Most Football Teams

MOST FOOTBALL TEAMS begin their seasons with high expectations. But in the 2000 opener, the Dallas Cowboys failed to play as well as many fans thought they should.

The Texas Stadium thermometer registered 109 degrees for the noon kickoff against the Philadelphia Eagles. The heat didn’t faze Philadelphia, however, as coach Andy Reid called for an onside kick to start the game. Eagles kicker David Akers popped the ball short, and Philadelphia’s Dameane Douglas caught the pigskin. Phillies quarterback Donovan McNabb needed only eight plays to score, and the contest quickly turned into a rout.

The Philadelphia defense smothered Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, sacking him three times on his first four pass attempts. The Eagles scored again in the first quarter on an eight-play, 61-yard drive. Early in the second quarter, Jeremiah Trotter intercepted an Aikman pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown, putting the Eagles up 21–0. The Dallas quarterback left for the hospital a few plays later following his fourth sack, which resulted in a concussion.

Ahead 24–6 at the midpoint, the Eagles scored 17 second-half points before Dallas tallied a late touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Randall Cunningham to Joey Galloway. However, Galloway suffered a season-ending knee injury later in the fourth quarter.

Philadelphia’s 41–14 victory not only spoiled Dave Campo’s coaching debut, it also represented the worst drubbing for Dallas since a 28–0 loss in 1989.

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POINT Dallas fans left the stadium deflated. A new coach, a new season, and a few superstars had inflated their expectations. But a couple of quarters into the first game, Cowboys faithfuls knew 2000 would be a season to forget.

On the other hand, the cool-weather-based Eagles prepared for the heat. Team members ingested extra fluids the week before and drank pickle juice during the game to ward off dehydration. Whether the odd drink worked or not, Philadelphia exceeded expectations in the 100-plus degree weather.

In life, we hope to exceed expectations. The Corinthian Christians did. They first committed themselves to the Lord and then gave of themselves to doing God’s will.

GOAL! What expectations do you have for your favorite football team this fall? What expectations do you have in your Christian life?