Cowboys 35, Redskins 34

Dec. 16, 1979

1.In Roger Staubach's final regular-season game at Texas Stadium, Captain Comeback pulled off one of the most amazing wins of his Hall of Fame career. The Cowboys wiped out Washington leads of 17-0 and 34-21 to finish as NFC East champs and knock their hated rivals out of playoff contention. With a little less than four minutes remaining, Staubach started the comeback with a TD throw to Ron Springs. He ended it with an 8-yard alley-oop pass to Tony Hill with 39 seconds left. He kept the drive alive by ducking under what should have been a Perry Brooks sack and completed a 25-yard pass to Preston Pearson. It was Staubach's 21st fourth-quarter win and the 14th time he pulled out a victory in the final two minutes. Harvey Martin threw a funeral wreath into Washington's locker room after the game. To this day, Cowboys broadcaster Brad Sham calls it "the best game I've ever seen."

The mad bomber

Cowboys 24, Redskins 23

Nov. 28, 1974

2.Cowboys history cannot be written without Clint Longley's story. The Cowboys missed the playoffs in '74 but Longley had the most memorable moment. Coming in for an injured Roger Staubach, Longley, nicknamed the Mad Bomber for his go-for-broke style, turned a 16-3 deficit into his own storybook. Longley's deep ball was cradled by a double-covered Drew Pearson for a 50-yard touchdown with 28 seconds to play.

'We will win the ballgame'

Cowboys 38, San Francisco 21

Jan. 23, 1994

3.Jimmy Johnson was listening to a local radio show before his Cowboys would play the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game and did something few coaches would ever want a player to do: He called the show and guaranteed victory, saying, "You can put it in three-inch headlines." So enraged were the 49ers that the normally stoic Jerry Rice got involved in a pregame skirmish. In the game, the NFL's all-time leading receiver wasn't a factor. By halftime, the Cowboys had a 28-7 lead. This would be Johnson's final game as Cowboys coach at Texas Stadium.

Switzer gets to Super Bowl

Cowboys 38, Green Bay 27

Jan. 14, 1996

4.The Cowboys never expected to be hosting an NFC title game, but San Francisco lost its season finale and then fell to the Packers in the divisional round. With Brett Favre winning the first of his three MVP awards, Green Bay's time looked right. But Emmitt Smith carried 35 times for 150 yards, and Michael Irvin had seven catches for 100 yards and two scores. Two weeks later, Larry Brown would win a Super Bowl MVP, but on this day, the cornerback sealed the win with an interception of Favre.

'No, Danny, no'

Washington 31, Cowboys 10

Dec. 11, 1983

5.The Cowboys finished 12-4 in 1983, but they lost their last three games. Some of it can be traced to this game. Early in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys had fourth-and-1 from their 49. Coach Tom Landry instructed Danny White to run the clock down in an attempt to draw the Redskins offside. Only if White saw an opening could he go for a QB sneak. With center Tom Rafferty saying no, White changed the play and handed off to running back Ron Springs for a 2-yard loss. Television cameras caught Landry saying, "No, Danny, no," and the quote became legend.

Leon Lett's holiday gift

Miami 16, Cowboys 14

Nov. 25, 1993

6.In January, Leon Lett had a potential touchdown negated when his hot-dogging allowed Don Beebe to bat the ball away, but the Cowboys won Super Bowl XXVII anyway. With freezing rain and snow covering Texas Stadium on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys thought they had a win when Pete Stoyanovich's field goal attempt was deflected. But then Lett slipped and stumbled into the ball, giving Miami hope. On the next play, Stoyanovich made a 19-yard field goal to crush the Cowboys and leave coach Jimmy Johnson in tears.

Defending the star

49ers 41, Cowboys 24

Sept. 24, 2000

7.Terrell Owens' touchdown celebrations are legendary, and they started with his celebration on the star. After his first touchdown, Owens sprinted to midfield and looked skyward through the hole in the roof. The Cowboys were enraged. Emmitt Smith angrily pounded the ball and took a knee on the star, staring at the San Francisco sideline after his score. Owens scored again and ran to the star. As Owens mimicked Smith, Cowboys safety George Teague blindsided him, much to the crowd's delight.

Jason Garrett's big day

Cowboys 42, Green Bay 31

Nov. 24, 1994

8.Troy Aikman and backup Rodney Peete were hurt, allowing the nation to say hello to Jason Garrett on the 20th anniversary of the Mad Bomber. Like Clint Longley, Garrett was magical, passing for 311 yards and leading the Cowboys to 36 second-half points to beat Brett Favre.

Closing stadium's first year in style

Cowboys 14, San Francisco 3

Jan. 2, 1972

9.The Cowboys had earned the tag "next year's champs" for coming close, and never did they feel more urgency than this season. They were 4-3 before winning eight straight. They met the 49ers in the conference title game for the second straight year. The defense held John Brodie down, thanks to a George Andrie interception that set up a Calvin Hill touchdown. Two weeks later, the Cowboys beat Miami in Super Bowl VI for their first title.

Revenge on the Vikings

Cowboys 23, Minnesota 6

Jan. 2, 1978

10.Tony Dorsett's rookie year ended with a win against Denver and old friend Craig Morton in Super Bowl XII. To get there, the Cowboys defense dominated the Vikings, who were without injured quarterback Fran Tarkenton. Thomas Henderson forced a fumble on a punt return, Jay Saldi recovered and Roger Staubach turned it into a TD.

"Texas Stadium to me was Thanksgiving. When I was a kid I watched every Thanksgiving game there on television. It was one of those iconic places like Augusta National. When I got to play there as a rookie, there was an odd sense of comfort like I was playing at a place I had known all my life."

Daryl Johnston, Cowboys fullback (1989-99)