The last time the Dallas Cowboys hosted such a downtrodden Eagles team was in Week 16 1998. The Cowboys eked out a 13-9 win with a 7-yard Eric Bjornson rush and two Richie Cunningham field goals.

This is the fourth straight game that the Dallas Cowboys will have faced a rookie quarterback. Never in their franchise history has this been the case.

The last time the Philadelphia Eagles lost 7 games in a row was from Week 15 of 1998 to Week 4 of 1999. They broke their losing streak with a win against the Dallas Cowboys, the same game in which Michael Irvin broke his neck.

The Eagles are 1 of 3 teams the Cowboys have faced in all three rounds of the NFC playoffs.

The last time the Eagles played the Cowboys with their backup quarterback in December was in 2006 when Jeff Garcia spoiled Dallas’ Christmas 23-7.

The Dallas Cowboys are 60-47 all time against the Eagles. In order to even the series, the Eagles would need to win this game and then sweep the Cowboys for the next six years.

The longest Cowboys winning streak in the series was 11 from 12/10/67 to 11/19/72. This is the third-longest winning streak against a division rival with 13 against the Cardinals (12/16/90 to 12/8/96) and 12 against the Giants (10/27/74 to 10/5/80) being longer.

The Philadelphia Eagles are one of three teams against whom the Cowboys have gotten their postseason revenge. The other two are the Packers and Steelers.

Since losing the 2009 Wild Card playoff in Cowboys Stadium, the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0. No other team has been able to do this in Cowboys history.

The Cowboys and Eagles are 10-10 in the last 20 games. They are also 10-10 with the Giants. Their only advantage is over the Redskins at 12-8.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the only division foe against whom the Cowboys do not own a tie.

The Dallas Cowboys have more penalties at 90 to the Philadelphia Eagles’ 76. However, the Cowboys have three more penalty yards: 645 to 642.

Through 797 games, the Philadelphia Eagles amassed 12 playoff appearances, 5 division titles, 3 NFL Championships, and 1 Super Bowl appearance. Through the Cowboys’ 797 games, they’ve amassed 30 playoff appearances, 21 division titles, 5 Super Bowl wins, and 8 Super Bowl appearances.

Nov 4, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; The Cleveland Browns offense huddles during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Baltimore won 25-15. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

SERIES FACTS

The last time the Cleveland Browns beat the Dallas Cowboys was in 1994 when Bill Belichick was the head coach, and the contest was in Dallas.

Bill Belichick’s first NFL game as a head coach was with the Cleveland Browns as they faced the Dallas Cowboys on Opening Day 1991.

The Cleveland Browns’ first game at the Cotton Bowl was a 48-7 win in 1960, while their first game at Texas Stadium in 1974 was a 41-17 defeat.

The Cleveland Browns are one of four select teams to have beaten the Cowboys both home and away in a playoff game. The other three teams are the Packers, Vikings, and Rams.

The Dallas Cowboys have lost to the Ravens, who were the Browns, since the Ravens came into the league. Conversely, the Cowboys have beaten the Browns since they returned to the league.

The last time these two teams met was in 2008 in Cleveland. The Cowboys are only starting 4 players from that last encounter (Romo, Witten, Ratliff, and Ware), while the Browns are starting two (Joe Thomas and D’Qwell Jackson).

In the years the Cowboys have defeated the Browns, Dallas has never gone on to win a Super Bowl.

The Browns had a 7-game winning streak against the Cowboys from 1963-66. The longest streak the Cowboys have had is three games from 1966-69.

Since 1999, the Cleveland Browns have had 15 first round draft picks to the Cowboys’ 12. The Cowboys and Browns have had comparative value with 4 Pro Bowlers and 2 All Pros to 4 Pro Bowlers and 1 All Pro respectively. The Browns’ most common pick has been a tie between offensive lineman, defensive lineman, and quarterback, while the Cowboys’ most common pick has been defensive back.

In 2007, the Dallas Cowboys traded their first round pick to the Browns for the Browns’ 2008 first rounder, which was used to select Felix Jones. However, the first transaction these two teams made since the Browns’ return was in 2004 when the Cowboys dealt mercurial receiver #88 Antonio Bryant to the Browns for receiver Quincy Morgan.

The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Cleveland Browns 31-14 on Thanksgiving Day 1982. Unless the TV contracts are changed, the Browns will never play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving again because Thanksgivings occurring during even numbered years are broadcast by FOX Sports, and CBS Sports holds the rights to the Cowboys’ AFC home games.

