NFC East Rivalry: A look back at the top five memorable Tony Romo vs Eli Manning matchups
By Ali Jawad
When we think of quarterback rivalries in the NFL, the top two names that come to mind are Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. A pair of legends who delivered some of the most memorable matchups in NFL history for years.
A few other notable quarterback matchups included Troy Aikman vs Steve Young, Terry Bradshaw vs Roger Staubach, Jim Kelly vs Dan Marino, and many more.
However, if there was one that does not get enough attention, it has to be Tony Romo vs Eli Manning. The pair of pro bowl quarterbacks met 17 times in their careers and delivered some of their era's most memorable games. The purpose of this is to remind fans just how underrated this rivalry was.
From comeback performances to two-minute drills to a shocking post-season loss. Here are the top five memorable Tony Romo vs Eli Manning matchups.
Honorable Mention - Week 13, 2006: Romo to Witten
Tony Romo took over the starting job midway through the 2006 season against Eli Manning and the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. The result was three interceptions and a 36-22 Dallas loss.
In his first start against Manning six weeks later, the young quarterbacks would meet on a Sunday afternoon at Giants stadium. Against the Cowboys, Manning performed well through the air completing 24/36 passes for 270 yards and two of touchdowns.
The Giants shot themselves in the foot as they committed four personal foul penalties, a crucial fumble, and poor red zone play calling. Late in the fourth quarter, Manning led the Giants on a 63-yard drive capped off with a 7-yard touchdown to Plaxico Burress. On that same possession, the Giants had called a timeout and preserved an additional 40 seconds on the clock.
Romo and the Cowboys would take advantage of the mistake as he connected with a young Jason Witten on a 42-yard pass play that would set up kicker Martin Gramatica for a game-winning field goal. The Cowboys would win this game 23-20.