It is Day 60 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’re now at Day 60 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit one of the most memorable Cowboys-Eagles games of the Tony Romo era. The 2007 Cowboys went into Philadelphia at 6-1, already looking like one of the NFC’s best teams under first-year head coach Wade Phillips. The Eagles were 3-4 and trying to keep their season from sliding away, but Dallas turned Sunday Night Football into a rivalry statement. This game is known by Cowboys fans, as the “no-helmet catch”.
Sunday, November 4, 2007 — 8:20 p.m. ET
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 38, Philadelphia Eagles 17
Dallas set the tone early. Julius Jones scored from two yards out on the opening possession, and after Brian Westbrook answered with a touchdown for Philadelphia, Romo put the Cowboys back in front with a one-yard touchdown pass to Tony Curtis. Late in the second quarter, Marion Barber powered in from five yards out, giving Dallas a 21-7 halftime lead and putting the Eagles in chase mode.
The Cowboys broke the game open right after halftime. Romo found Terrell Owens for a 45-yard touchdown less than three minutes into the third quarter, stretching the lead to 28-7. Philadelphia added a David Akers field goal, but Dallas answered again when Romo hit Witten for a 20-yard touchdown. By the time Nick Folk added a fourth-quarter field goal, the Cowboys were up 38-10 and the road rout was complete.
But the play everyone remembers was not even a touchdown. Romo found Witten over the middle, and after contact with two Eagles defenders, Witten’s helmet came off. He did not stop. He kept running, helmetless, through traffic and down the field for a 53-yard reception. Dallas’ official site later described it as the play this game will always be remembered for, noting that Witten did most of the 53-yard gain without his helmet and that the catch helped set up another Cowboys touchdown.
This game belongs on the countdown because it was huge game in the national stage, a road beatdown, a star receiver torching his former team, Romo dealing punishment, and Witten producing a toughness highlight that became part of his career mythology. The run by Witten was so legendary, that a huge photo of him running without his helmet can found in the main hallway at The Star in Frisco.
Interesting Facts About the Game
Under current NFL rules, Witten’s run would not be allowed to continue. The league changed the rule thanks to Witten’s no-helmet run, so that if a ball carrier’s helmet comes off during a play, the ball is immediately blown dead.
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, 63, 62, 61
