a recovered onside kick and two Tony Romo passes, out came Nick Folk for a lengthy 53-yard field goal, the kicker splitting the uprights as the clock struck zeroes.
