While the Cowboys and Thanksgiving Day have been a tradition since 1966, obviously this season's game will have a huge twist.
The first Turkey Day game at the new Cowboys Stadium will be memorable. Then again, what else is new?
Seems like the Thanksgiving Day games are always filled with lasting memories, so this first game at the new stadium against Oakland on Thursday shouldn't be any different.
But there's something about this game that always makes us stroll down memory lane. So let's go back 5, 10 and 15 years to relive some of the best Thanksgiving Day moments.
2004 - Brotherly Love Cowboys 21, Bears 7 - While the story of the week was the first career start of quarterback Drew Henson, it was another rookie that stole the show. Running back Julius Jones won the showdown with his older brother, Thomas Jones, the starting tailback of the Bears. It was Julius who had a breakout game, rushing for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including a 33-yard run in the first quarter.
However, the Bears tied the score in the second quarter when Bears cornerback R.W. McQuarters picked off Henson for a 45-yard touchdown. The Cowboys had started Henson for the first time because of an injury to Vinny Testaverde in the previous game. The Cowboys went back to Testaverde for the second half and the veteran promptly marched the Cowboys to two scoring drives. Testaverde's five-yard scoring pass to fullback Darian Barnes broke the tie and Jones finished it off with a four-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Chicago's Thomas Jones rushed for just 46 yards, being overshadowed by his brother.
Another story of the game was Cowboys defensive end Eric Ogbogu, who recorded 3 ½ sacks, still the most by a Cowboys defender since Charles Haley had four in 1994.
As for Henson, he never started another game for the Cowboys or any other NFL team.
1999 - Pick Party Cowboys 20, Dolphins 0 - It certainly won't be the most memorable Thanksgiving Day game between the Dolphins and Cowboys. Nothing could top the Ice Bowl at Texas Stadium back in 1993 with its bizarre ending.
But this game had some drama, too. Jimmy Johnson returned to the Texas Stadium sidelines for the first time since he left as head coach. And Miami brought veteran Dan Marino, who has many great moments in his career, but this game won't be one of them.
The Cowboys picked off Marino five times, including two by Dexter Coakley, who broke a scoreless tie in the third quarter with a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown. Coakley added another pick and Deion Sanders also had two interceptions as the Cowboys recorded a their only Thanksgiving Day shutout.
The Cowboys put the game completely out of reach in the fourth when Troy Aikman threw deep to Rocket Ismail, who hauled in a 65-yard touchdown, giving the Cowboys a 20-point lead. Ismail had five catches for 125 yards, while Emmitt Smith added 103 rushing yards.
1994 - Bombs Away Cowboys 42, Packers 31 - There aren't many games that are associated with just one player, but talk to any Cowboys fan or football historian and simply say, "The Jason Garrett Game," and there's no need to explain.
Not just one of the most memorable Thanksgiving Day memories of all time, but one of the best games in team history occurred in 1994, with the Cowboys down to their third quarterback because of injuries to Troy Aikman and Rodney Peete.
Jason Garrett made his first career start against Brett Favre and the Packers and for a half, it looked like a long Thanksgiving Day for the Cowboys. Green Bay led 17-6 at halftime as the offense couldn't find a rhythm with Garrett.
But things changed in the second half as the Cowboys exploded for 36 second-half points. Garrett went up top for a 45-yard touchdown to Alvin Harper and then a 36-yarder to Michael Irvin. Garrett also hooked up with Emmitt Smith on a 63-yard reception that led to another touchdown.
While Favre passed for 257 yards and four touchdowns, the story belonged to Garrett, who completed just 15-of-26 passes, but totaled 311 yards and two touchdowns. He engineered scoring drives on the Cowboys' first five possessions of the second half.
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Nick Eatman - 
