Being billed as “America’s Team” should be motivation enough for opponents of the Dallas Cowboys, but a handful of teams have developed a special kind of hatred for this team out of Texas.
So who are the Cowboys’ greatest rivals? The correct answer is the entire NFC East. The New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Redskins have always been major thorns in the sides of the Cowboys, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
Be sure to circle these games on your Dallas Cowboys schedule as these duels should be a treat this 2013 season.
The 3 Rivals of the Dallas Cowboys:
1. New York Giants
All-time series: DAL leads 57–43–2
The Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants have one of the most unique rivalries in sports. Due to geographical reasons, teams from Texas and New York rarely find themselves in the same division—but this isn’t the case in the NFC East. They’ve played some memorable games in the 80’s and 90’s, like Cowboys’ third-string QB Steve Pelluer leading Dallas to a division title in 1985 and the “Separated Shoulder Game” in 1993.
Quarterbacks Tony Romo and Eli Manning have lead their respective teams to winning seasons, but in terms of postseason success, New York is more success having already won two Super Bowls. Dallas has only won one playoff game since 1996. Dallas fans will never forget the 2007 season that got away, when they won the NFC East with a 13-3 record, but lost in the divisional round to New York, who went on to become Super Bowl champions.
To add fuel to the fire, the Cowboys have not defeated the Giants at AT&T Stadium (formerly Cowboys Stadium). They will another chance as they open their 2013 season against them on their home field.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
All-time series: DAL leads 57-46
It’s no secret that Dallas Cowboys fans hate the Philadelphia Eagles. It all started in the 1980 NFC Championship that they lost to the Eagles, thus earning the name “Blue Jersey Game”. See also: the Bounty Bowls in 1989.
In 1999, the Philadelphia crowd made an appalling act when they cheered on Dallas WR Michael Irvin lying motionless at Veterans Stadium, further fueling the animosity.
Although the heat subsided in the early 2000’s, the Eagles and Cowboys have continued their rivalry in the later part of the decade. The Eagles kicked the Cowboys out of the playoffs in final week of 2008 season, and then Dallas got their revenge in 2010 by defeating Philadelphia in the wildcard round.
That will most likely continue with Philadelphia with Michael Vick giving them a chance at the division title. Dallas knows they have to hurdle first Philadelphia to take the NFC East.
3. Washington Redskins
All-Time Series: DAL leads 62–44–2
In case you didn’t know, Cowboy nation REALLY hates the Washington Redskins.
It began as a dispute over a song in 1960, and the feud spilled all over the gridiron. During the tenure of this rivalry, the NFL’s two wealthiest franchises have won 27 combined division titles and eight combined Super Bowls.
By the time George Allen was hired as the Redskins head coach in 1971, he escalated the rivalry to another level, making sure he got his boys to hate the Cowboys. Since then, countless battles—from the regular season to the NFC Championship games—have both cities uniting against each other.
For more than 50 years, the Cowboys and the Redskins have built a duel so remarkable that Sports Illustrated called it the top NFL rivalry of all time and “one of the greatest in sports.”
Now, the two rivals may have experienced a rebirth in this historic match-up with both teams becoming relevant again in the NFC East, thanks to Cowboys QB Tony Romo and Redskins QB Robert Griffin III.
The Dallas Cowboys have fared well against their division mates, creating some of the fiercest rivalries in NFL history. As the Cowboys delve into the regular season, be sure to tune in to Top Bet sports for odds on all of their upcoming rivalry games.