Since 1999, the Browns have finished dead last 8 times compared to the Cowboys finishing 3rd five times.

The last time the Dallas Cowboys had a two-game home losing streak was in 2010 when they lost to the Bears and Titans in Weeks 3 and 6. Sadly, this streak swelled into a four-game losing streak.

The Browns are on a four-game losing streak to the NFC East. The last time they defeated an NFC East team was in 2008 when they crushed the defending Super Bowl champion Giants 35-14 in Cleveland.

The last AFC team the Cowboys have lost to at home was the 2010 Jacksonville Jaguars, who used to be in the defunct AFC Central division with the Browns from 1999-2001.

BROWNS FACTS

The Cleveland Browns are one of two teams that have their origins neither as a founding NFL team, an AFL team, or an expansion team. From 1946-49, the Cleveland Browns and the San Fransisco 49ers were members of the All American Football Conference.

The Cleveland Browns have had 5 head coaches and 1 interim since 1999. So have the Cowboys.

The Browns aren’t Cleveland’s original NFL team. The Rams, of L.A. and St. Louis fame, are. Similarly, the Cowboys aren’t Dallas’ original NFL team. The Texans from 1952 are, not to be confused with Lamar Hunt’s 1960 AFL team.

Since 1999, the Cleveland Browns are 1-3 in the state of Texas. Their lone win came in 2004 against the Texans 22-14.

OWNER FACTS

Since returning operations in 1999, the Cleveland Browns have had three owners: Al Lerner (1999-2002), Randy Lerner (2002-2012), and now Jimmy Haslam. The Cowboys have only had three owners in their entire 53-season history: Clint Murchison (1959-1984), Bum Bright (1984-1989), and Jerry Jones.

Jerry Jones drew the ire of NFL Properties in 1995 for violating the league’s revenue-sharing program. In David Magee’s Jerry Jones biography, Playing to Win, Art Modell said of Jones, “He’s going to tear down this league!” Interestingly enough, Modell was the one who shook one of the league’s pillars months later by announcing the relocation and renaming of the Browns to Baltimore to become the Ravens.

Art Modell and Jerry Jones both share the distinction of firing their respective franchise’s inaugural head coaches (Paul Brown and Tom Landry).

The first head coach Art Modell fired was Paul Brown. His last was Bill Belichick.

As of October 16th, Jimmy Haslam has been the official owner of the Cleveland Browns. Their win over the Chargers two weeks ago gives Haslam as many wins as Jerry Jones had in his first season with the Cowboys.

In 1989, Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys for $140 million dollars. In October, Jimmy Haslam purchased the Browns for $1 billion.

BROADCAST FACTS

Since 1998 when the NFL returned to CBS, except as the AFC package, the Dallas Cowboys have been 15-12. Their most common opponent has been a tie between the Dolphins and Jaguars with 3 appearances each. Forever their least common opponent will be the Seattle Seahawks with 1 appearance due to the Seahawks going to the NFC West, and thus FOX Sports broadcasting their inter-conference matches.

Jim Nantz and Phil Simms became CBS Sports’ #1 team in 2004. The Dallas Cowboys are 9-6 when Nantz and Simms call the action.

In 2008, the Cowboys only played one AFC game at home on CBS in 2008 as opposed to the customary two. The AFC broadcaster rarely gives up one of its two Cowboys home games to a prime time telecast. The last time the AFC broadcaster (NBC: ’70-’97; CBS: ’98-present) gave up a Cowboys game was in 1987 when the Cowboys lost to the Dolphins 20-14.

The last time the Dallas Cowboys faced a rookie quarterback on CBS was in 2004 when Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a 24-20 victory in Texas Stadium.

Tony Romo has a 6-3 record on CBS. Here’s how the other Cowboys quarterbacks since ’98 shape up:

Quincy Carter — 2-1
Drew Bledsoe — 2-1
Troy Aikman — 2-2
Chad Hutchinson: 1-0
Vinny Testaverde — 1-1
Ryan Leaf — 0-1
Randall Cunningham — 0-1
Jon Kitna — 0-1
Jason Garrett — 0-1

BRANDON WEEDEN FACTS

Brandon Weeden and Dez Bryant were both Oklahoma State Cowboys in 2008 and 2009, but Weeden never threw a pass to Bryant.

Brandon Weeden was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2002. Similarly, Drew Henson, Cowboys’ 6th rounder from ’04, was drafted by the Yankees in 1998.

