The top 10 games in the Eagles vs. Cowboys rivalry

The Eagles are headed down to Dallas for one of the most anticipated games of the season — a rematch between the Birds and the Cowboys, one with major playoff seeding and NFC East implications.

Fans hoping to attend the game in Dallas are looking at a get-in price of $453 for a seated ticket on resale site TickPick as of Friday afternoon — the highest for a Cowboys game on record — and the prices just keep going up.

The Cowboys go into the game riding a four-game win streak and the Eagles are out to prove they’re still at the top of the NFC after a tough home loss to San Francisco. The showdown between MVP candidates Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott has the potential to become an instant classic.

Ahead of Sunday night’s game, here’s our list of the 10 best games in the Eagles-Cowboys’ rivalry.

The Eagles pulled off the longest pick-six in team history to cement the win in 1996. James Willis intercepted Troy Aikman deep in Eagles territory with the Birds up just three points, and tossed a lateral to Troy Vincent, who completed the 104-yard return and padded the Eagles’ lead on their way to a 31-21 victory.

Nick Foles and the Eagles were fighting for the NFC East title in the final game of the season against the Cowboys. With backup quarterback Kyle Orton in for the Cowboys, Dallas was driving with less than two minutes left and a chance to take the lead. Cornerback Brandon Boykin picked off Orton in the final minutes of the game, cementing a 24-22 win — and the NFC East title — for the Birds.

The Eagles blew out the Cowboys, 49-21, in this Monday Night Football matchup, but the game lives on thanks to quarterback Donovan McNabb’s 14-second scramble. McNabb barely escaped the sack, ran outside, and then turned back to the other side of the field before throwing the deep ball to Freddie Mitchell for a 60-yard completion, drawing comparisons to a 95-yard Randall Cunningham touchdown pass in 1990.

The Eagles — and their fans — found out just before kickoff that all the dominos they needed had fallen their way, and this regular-season finale against the Cowboys would be a winner-take-all game with a trip to the playoffs on the line. The Birds returned two fumbles for touchdowns en route to one of the most dominant wins in the rivalry, and knocked the Cowboys out of the postseason while they were at it.

Head coach Buddy Ryan felt the Cowboys ran up the score on his Eagles during the NFL players’ strike, sending in players who crossed the picket line. Two weeks later, with just 10 seconds left on the clock and the Eagles up 30-10, Randall Cunningham faked the kneel-down and threw a deep pass that drew a pass interference call in the end zone. To make sure he proved his point, Ryan called a running play on first and goal and the Birds added another touchdown as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

The Birds made the playoffs for the first time in seven years with their win over the Cowboys — and some assistance from the Jets, who upset the Giants. Cunningham threw two touchdown passes and the Eagles intercepted Dallas quarterback Steve Pelluer three times to clinch a playoff berth in the final game of the season. They went on to lose in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Bears, in what became known as the Fog Bowl.

The infamous Bounty Bowl games of 1989 were the peak of one of the tensest times in the rivalry. Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson alleged that during the 27-0 Eagles win, Buddy Ryan was offering his players money for taking out certain Cowboys players, including former Eagles kicker Luis Zendejas. During the rematch later in the season, Birds fans famously threw snowballs, beer, and ice onto the field during the 20-10 Eagles win.

In this Week 1 matchup, the Eagles went into Dallas and saw record high temperatures, with the field reaching over 100 degrees for the game. Andy Reid used pickle juice to keep the Eagles hydrated and to prevent muscle cramps, and his unconventional methods worked. The Birds blew out the Cowboys, 41-14, and running back Duce Staley outgained the entire Cowboys offense by himself, picking up 201 yards on the ground compared with Dallas’ 167 total.

There were just over two minutes left, and the Cowboys were facing fourth and 1. The teams were tied, the game was on the line. The Eagles got the stop — only they didn’t, because the official had called for the two-minute warning. When the teams returned from the timeout, Dallas ran the same play, and the Eagles stuffed it again. The Birds proceeded to kick the game-winning field goal, and Merrill Reese yelling “They stopped him again!” became one of the most iconic moments in the rivalry.

This 20-7 victory, highlighted by Wilbert Montgomery’s 42-yard touchdown run, sent Dick Vermeil’s Eagles past their most hated rival and into the Super Bowl. What else could be No. 1? The Birds shut out the Cowboys in the second half and scored 13 unanswered points to clinch a spot in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.