The Dallas Cowboys will begin their quest for a sixth Lombardi Trophy this coming Sunday at the Cleveland Browns, marking the 13th time they have opened a season against an AFC opponent. In those games, the Cowboys have earned an 8-5 record overall, including a 6-4 mark when playing on the road.
Somewhat surprisingly, in the 1990s the Cowboys faced the AFC in four of their 10 openers during the decade and then matched that total in the 2000s. But only once since then have they began a season against the rival conference.
With this year's opening day matchup being played at the newly renamed Huntington Bank Field, let's take a look back chronologically at the 10 previous times the Cowboys have started a season on the road against the AFC.
Let's take a look back chronologically at the 10 previous times the Cowboys have started a season on the road against the AFC.
Cowboys at Bills • Sept. 19, 1971 • W, 49-37
While the Cowboys had started their season three times previously against teams that would eventually reside in the AFC, this marked the first season opener against a true AFC opponent after the NFL's merger with the AFL in 1970. Playing on a muddy and torn up field, Dallas eventually pulled away with three straight scores in the second half. Leading the charge was running back Calvin Hill, who rushed for a career-high four touchdowns.
Cowboys at Steelers • Sept. 4, 1988 • L, 21-24
It would be 17 years before the Cowboys again opened with a road game against the AFC, although this marked the fourth time overall they faced the Steelers in their first week. Michael Irvin got his Hall of Fame career off to a good start with three catches for 73 yards and his first NFL touchdown, a 35-yard scoring grab. However, in the end, two interceptions and a lost fumble doomed the Dallas effort.
Cowboys at Browns • Sept. 1, 1991 • W, 26-14
This was actually the second time the Cowboys traveled to Cleveland for a season opener, but their 1967 matchup – a 21-14 Dallas win – came when the Browns were in the NFL's Century Division. The Cowboys broke open a close game with 17 second-quarter points before securing the win with a pair of fourth-quarter field goals from Ken Willis, the last a 54-yarder that tied the record at the time for the longest in franchise history.
Cowboys at Steelers • Sept. 4, 1994 • W, 26-9
The Cowboys met a familiar opening day foe with another trip to Pittsburgh. Unlike the time before, though, this one was all Dallas. Led by Charles Haley's career-high four sacks, the defense posted more sack yardage (56) than rushing yards allowed (55). Offensively, the Triplets did what they were known for with Troy Aikman passing for 245 yards, Emmitt Smith rushing for 171 yards and a touchdown and Michael Irvin recording 139 receiving yards.
Cowboys at Steelers • Aug. 31, 1997 • W, 37-7
Another opener, another trip to Pittsburgh. Despite the Cowboys finishing the season with just a 6-10 record, they looked like world beaters in this one, scoring 17 points in both the second and third quarters to run away with it. The Steelers totaled only 89 net passing yards while Troy Aikman threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns. His primary target was Michael Irvin, who caught seven passes for 153 yards and two of those scores.
Cowboys at Texans • Sept. 8, 2002 • L, 10-19
Quite frankly, this was one of the worst losses in Cowboys history. Why? Because it was the first win in the Texans history. The upstart expansion club scored the game's first 10 points and then the last nine in the fourth quarter as well, including a safety with 2:37 remaining, to shock the Dallas faithful. Michael Wiley provided the Cowboys' only touchdown, a 46-yard run that was the only rushing score of his short career.
Cowboys at Chargers • Sept. 11, 2005 • W, 28-24
Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Drew Bledsoe completed 75 percent of his passes in his Cowboys debut for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scoring tosses went to wideout Keyshawn Johnson, the second of which came with just over three minutes left to provide the come-from-behind victory. It would mark the first of three times Bledsoe would throw for three touchdowns in a game during his brief Cowboys tenure.
Cowboys at Jacksonville • Sept. 10, 2006 • L, 17-24
For the second season in a row, the Cowboys opened their schedule with a road game against an AFC opponent. And though things certainly started off well as they jumped out to a 10-0 lead, the Jaguars roared back with 24 unanswered points of their own to take command. A touchdown pass to Terrell Owens with 1:54 remaining pulled Dallas to within seven, but the visitors' desperate attempt in the closing seconds came up empty.
Cowboys at Browns • Sept. 7, 2008 • W, 28-10
This marked the third meeting on opening day between the Cowboys and Browns, but again only the second with Cleveland as an AFC opponent. Dallas was simply no match for the home side as the Cowboys outgained their opponent, 487 yards to just 205. Marion Barber rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns with Felix Jones adding 62 more and another score. Tony Romo provided aerial support with 320 yards passing in the dominating win.
Cowboys at Jets • Sept. 11, 2011 • L, 24-27
Hard to believe, but it's been 13 years since the Cowboys played an opener against an AFC opponent, home or away. And it was a game Dallas should have won, especially after Felix Jones' touchdown early in the fourth quarter gave the Cowboys a 24-10 lead. But the Jets came storming back with kicker Nick Folk, who got his start in Dallas, booting a 50-yard field goal with 27 seconds left to steal the win.
