The 8 best games in the Tony Romo vs. Eli Manning rivalry
To kick off the 2015 regular season, the New York Giants are headed to Dallas to take on the Cowboys in the Sunday Night Football opener.
Since both Tony Romo and Eli Manning have stepped in as starters on their respective teams, they have done battle against each other in some classic games. Here, we take a look at the eight best games in the history of Romo against Manning.
Hopefully, we can add another chapter to this epic rivalry this Sunday night.
1. January 13, 2008 -- NFC Divisional Playoffs
The Cowboys secured home-field advantage with an NFC best 13-3 regular season record, but the Giants had played them close twice already. The teams traded four touchdowns to start the game and only scored 10 points after. Down four points with time winding down, Romo's comeback fell short when the Giants intercepted him in the end zone.
2. December 11, 2011 -- Week 14
Both quarterbacks combined for 721 passing yards and six touchdowns in this wild shootout that began with Romo getting sacked in the end zone for a safety. With 5:41 left to go in the fourth quarter, a 50-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant put the Cowboys up by 12 and the game seemed out of reach. Manning drove the giants down for two scores and a clutch blocked field goal attempt by Jason-Pierre Paul sealed the victory.
3. October 28, 2012 -- Week 8
No meeting between the two quarterbacks was quite like this one. The Giants jumped out to a 23-0 lead before allowing the Cowboys to score 24 unanswered and take the lead. After two late Lawrence Tynes field goals helped the Giants take a five-point lead, the Cowboys thought they had the perfect response. Dez Bryant seemed to catch a 37-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left, but the play was reviewed, showing that Bryant's hand barely touched out of bounds first.
4. September 8, 2013, -- Week 1
The Giants and Cowboys opened another season with a barnburner. Manning threw for 450 yards and four touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to mount the comeback. The Cowboys beat Manning for the first time in their new stadium thanks in large part to the six turnovers committed by the Giants, including an interception returned for a touchdown with 1:50 remaining and the Giants trailing by only six points.
5. September 5, 2012 -- Week 1
The Cowboys kicked off their season by knocking off the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants in their house. Unlikely hero Kevin Ogletree led the way with 114 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and the Giants had no answer for the passing game as Tony Romo went 22-of-29 for 307 yards and three touchdowns. It was a statement win for the Cowboys in an otherwise forgettable season.
6. September 20, 2009 -- Week 2
The first regular-season home game at the new Cowboys Stadium was host to a wild game. The Cowboys took a one-point lead with time winding down in the fourth quarter, but the Giants would respond with a game-winning drive capped by a Lawrence Tynes field goal as time expired to hand the Cowboys their first loss in their new stadium.
7. September 9, 2007 -- Week 1
The Cowboys and Giants faced off in the season opener at Texas Stadium, and a shootout ensued. Manning and Plaxico Burress had the connection going all game to the tune of 144 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough. Romo threw for what was at the time a career-high 345 passing yards and four touchdowns. The Cowboys won this shootout 45-35.
8. November 23, 2014 -- Week 12
In a game that carried very little meaning for the 3-7 Giants, they learned something very crucial for the franchise going forward. Rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had been on a tear entering this contest, but what he accomplished in this battle had never been done before by any Giants wide receiver.
Beckham streaked down the right sideline on a deep bomb launched by Manning and reeled in one of the greatest catches in NFL history. This game made the list for it's meaning in what's to come for the future of this rivlary. While Romo has found Bryant, now Manning has the first dynamic receiver he can lean on since Burress left the team.
For more on the Giants and the rest of the NFC East, check out FOX Sports' team pages. You can also follow Dan on Twitter @DanSchneierNFL to continue the conversation.