All three of the quarterbacks the Cowboys drafted from Troy Aikman to Tony Romo (Carter, Hutchinson, Henson) had past experience trying their hand at Major League Baseball.

Brandon Weeden graduated from Oklahoma State at age 28. When Romo was 28, he had played in two playoff games, been a two-time Pro Bowler, and set Cowboys season records for touchdowns, passing yards, and completions.

PRE-THANKSGIVING FACTS

The Dallas Cowboys are 9-3 in their pre-Thanksgiving games since 2000 with only three of them being played on the road (’00 Ravens, ’04 Ravens, Redskins ’11). In those games, the Cowboys have played a .500 or below team 6 times (’02 Jaguars, ’05 Cardinals, ’08 49ers, ’09 Redskins, ’10 Lions, ’11 Redskins).

Tony Romo is 7-0 in pre-Thanksgiving games, with his most recognizable win coming against the 9-0 Colts in 2006.

The Dallas Cowboys’ last home pre-Thanksgiving loss was in 2001 when the Eagles crushed them 36-3.

This is the first AFC team the Cowboys have faced in a pre-Thanksgiving game since they took on the 9-0 Colts in 2006.

GARRETT/SHURMUR FACTS

Sunday will be Jason Garrett’s first game to coach against the Browns. He has still yet to coach against the Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, Jaguars, Titans, Texans, Bengals, and Steelers. Garrett will need to stay until the conclusion of the 2014 season to have coached against all 32 teams.

Pat Shurmur served as one of Andy Reid’s assistant coaches from 1999-2008, and thus is from the Andy Reid coaching tree. This is the first time since 2006 that the Cowboys are facing a head coach after facing the coaching tree he came from (2006: Dennis Green with the Cardinals, then Tony Dungy with the Colts).

Pat Shurmur served as the Eagles quarterbacks coach from 2002-2008. Similarly, Jason Garrett served as a quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins from 2005-06.

Pat’s uncle, Fritz Shurmur, was the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers in Jason Garrett’s heroic 1994 Thanksgiving Day game.

Jason Garrett’s career 17 wins is more wins than the Browns have had in the past three full seasons with only 14 (2009-2011).

Pat Shurmur and Jason Garrett both share the distinction of coaching at least two years under Nick Saban. Shurmur was Saban’s tight ends coach at Michigan State from 1995-97, while Garrett was Saban’s quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins from 2005-06.

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS

Since 2003, the Dallas Cowboys are 6-4 against rookie quarterbacks (I’m counting Foles’ playing time as a start). Aside from Russell Wilson in Week 2, the only other rookie quarterbacks that have beaten them are Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, and Eli Manning.

Since 2004, the Dallas Cowboys are 0-2 against AFC North rookie quarterbacks with both of those losses coming at home. (Roethlisberger in ’04; Flacco in ’08)

11/18 FACTS

The Dallas Cowboys’ most common 11/18 opponent is a tie between the Eagles and the Redskins at two apiece.

This is the first time the Cowboys will play an AFC team at home on 11/18, and the first time since 1984 to play an AFC team at all (@BUF in 1984).

Troy Aikman has the most starts on 11/18 with three. Tony Romo will have two by Sunday, yet would need to play until the year 2018 to match Aikman’s record.

Pat Shurmur’s uncle, the aforementioned Fritz Shurmur, coached the Packers defense in a 11/18 contest on Monday Night Football where the Cowboys won 21-6.

The Dallas Cowboys are 4-4 on 11/18. Sunday’s game will be played under a new moon. Here’s the results broken down by moon phases:

New Moon — 0-1
First Quarter — 2-0
Full Moon — 0-1
Last Quarter — 2-2

Oct 28, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) runs after a catch in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

25. The last time the Dallas Cowboys played on November 4th was on the road in an NBC telecast in 2007 against the Eagles. The Cowboys won 38-17.

24. The last time Al Michaels called a match between the Cowboys and Falcons was Week 2 of 1999, when the Cowboys beat the Falcons 24-7.

23. The last time Cris Collinsworth called a match between the Cowboys and Falcons was in Week 15 of 2006 when the Cowboys won 38-28.

