Homefield disadvantage for Cowboys?
The Cowboys open their new billion dollar palace in 2009 but the NFL did them no favors by scheduling the defending NFC East champion New York Giants for the home opener Sept. 20. The opponent will be tough enough for the Cowboys to overcome -- and recent NFL history may be even tougher.
Three of the last four NFL teams to open new stadiums christened them with a loss: Indianapolis in 2008, Philadelphia in 2003 and Detroit in 2002. The 10 teams that have introduced new stadiums in the 2000 decade stand a humble 5-5 in home openers.
Overall, the 32 NFL teams are 19-13 in the debut games of their current stadiums. The Cowboys were one of the winners, defeating the New England Patriots in the Texas Stadium opener in 1971.
But the Giants owe the Cowboys one -- Dallas toppled New York, 24-14, in the first game in the Meadowlands in 1976.
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