Trivia Thursday puts five Cowboys-Eagles Monday-night games on the line, starting with Drew Pearson’s 1974 10-catch, 161-yard day

Dallas has met Philadelphia on Monday night in just five prior matchups before this week’s sixth edition in the rivalry. Can you name the playmakers from each game?

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Cowboys and Eagles are scheduled to renew their Monday-night rivalry in Philadelphia for only the sixth time in Dallas’ 67-year history of the series, and the team’s “Trivia Thursday” quiz revisits five past Monday-night meetings.

In the first-ever Monday night matchup between the clubs on Sept. 23, 1974, Dallas wide receiver Drew Pearson had a standout night with 10 catches for 161 yards, a personal-best receiving performance in that game. Even with that production, the Cowboys lost 13-10 after Philadelphia made key scoring plays late.

On Oct. 5, 1992, the “payback” theme centered on Eagles running back Herschel Walker, who totaled 100 yards from scrimmage and scored two rushing touchdowns in his first game ever vs. his former team after signing with Philadelphia in the 1992 offseason. The Eagles won 31-7.

On Sept. 30, 1996, Dallas upset the Eagles on Monday night and jumpstarted what would become a division-title run. The player who led the effort with 122 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown was Emmitt Smith, and the Cowboys won 23-19.

In the 1998 Monday-night blowout, Deion Sanders completed the rare triple in one contest, catching a pass on offense, recording an interception on defense, and returning a punt for a touchdown. Dallas routed Philadelphia 34-0 in that matchup.

Finally, the 2005 Monday-night meeting featured a late defensive swing. Safety Roy Williams intercepted Donovan McNabb and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown with 11 seconds after a Cowboys score to turn a 20-7 deficit into a 21-20 win.

Why It Matters

The rivalry’s Monday-night history is brief, which makes each meeting stand out and adds extra weight to the upcoming sixth matchup in Philadelphia.
Several of Dallas’ most memorable performances in the series have come from specific impact players, from Pearson’s receiving output to Sanders’ all-phase game.
The quiz underscores a recurring theme in this matchup history: momentum swings often determine the result, especially in late-game defensive plays.

Sources

Key Facts

Dallas vs. Philadelphia on Monday night will mark only the sixth such meeting in Cowboys-Eagles history spanning 67 years.
Drew Pearson’s 1974 Monday-night game included 10 receptions for 161 yards, as the Cowboys fell 13-10.
Herschel Walker produced 100 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns in 1992 in his first game against Dallas, leading to a 31-7 Eagles win.
Emmitt Smith had 122 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in Dallas’ Sept. 30, 1996 Monday-night upset of Philadelphia.
Deion Sanders was the only Cowboys player in franchise history to have a reception, an interception, and a punt return touchdown all in the same game, on a 1998 Monday night.
Roy Williams’ interception return for a touchdown in late 2005 helped Dallas beat Philadelphia 21-20.