History of the Cowboys on Opening Day

[THUMPER]

From 1965 to 1986 we only lost 1 opening game...Incredible!

1982 was a strike year too so maybe that had something to do with it.

 

[Concord]

1982 was a strike year too so maybe that had something to do with it.

Can't remember...Was the NFL on strike opening Day?

If so...damn strike.

 

[Hostile]

Can't remember...Was the NFL on strike opening Day?

If so...damn strike.

No, it was a mid season strike. The date the game was played on backs that up.

 

[Hostile]

Cowboys: 41
Commanders: 35

Hey, I hope y'all enjoy reading this as much as I did typing it.

Indeed I did.

 

[Hostile]

I'm gettin' old, Hos. I'm gettin' old.

Beats the alternative.

 

[Hostile]

One of my favorite opening day memories is actually fairly recent. In 1995 against the Giants, on the first play of the game, Emmitt broke through the right side of the line and sprinted 60+ yards for a TD. I had that shot of him running with a couple of Giants trailing him as my "desktop" for a few years (now it's my grandkids).

I remember watching that play and saying "We are going all the way, just like Emmitt did!". As it turned out I was right and we won the SB that year.

Is that the play where he puts his hand out behind him like he's saying "don't bother?"

 

[THUMPER]

Can't remember...Was the NFL on strike opening Day?

If so...damn strike.

No, it started after the first or second week (can't remember for sure). It began at midnight on September 20, after the MNF game and they came back on November 21.

 

[THUMPER]

Is that the play where he puts his hand out behind him like he's saying "don't bother?"

That's the one. Venci Glenn had a shot at him but Emmitt stepped through his ankle tackle and took off. He looked back at one point and put his hand back.

What a great way to start the season and it was nice that we finished it off with a SB win over the Stealers (I love that spelling!).

 

[Hostile]

That's the one. Venci Glenn had a shot at him but Emmitt stepped through his ankle tackle and took off. He looked back at one point and put his hand back.

What a great way to start the season and it was nice that we finished it off with a SB win over the Stealers (I love that spelling!).

I love that run by him. It showed every gift he had, vision, power, escapability, and drive.

 

[Concord]

That's the one. Venci Glenn had a shot at him but Emmitt stepped through his ankle tackle and took off. He looked back at one point and put his hand back.

What a great way to start the season and it was nice that we finished it off with a SB win over the Stealers (I love that spelling!).

Only bad thing about that night was Kevin Smith getting hurt.

While we did sign Sanders and we won the Super Bowl...It would have been really nice to see a healthy Smith and Sanders play together for a few years.

 

[Yeagermeister]

We still owe the Texans an arse whooping

 

[lurkercowboy]

That 1982 loss to the Steelers was a heartbreaker. In Dallas on the MNF opener. Steelers took a 33-21 lead and White threw a TD pass to bring us within 33-28. Time was running out and Dallas needed a defensive stand. The Cowboys D could not stop Pittsburgh and they took it down the field for a clinching FG to make the final 36-28.

 

[Chief]

I
'99 has to rank as perhaps my all-time favorite opener. Danny Boy's first game as Commanders owner, and Aikman and Ismail bomb him and his club in overtime! That game was truly incredible, and remembering how we came back from 35-14 in the 4th quarter, with Irvin getting the best of Darrell Green a couple of times, makes it all the more gut-wrenching to think what might have been that year had Michael not gone down for good in Week 4.

Totally agree.

Great game, and Aikman's bomb to Rocket in OT was nothing short of breathtaking.

 

[Chief]

Hos, I believe that Ismail pic you've got is actually from the 14-7 victory in 2001, the one where Carter came back from the assorted injuries and they bombed Champ on the fly pattern.

Not trying to be nitpicky, but it's just ironic you posted that, because I've noticed that a tape or pictures of that '99 opener seem very difficult to acquire.

The first one is an AP shot from an Amarillo paper website. The second is for sure the play, and it's from the Washington Post archives.

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/images/Commanders/1999/week1/ismailtd4_091299ap.jpg

 

[jcblanco22]

Emmitt Smith: He silently ran for over 100 yards and a TD. He certaintly hadn't lost a step in this video. Pure Emmitt all day.

Raghib Ismail: One tough little SOB, he seemed to be Troy's only target for most of the game. He would make a catch get nailed and get right back up, no talking no nothin, just business. In the opening drive they ran the exact same play they did to win the game, Troy hits him in stride and he simply drops it. And lets just say, he didn't make that mistake later.

David Lafleur: He played like he might be a great TE someday. 2 TDs and he was taking some hits. He left part of the game due to a sprained knee and ankle done on the same play. But he later returned, watching the play I don't know if many people would have gotten up.

Emmitt would have shocked the world with a 1600 yard or better season in '99 had he not broken his hand against the Vikes in that Monday nighter and missed the next 2.5 games.

Rocket was incredible that day, no question. I remember the drop you're talking about in the 1st quarter, but I also remember how tough he was throughout that day and that entire season. I recall he did a split on a sideline catch in the 1st half too.

LaFleur ranks up there with Ellis as one of the more unfairly maligned first-round picks in Cowboys history. In David's case it's either because of the perception that Gonzalez was still on the board when we took him (he wasn't) and/or that Aikman "hand-picked" him at that pre-draft workout as our selection. The reality is that LaFleur put up some nice numbers in his 2nd and 3rd seasons in an offense that was admittedly not geared toward the tight end whatsoever (Mark Bruener caught a lot less in Pittsburgh in the same system). Then the back injuries he had after that would've crippled anyone. LaFleur was also a terrific blocker, as I'm sure that game showed.

 

[The30YardSlant]

1992...Sep 7, W, 23-10, vs Washington Commanders

The first Cowboy game I truely remember everything about it. That night, you knew that team was up to something special

 

[jcblanco22]

The first one is an AP shot from an Amarillo paper website. The second is for sure the play, and it's from the Washington Post archives.

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/images/Commanders/1999/week1/ismailtd4_091299ap.jpg

Niiice, thank you Chief. That's it for sure, it was a nice sunny day in Washington that day too, too bad for them. :laugh1:

 

[Chief]

Niiice, thank you Chief. That's it for sure, it was a nice sunny day in Washington that day too, too bad for them. :laugh1:

Exactly.

It was a stunning day. The kind of day tailor-made to crush the spirits of 80,000 Commander fans.

I remember Aikman's reaction after that play. The normally subdued Troy, did some sort of fist-pumping, dagger-to-the-stomach move.

 

[ZeroClub]

One of my favorite opening day memories is actually fairly recent. In 1995 against the Giants, on the first play of the game, Emmitt broke through the right side of the line and sprinted 60+ yards for a TD. I had that shot of him running with a couple of Giants trailing him as my "desktop" for a few years (now it's my grandkids).

I remember watching that play and saying "We are going all the way, just like Emmitt did!". As it turned out I was right and we won the SB that year.

Yeah, it is one of my favorites too. They started out fast that year, almost too fast. They peaked before the season was over, but still managed to win it all.

 

[parchy]

David Lafleur: He played like he might be a great TE someday. 2 TDs and he was taking some hits. He left part of the game due to a sprained knee and ankle done on the same play. But he later returned, watching the play I don't know if many people would have gotten up.

I kid you not, my David LaFleur jersey is the most prized in my jersey collection, which is scant but distinguished. I love it because nobody else has it.