Cowboys countdown to kickoff: Top 100 iconic games – Day 67
It is Day 67 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 at Day 67 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit a Thanksgiving win that looks even better with distance. It was the Cowboys’ annual Thanksgiving home game at Texas Stadium, and it brought together two of the best teams in the NFL. What came was a Cowboys game that fans could never forget.
Thursday, November 23, 1995 — 4:00 p.m. ET
Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 24, Kansas City Chiefs 12
This was a true heavyweight regular-season game. The Chiefs were Marty Schottenheimer tough, led by Steve Bono, Marcus Allen, a strong defense, and a team that would finish 13-3. Dallas was trying to complete the final championship push of the 1990s dynasty, with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, and an offensive line still good enough to dictate the terms of a game. Dallas ranked second in points per game, while Kansas City had one of the league’s best sack totals and turnover differentials.
The Cowboys jumped on Kansas City early. Emmitt Smith opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Aikman followed with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Irvin. Before the Chiefs had really settled into the game, Dallas led 14-0, and Texas Stadium had exactly the kind of holiday energy that made Cowboys Thanksgiving games feel bigger than ordinary regular-season football.
Kansas City fought back, but only through field goals. Lin Elliott hit from 34 and 37 yards in the second quarter, cutting the Dallas lead to 14-6 at halftime. That kept the Chiefs close, but it also showed the difference between the teams that day, Kansas City could move the ball, but Dallas was finishing drives with touchdowns.
The Cowboys delivered the key blow in the third quarter. Aikman found Novacek for a 33-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 21-6. Kansas City answered quickly with Bono’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Lake Dawson, but the two-point try failed, leaving Dallas in front 21-12. From there, the Cowboys controlled the game, added a 20-yard Chris Boniol field goal in the fourth quarter, and closed out a 12-point win over one of the AFC’s best teams.
This game belongs on the countdown because it was exactly the kind of win championship teams collect. It was not a blowout, not a playoff game, and not a dramatic last-second finish. It was simply Dallas beating a 10-1 opponent on a national holiday stage, showing control, balance, and big-game composure.
Interesting Facts About the Game
This was the first Thanksgiving meeting between the Cowboys and Chiefs. The next one would not come until 2025, when Dallas again beat Kansas City on Thanksgiving, meaning the Cowboys are 2-0 versus the Chiefs on one of the largest stages.
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
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