After the regular season began, the days were calculated based on the game schedule. It was four days until the game, then three days... There was no time to savor the victory of the first game because the second game was already waiting around the corner.
In the second week of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers would continue to play at home, this time against the Dallas Cowboys.
In NFL history, the most successful teams are the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, and the New England Patriots, who rose to prominence in the twenty-first century. But when it comes to history and legacy, the first four teams are the best in the league.
The Dallas Cowboys' history isn't that old; the team was founded in 1960. Although their name is "Dallas," their home field is in Irving, Texas. Despite being a "young" team, they have an impressive record, having been to the Super Bowl eight times and winning five championships.
They are one of the most successful teams in NFL history, have made the most playoff appearances, and share the record for most Super Bowl appearances with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were also the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four years, a feat the New England Patriots would achieve in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Historically, the Dallas Cowboys' peak glory came in two eras: the 1970s and the 1990s.
From the 1930s to the 1960s, American Western films were at their peak. Although their popularity declined in the 1970s, their influence on the younger generation continued. The Dallas Cowboys' "cowboy" image fit perfectly, and they became the most widely known and popular team.
According to a league survey, while most fans support their home state teams, the Dallas Cowboys have a clear advantage in states without an NFL team, with a far greater number of supporters.
During the peak of the Cowboys' popularity, their sports merchandise sales alone accounted for 40 percent of the entire league's sales. Currently, the Dallas Cowboys are the only team in the league that markets its own sports merchandise independently.
As a result, the Dallas Cowboys are also known as "America's Team."
According to Forbes' list of the most valuable sports teams in the world, the Dallas Cowboys have been at the top for eight consecutive years, far ahead of European soccer giants.
It's estimated that the market value of the Dallas Cowboys is over four billion dollars, while the runner-up, Real Madrid, is valued at three and a half billion dollars. The most successful NBA team in Asia is valued at only one billion dollars.
There's no doubt that the Dallas Cowboys are the most influential team in the league.
In terms of night game broadcasts, the Dallas Cowboys are undoubtedly the league's favorite, with two to three night games scheduled per season. They are also the most-watched, highest-pressure, and most-discussed team in the league. Being a Dallas Cowboy means being in the spotlight.
One is the most commercially valuable team in the league, and the other is one of the most historic. Both teams are among the most successful in league history and are in the same conference. Every time the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers face each other, it's a fiery showdown, making them one of the most famous rivals in league history.
The two teams have faced each other a total of thirty-five times throughout history, with the 49ers winning seventeen, losing seventeen, and one tie. However, the 49ers have a better record in the regular season but a worse record in the playoffs, with two wins and five losses.
In 1970, 1971, and 1972, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers for three consecutive years. The first two times were in the NFC Championship game, which sent them to the Super Bowl.
In the 1981 NFC Championship game, the Dallas Cowboys once again met the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers' star player, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, led the team to a miraculous comeback in the final minute, connecting with wide receiver Dwight Clark.
This pass and catch is famous in league history, has been recorded in the history books, and has its own name: "The Catch." When people mention "The Catch," they are specifically referring to this pass from the 1981 NFC Championship game.
After this game, the two teams truly became mortal enemies.
In 1992, 1993, and 1994, the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys met in the NFC Championship game for three consecutive years. The Cowboys won the first two, and the 49ers won the third. The winner of each of these three games went on to win the Super Bowl that year.
It's worth noting that out of the five times the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl, three of those wins came after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.
For the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers were a good luck charm. It seemed that as long as they beat them, a Super Bowl win was on the horizon. But for the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys were a source of shame, and every playoff matchup was a fight to the death.
What's more, the rivalry between these two teams also represented the rivalry between California and Texas.
The former represents the rich and open coastal regions, while the latter represents the rugged and rustic rural areas. The class conflict is irreconcilable, and the cultural differences are vast. Therefore, every time the two teams play, it's a showcase of the passion and enthusiasm of the people, which makes the rivalry even more fiery.
However, in the late 1990s, both of these famous rivals fell into a slump, and the sparks of their rivalry were mixed with a hint of bitterness.
The San Francisco 49ers have not made the playoffs for eight consecutive years, and the Dallas Cowboys have only made the playoffs once in the last eight years, in 2006. Now, both teams are struggling in the mud, hoping to return to their former glory.
In the past few seasons, the rivalry between the two teams has weakened. No matter how glorious or exciting their history was, a matchup between two weak teams lacked excitement, and the attention and intensity were not what they once were.
This year, things seem to have changed. In the second week of the regular season, the league's official media outlets have already declared the matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys as "the most watchable game of the week." Even though it wasn't a night game, the publicity and discussion continued to flood the media and online forums, creating a lot of buzz.
First, both teams showed signs of a comeback in the first week.
The Dallas Cowboys' game against the New York Jets was a Sunday night game. Facing the Jets, who had a record of eleven wins and five losses last year, the Cowboys showed great toughness and won a hard-fought victory with a score of 27-24. After overcoming this tough opponent, the Cowboys' spirits were high.
The San Francisco 49ers' game against the Seattle Seahawks showed their dominant strength. Their offense was firing on all cylinders, and they completely overwhelmed the opponent's defense, winning with a decisive score of 35-17. The fluid and seamless offense excited the 49ers' loyal fans.
Two teams with a rich history and a fiery rivalry, after years of silence, were once again showing signs of a comeback. They were about to face off in this week's game. Both teams hoped to continue their winning streak and strong performance to start the long season on a high note.
But there could only be one winner.
Second, the starting quarterbacks of both teams will face off.
The Dallas Cowboys' leader is quarterback Tony Romo. While there are countless undrafted rookies in the league, only a few of them become starting quarterbacks, and Romo is one of them. Kurt Warner, for example, was never drafted.
After three and a half years as a backup and almost being cut or traded at least three times, Romo finally got his chance. As the starting quarterback, Romo was lucky enough to appear in Sunday night and Thanksgiving night games, and his spectacular performance won over the fans.
As the quarterback for America's Team, Romo slowly found his footing under the spotlight and led the team to the playoffs in 2006.
But it was during that season that Romo experienced one of the most famous fumbles in league history: "The Fumble."
In the first round of the playoffs, Romo led the team on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. With seventy-nine seconds left in the game, the Cowboys were down 20-21. Romo led the team to the two-yard line of the Seahawks' end zone. After a failed third-down play, the Cowboys just needed to kick a field goal to win the game.
To ensure a safe play, Romo was the holder—the center would snap the ball to him, and he would set it up for the kicker.
But Romo fumbled the ball. The kicker couldn't get a kick off. Out of desperation, Romo tried to run with the ball but failed. The Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs.
And so, "The Fumble" was born. This also gave Romo the nickname "The Master of Mistakes." Because of his name, Romo, Chinese football fans affectionately nicknamed him "minced meat."
Despite this, Romo became the leader of the Dallas Cowboys for the next four years and was considered one of the top quarterbacks, a step away from being an elite quarterback.
Now, after Tony Romo, another undrafted rookie starting quarterback has emerged: Lu Ke of the San Francisco 49ers, who is also a Chinese quarterback.
Lu Ke's career is short, with only one game to his name. He still has a lot to prove, but he delivered a near-perfect performance in that one game.
So, could Lu Ke become the second Romo? And when facing Romo, could Lu Ke continue his performance? Can Lu Ke defeat Romo? Or, will the magic disappear after midnight, and Cinderella will turn back into Cinderella?
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