This is long, but it contains every opener the Cowboys have played and results….
This September, the Dallas Cowboys will kick off their 65th season as an NFL team. Since it’s opening season in 1960, the Cowboys are 40-23-1 all time in its opening games. The very first regular season Cowboys game was held Sept.24th, 1960 in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. We lost 35-28. Amazingly, the first 7 season openers of Cowboys football were all home games.
OPENING GAMES EACH SEASON (*denotes SB winning season)
- 1960 - vs. Pitts. L 35-28
- 1961 - vs. Pitts. (again!) W 27-24
- 1962 - vs. Washington, T 35-35
- 1963 - vs. St. Louis Cards L 34-7
- 1964 - vs. St. Louis Cards L 16-6
- 1965 - vs. NY Giants W 31-2
- 1966 - vs. NY giants W 52-7
- 1967 - @ Cleveland W 21-14
- 1968 - vs. Detroit Lions W 52-14
- 1969 - vs. St. Louis Cards W 24-14
The Cowboys were 6-3-1 in opening games in the 60s.
- 1970 - @ Phila Eagles W 17-7
- 1971* - @ LA Rams W 45-21
- 1972 - vs. Phila eagles W 28-6
- 1973 - @Chi Bears W 20-17
- 1974 - @Atlanta Falcons W 24-0
- 1975 - vs. LA Rams W 18-7
- 1976 - vs. Phil eagles W 27-7
- 1977*- @Minn Vikings W 16-10 in first reg season OT game in NFL history)
- 1978 - vs. Balt Colts W 38-0
- 1979 - @ St. Louis Cards W 22-21
The Cowboys were undefeated on opening games in the 1970s, going 10-0. In fact from 1965-81, the Cowboys won 17 straight opening games.
- 1980 - @ Washington W 17-3
- 1981 - @ Washington W 26-3
- 1982 - vs. Pitt Steelers L 36-28
- 1983 - @ Washington W 31-30
- 1984 - @LA Rams W 20-13
- 1985- vs Washington W 44-14
- 1986 - vs NYG W 31-28
- 1987 - @ STL Cards L 24-13
- 1988 - @ Pitt Steelers L 24-21
- 1989 - @ New Orl Saints L 28-0
The Cowboys were 6-4 in opening games in the 1980s
- 1990 - vs San Diego Chargers W 17-14
- 1991 - @Cle Browns W 26-14
- 1992*- vs Washington W 23-10
- 1993*- @Washinton L 35-16
- 1994- @ Pitts Steelers W 26-9
- 1995*- @ NY giants W 35-0
- 1996- @ Chi Bears L 22-6
- 1997- @ Pitts Steelers W 27-7
- 1998- vs Ariz Cards W 38-10
- 1999- @ Washington W 41-35 OT
In the 90s, the Cowboys were 8-2 in openers, and amazingly 7 of 10 openers that decade on the road.
- 2000 - vs Phi eagles L 41-14
- 2001 - vs Tampa Bay L 10-6
- 2002- @ Hou Texans L 19-10
- 2003- vs Atl Falcons L 27-13
- 2004- @ Minn Vikings L 35-17
- 2005- @ SD Chargers W 28-24
- 2006- @ Jax Jaguars L 24-17
- 2007- vs NYG W 45-35
- 2008- @ Cle Browns W 28-10
- 2009- @ Tampa Bay W 34-21
The 2000-2009 decade was a bad one for season openers- we were 4-6, including 5 straight losses.
- 2010- @ Washington L 13-7
- 2011- @ NY Jets L 27-24
- 2012- @ NY giants W 24-17
- 2013- vs NY giants W 36-31
- 2014 vs SF Niners L 28-17
- 2015- vs NY giants W 27-26
- 2016- vs NY giants L 20-19
- 2017- vs NY giants W 19-3
- 2018 - @Carolina Panthers L 16-8
- 2019- vs NY giants W 35-17
2010-19, the Cowboys were 6-4 in openers and played the giants 6 times in openers.
- 2020- @LA Rams L 2017
- 2021- @ Tampa Bay L 31-29
- 2022- vs Tampa Bay L 19-3
- 2023- @ NY giants W 40-0
Yes it’s long, but hopefully interesting.