It is Day 63 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain
dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.
We welcome you to Day 63 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit the night the Tony Romo era truly began. Romo had entered the previous week’s Monday night loss to the Giants in relief of Drew Bledsoe, but this was different. This was his first NFL start, on the road, in prime time, against a Panthers team that still had real defensive credibility. For a franchise that had spent years searching for stability after Troy Aikman, this game became one of the most important quarterback transition nights in modern Cowboys history.
Sunday, October 29, 2006 — 8:15 p.m. ET
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 35, Carolina Panthers 14
The start was rough. Carolina jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, first on a one-yard DeShaun Foster touchdown run and then on a 24-yard touchdown run by Steve Smith. For a quarterback making his first start, that could have spiraled quickly. Instead, Romo settled down. He led Dallas back in the second quarter with a three-yard touchdown pass to Jason Witten, then Mike Vanderjagt added a 38-yard field goal just before halftime to cut the Panthers’ lead to 14-10.
The third quarter stayed scoreless, but Dallas was slowly taking control. Romo was not playing like a caretaker. He was moving in the pocket, spreading the ball around, and giving Bill Parcells’ offense a different energy than it had with Bledsoe. Early in the fourth quarter, Vanderjagt’s 24-yard field goal made it 14-13, and then the game turned completely. On the ensuing kickoff, Sam Hurd stripped Brad Hoover, recovered the fumble, and gave Dallas the ball at the Carolina 14. One play later, Julius Jones ran untouched for the go-ahead touchdown. Romo then hit Terrell Owens for the two-point conversion, and Dallas led 21-14.
From there, the Cowboys buried the Panthers. Marion Barber scored on a three-yard touchdown run with 2:22 left, then added another 14-yard score less than a minute later after the Dallas defense created another short field. What had been a 14-10 Carolina lead entering the fourth quarter turned into a 35-14 Cowboys rout. Dallas scored 25 points in the final quarter, which was a team record at the time.
Romo finished 24-of-36 for 270 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Owens was his top target, catching nine passes for 107 yards, while Witten added six catches and the first touchdown pass of Romo’s starting career.
This game belongs on the countdown because it marked the real start of one of the most important individual careers in Cowboys history. Romo was undrafted, had spent years developing behind the scenes, and was suddenly being asked to rescue a season under Parcells. One start did not answer every question, but it changed the feeling around the team immediately. The Cowboys had found their next quarterback who would set franchise records. He was surgical, improvisational, confident, and a quarterback who made the offense feel alive again.
Interesting Facts About the Game
Romo’s first touchdown pass as a starter went to Jason Witten, which feels fitting given how central that connection would become in their time together over the years.
Countdown To Kickoff by day:
100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64
