Remember the times when Washington was in a frenzy the week the team played Dallas. Times have changed and the fan base has evolved over the years. Some say Diron Talbert started the hate for the Dallas Cowboys back in the 1970’s when he was a star for the Washington Redskins. Some say it was former Washington head coach George Allen. The hate ran deep then both teams went through the ups and downs where the rivalry faded. Some still cannot forget those days when “Dallas week” was a week-long event.
“I don’t have a lot of love for Dallas. There’s nothing new about that, and I’m sure they don’t have a lot of love for me. That’s how it goes.”
Diron Talbert told The Washington Post in 1978
What was always odd and ironic was Talbert was from Texas. . He went to Texas City High School and played for the University of Texas. He even moved back to Texas after football. For Talbert — it was personal. He got into the face of the Cowboys star quarterback, Roger Staubach, and during the 1972 NFC Championship that the Redskins won 26-3 over the Cowboys, it was Talbert seen yelling at Staubach. It was one of those wins that few old-time Washington football fans could forget.
The rivalry moved to a whole new level. The D.C. sports media was all over it. Two games a year plus the thought of a playoff game got the fans into a frenzy. They would burn Cowboy and Texas flags and anything they could find. The tailgates at RFK Stadium when Dallas was in town was epic.
Now here we are with both teams occupying spots this morning for the postseason. Dallas, at the top of the NFC East, and Washington looking at the No. 6 spot in the NFC via a Wild Card. Obviously Washington needs this game more than Dallas. So this is a true rivalry game without all of the vitriol that Allen and Talbert could have caused to boil over.
Oddly, the Cowboys reportedly flew in their own bench for their sideline. Nobody has ever seen that done before.
So here we are in the oddities of a football game, and Washington has allowed Dallas to fly in their own benches.
On if he is worried about how his team will handle the current success:
“No, because I remind them every week. I remind them it’s a very simple thing. I believe it was Coach Wooden that said it. That talent is God given, be humble. Fame is man given, be wise. Ego is self given, be careful. So, I try to remind the guys every week, since we’ve been winning. Start talking about that…[inaudible]…lose your mind over this stuff. You have to take it one week at a time. I told the guys, ‘Hey, let’s enjoy this for 24 hours. We’ve got another hour before it’s time to move on.’ So once we get past it, now the focus will be obviously on Dallas.”
— Head Coach Ron Rivera
As both teams go into this game, it is Dallas with more of their starting players than Washington after they lost Logan Thomas for the season. But nobody will feel sorry for Washington and who they are missing. It is time to step up.
Cowboys vs. Washington start time
Date: Sunday, Dec. 12
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. ET
Televison: FOX
Vegas Lines: Cowboys vs. Washington spread: Dallas -6.5 Cowboys vs. Washington over-under: 48 points Cowboys vs. Washington money line: Dallas -270, Washington +220
