Over the next two weeks we’ll take a look at the Dallas Cowboys all-time record against the 14 teams they will face during the 2023 season.
Up first, their season-opening opponent, and long-time NFC East rival, the New York Giants.
When the Cowboys open the season on the night of September 10th, they will do so against an opponent they have dominated over six decades.
In the previous 122 meetings between the two franchises, Dallas holds a 73-47-2 record against the New York Giants.
The Cowboys have outscored New York by a combined score of 2815-2355.
At home, Dallas is 40-21-1 with a 1480-1135 scoring advantage.
On the road Dallas is 33-26-1 against the Giants with a 1335-1220 scoring advantage.
Trivially Speaking
The Giants were the only team that failed to beat the Cowboys in Dallas’ inaugural 1960 season.
Coming into the game at Yankee Stadium, the Cowboys were 0-10 and the Giants were 5-3-1.
Dallas fell behind 21-7 but rallied twice in the fourth quarter to tie the game, with Eddie LeBaron’s 11-yard pass to Billy Howton and Fred Cone’s kick tying the game for good.
Two former Giants’ coaches — Tom Landry (Assistant Coach) and Bill Parcells (Head Coach) — have served as Head Coach for Dallas.
Former Cowboys’ Assistant Coach, Dan Reeves, has served as the Giants’ Head Coach.
The Cowboys have won the last two games — and five of the last six — played against the Giants at MetLife Stadium and are 9-4 overall since it opened in 2010.
Dallas was 14-19 overall at Giants Stadium against the Giants in the Meadowlands. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 24-14 in New York’s first-ever home game at that stadium.
The two teams will meet again in Week 10 on November 12th at AT&T Stadium.
The Cowboys are 9-5 against the Giants at AT&T, but lost their first four home games against New York in the new stadium, including a 33-31 loss on September 20, 2009, in the first game ever played at AT&T.
Dallas has won nine of its last 10 home games against the Giants.
The Cowboys were 25-12 against the Giants at Texas Stadium. Dallas was 6-4-1 against New York in games played at the Cotton Bowl.
Notable Game
Usually it would be hard to point out that “one game” in a series that has seen 122 games played.
But on Jan. 2, 1994, Emmitt Smith put on the performance of a lifetime.
After helping the Cowboys jump out to a 13-0 lead on the Giants at Giants Stadium, in a game Dallas came into needing to win to secure a first-round playoff bye, Smith was injured on a tackle.
After leaving the game with a separated shoulder, Smith watched as the Giants quickly tied the game at 13 in the second quarter.
With his arm taped down and heavily padded, Smith returned to the game and literally carried the Cowboys to a 16-13 victory.
He finished with 168 yards on 32 carries and 61 yards on 10 receptions with one touchdown.
The Cowboys went on to defeat the Packers in the Divisional Round before falling to the 49ers in the NFC title game and be denied a third straight Super Bowl appearance.
But the legend of Emmitt Smith was secured that day.
Post-Season Record
In the 63 seasons the two teams have battled each other they have only met once in the playoffs, that coming in the 2007 season.
On January 13, 2008, the Giants traveled to Texas Stadium and escaped with a 21-17 win on a Brandon Jacobs’ touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys had three more possessions after Jacobs’ score but failed to score.
The loss was a frustrating end to what had been a great 13-3 season under first-year Head Coach Wade Phillips.