Cowboys to play 3 playoff teams in first six games of 2001 season

Friday, April 13th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

IRVING, Texas (AP) _ Coming off their worst season since 1989, the Dallas Cowboys next fall will appear on Monday Night Football only once, for their Oct. 15 matchup in Texas Stadium against the Washington Redskins.

The Cowboys' other prime-time game will be at Philadelphia on Sept. 30, for ESPN's Sunday Night Football. Their only other nationally televised contest will be the Nov. 22 Thanksgiving Day game against the Denver Broncos. It will be Denver's first Thanksgiving Day appearance at Texas Stadium.

The Cowboys were 5-11 last season.

The NFL schedule, released Thursday, has the Cowboys opening the season against three playoff teams in the first six games.

The Cowboys will open the season at home against Tampa Bay, which will be the Bucs' first visit to Texas Stadium since the 1990 season. The Buccaneers defeated Dallas 27-7 last season for their first win over the Cowboys in franchise history. The Cowboys will then travel to Detroit for the first time since the 1992 season. Dallas is just 3-5 all-time against the Lions on the road.