22. The Cowboys have a 7-8 record on NBC telecasts since 2008:
2008: @Packers – W, @Redskins – W, Giants – W
2009: Giants – L, @Eagles – W, @Redskins – W, Eagles (playoffs) – W
2010: @Redskins – L, @Packers – L, Eagles – L
2011: @Jets – L, @Eagles – L, Giants – L, @Giants – L
2012: @Giants – W

21. The Falcons have a 2-2 record in NBC telecasts since 2008:
2008: @Cardinals (playoffs) – L
2009: @Bears – W
2011: Eagles – W, Packers – W

20. The last time the Cowboys lost to the Falcons in Atlanta was on 11/11/01, 10 years, 51 weeks to the day of this encounter.

19. The longest stretch of these two clubs not playing each other in the regular season was 1976 to 1985, while their longest stretch of playing one another was from 1985 to 1993.

18. This is the third time the Cowboys and Falcons will square off before a presidential election. While the Cowboys won both contests, the Republicans and Democrats took one game each.

17. This is only the fifth time the Cowboys have played in November against the Falcons. They are 1-3 when playing the Falcons in November.

16.The Falcons are one of four teams to have never beaten the Cowboys in a postseason encounter (min. 2 attempts). The other teams are the Buccaneers, Bears, and Bills.

15. The Falcons came into the league in 1966, which was the same year the expansion Cowboys played in their first NFL Title Game.

14. Matt Ryan is the first Falcons quarterback since Chris Miller (’88-’89) to start in consecutive encounters against the Cowboys.

13. Tony Romo is the fourth quarterback in Cowboys history to have 3 consecutive starts against the Falcons (Staubach, White, Aikman)

12. Along with the Cowboys, the other teams Matt Ryan hasn’t beat are the Patriots, Giants, Steelers, and Texans.

October 28, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) rolls out against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Falcons defeated the Eagles 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

11. Matt Ryan will be facing Dallas for the second time in his career. Here’s how other distinguished non-divisional quarterbacks have fared after having lost their first match against Dallas:

Fran Tarkenton – L
Bob Griese – W
Terry Bradshaw – W
Dan Fouts – L
Warren Moon – W
Jim Kelly – W
Brett Favre- L
Drew Bledsoe – W
Kurt Warner – W
Drew Brees – W
Aaron Rodgers – W

10. Tony Romo has a 2-0 record against the Falcons (2006, 2009).

9. The Atlanta Falcons join the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers as the only NFC #1 seeds to have lost in the first round since the playoffs were re-formatted in 1990.

8. Jason Garrett is the eighth head coach in Cowboys history. The eighth head coach in Falcons history was Jim Hanifan, who was also an interim head coach as replaced Marion Campbell for the 1989 season.

7. The Falcons need just two more wins this season to have put together 5 consecutive winning seasons. That’s quite a feat considering they never had consecutive winning seasons past 2007.

6. Mike Smith joins John Harbaugh, Vince Lombardi, Mike Holmgren, George Seifert, George Allen, Don Shula, Jerry Burns, Mike Tomlin, and Bill Cowher as the only head coaches to have 4 consecutive winning seasons at their first head coaching job. What’s impressive about that feat is who’s not on the list (Landry, Noll, etc.)

5. Nick Eatman and Todd Archer wrote articles how the Cowboys have been undefeated team killers since 1991. That’s true, but here’s two factors that they didn’t mention:

A. The Cowboys had winning records at the time (’91: 6-5; ’06: 5-4; ’09: 8-5) compared to their 3-4 record.
B. The Cowboys were near even in the turnover battle (’91: -2; ’06: +4; ’09: -1) compared to their -11 margin.

4. The Dallas Cowboys are 3-2 in the Georgia Dome and had a 3-3 record at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the Falcons’ home from ’66 to ’91. The Cowboys played two separate postseason games at those respective venues: the 1980 divisional playoffs against Atlanta at Fulton County Stadium, and Super Bowl XXVIII against Buffalo in the Georgia Dome.

3. In the Falcons’ inaugural season in the Georgia Dome in 1992, the Cowboys defeated them 41-17. In the Cowboys’ inaugural season in Cowboys Stadium in 2009, the Cowboys defeated the Falcons 37-21.

2. When Romo lost the 2007 divisional playoffs, the media went tulipomaniacal over his 0-2 record. However, Matt Ryan has a free pass with his 0-3 record. Only Peyton Manning and Steve Grogan had an 0-3 record after their first three playoff games.

1. The Cowboys have never played the Falcons and 49ers as same place division finishers since the 2002 realignment.

Bonus: The Cowboys are 4-4 on 11/4 with 6 of their 8 contests having been played on the road. Here’s the results broken down by moon phase: New Moon — 1-0, First Quarter — 1-1, Full Moon — 2-2, Last Quarter — 0-1.