text: 2010 The Cowboys opened 2010 on the road against a revitalized Washington Redskins team that now featured Donovan McNabb (traded from the Philadelphia Eagles in April) and former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan. Although neither team performed well, the Cowboys lost unexpectedly when on the last play of the game Tony Romo threw a touchdown pass into the end zone that was nullified by a holding penalty. The Redskins thus won 13–7. In Week 2, the Cowboys fell to the Chicago Bears 27–20 in their second straight home opener loss. This was also the team's first 0–2 start since 2001. Desperate to win, they headed to Houston for the third "Battle of Texas" with the Houston Texans (the first and second were in 2002 and 2006) and beat them 27–13.
  After coming back from their bye week, the Cowboys lost at home again, this time against the Tennessee Titans. The Cowboys' fortunes continued to slide in Week 6 as they lost to the Minnesota Vikings 24–21. Things steadily got worse the next week as Tony Romo was knocked out with a fractured collarbone while playing the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Filling in for him was 38-year-old quarterback Jon Kitna, who had not started in two years. Although rusty, he managed two touchdown passes and the Cowboys scored 35 points. But the Giants edged the Cowboys out 41–35 to win in Cowboys Stadium for the second straight year.