Dallas Cowboys' Opening Day Winning Streak

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

The Cowboys' first five years in the NFL were nothing to brag about. They compiled a dismal 18–46–4 record. But that began to change in 1965 when they beat the New York Giants 31–2 in the opening game of the season and had their first non-losing season, finishing with a 7–7 record.

That win against the Giants began a streak of seventeen opening-day wins. The streak ended on Sept. 13, 1982, when they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 36–28. They won their opener for the next four years in a row, making it 21 out of 22 wins on opening day.

If that's not impressive enough, many of these games were blowouts: 1965 Dallas 31 New York 2, 1966 Dallas 52 New York 7, 1968 Dallas 59 Detroit 13, 1969 Dallas 24 St. Louis 3, 1972 Dallas 28 Philadelphia 6, 1974 Dallas 24 Atlanta 0, 1976 Dallas 27 Philadelphia 7, 1978 Dallas 38 Baltimore 0, 1985 Dallas 44 Washington 14.

The seventeen-game opening-day win streak ended in 1982, and no one has come close to matching it since. The Miami Dolphins came closest, winning eleven in a row from 1992 to 2002......

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YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUND

Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.

No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

Running Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)