Redskins-Cowboys Loses Appeal

It has been called "America's Rivalry." It's the buttoned-down, straight-laced nation's capital vs. the big-haired, boot-wearing heart of the Sunbelt. It conjures memories of the hyper-emotional late Hall of Fame coach George Allen and his defensive doppleganger Diron Talbert against the ultra-cool late Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry and his superb quarterback Roger Staubach.

It, of course, is the Washington Redskins against the Dallas Cowboys, longtime NFC East archrivals, who'll meet for the 100th time in the regular season on Sunday in Texas. The Redskins and Cowboys have played some unforgettable games that can be recalled by the names of the central figures: Ken Houston (1973), Clint Longley (1974), Harvey Martin (1979), Darrell Green (1983), Danny Copeland (1992), Rocket Ismail (1999), Santana Moss (2005) and Terrell Owens (2007). And the Redskins' victories over the Cowboys in the 1972 and 1982 NFC Championship Games at old RFK Stadium are high points in Washington's sports history.

Which brings us to Sunday's greatly unanticipated matchup. In the 34 seasons from 1966-99, Washington or Dallas made the playoffs in all but three with both teams getting there 10 times. In the 11 seasons since, this will be the sixth that both missed the playoffs. Only in 2007, did both the Redskins and Cowboys reach postseason.

 

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Radha Mitchell Melissa Rycroft Chloë Sevigny