| Past their prime time days New Cowboys' schedule features only one MNF game 04/12/2001 By Jean-Jacques Taylor / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – For years, the Cowboys have had a star-studded roster that made them one of the NFL's glamour teams and ensured Dallas a bevy of nationally televised games.
That's no longer the case.
The NFL released its schedule on Thursday, and Dallas has just one appearance on Monday Night Football – its lowest total since 1991. The Cowboys will play Washington on Monday, Oct. 15 at Texas Stadium. Aside from its annual Thanksgiving Day game, the Cowboys' only other nationally televised game will be Sunday night against Philadelphia.
Last year, Dallas went 5-11 and missed the playoffs for the second time in four seasons. In the past three seasons, high-profile players such as Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman, Daryl Johnston, Deion Sanders, Nate Newton and Leon Lett have either retired or left via free agency.
Dallas has the worst record of any team on Monday Night Football
"When you're not successful that happens," said coach Dave Campo, referring to the club's lone appearance on Monday night. "Some teams don't have any nationally televised games."
Owner Jerry Jones chose to look at the positive.
After all, he said, the Cowboys are making an appearance on Monday Night Football for the 11th consecutive season. Only Minnesota (15 years) has a longer streak.
Of the seven teams that finished with five wins or less, Dallas is the only one to play on Monday night. Four teams with better records than Dallas – Buffalo, Seattle, Kansas City and Carolina – did not get a Monday Night game.
Division winners Miami and New Orleans have only one Monday night appearance as does 11-5 Philadelphia and 10-6 Indianapolis.
"Monday Night Football is scheduled based on your record the year before," Jones said. "If you count the ESPN game on Sunday night and the Thanksgiving Day game, that gives us three nationally televised games, which is good."
Dallas, which plays seven playoff teams, opens its schedule at home against Tampa Bay on Sept. 9. It will mark the Bucs' first visit to Texas Stadium since 1990.
While the Cowboys avoided the dreaded three-game road trip, they do have two instances when they play three of four games on the road.
That first block of games begins Oct. 21 at Oakland. The Cowboys return home against Arizona (Oct. 28) before facing the New York Giants (Nov. 4) and Atlanta (Nov. 11) on the road. After consecutive home games against Philadelphia and Denver on Thanksgiving Day, Dallas gets its second difficult stretch on the road.
After playing at Washington on Dec. 2, the Cowboys return home against the Giants (Dec. 9). Then Dallas heads west for consecutive games against Seattle (Dec. 16) and Arizona (Dec. 23).
The schedule features teams that went a combined 127-129 in 2000, a .496 winning percentage, and eight teams that finished above .500.
"In this day of parity, it's hard to say you've got a schedule that gives you a better chance to win than we've had in years past," Jones said. "Before, we've probably had the stronger teams on our schedule, but this schedule should benefit us since we only won five games."
|
