Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Football for One and One for Football

Since the new football season kicks off tomorrow night on NBC, I reckon it's time to bring this trivial tidbit out of the locker room.

A lot of odd things happen on Monday Night Football. Here's one historial MFN oddity I haven't read about yet.

Eighteen years ago (9/5/1988), the New York Giants beat the Washington Redskins 27-20 in the Giants home (and season) opener on MNF. Why is this odd? Two seasons earlier (10/27/1986) the Giants beat the Redskins by the same score, 27-20, at Giants Stadium on MNF. Talk about deja vu!

It's the only time in MNF history that two football teams played in the same stadium and finished with the same score. That's 556 games and one odd replay.

You'll be happy to know that the same-score, same-opponent phenomena occurred two other times — but in different stadiums.
    Atlanta Falcons 14, Philadelphia Eagles 10
    (9/10/1979 @ Philly; 9/12/2005 @ Atlanta)

    Dallas Cowboys 21, Philadelphia Eagles 20
    (9/15/1997 @ Dallas; 11/14/2005 @ Philly)

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