Spectacular stadium, record crowd, unbelievable video board, deafening noise, a sea of silver and blue, and none of it could change the disgust Jerry Jones felt after the Cowboys home-opener loss to the Giants, which dropped the Cowboys to 1-1 and moving the Giants to 2-0 to start the season.

What has seemingly become commonplace for the Dallas Cowboys in recent years, another big moment, this one being glorified as big as the Super Bowl by the Cowboys, ended in heartbreak. Once again, the only thing missing was a win. As time expired and Lawrence Tynes’ 37-yard field goal sailed seamlessly through the uprights to earn the Giants a 33-31 victory Sunday night, another big night for the Dallas Cowboys abruptly ended. Players and fans alike left with the feeling of being kicked in the…well, like being kicked in the gut by Tynes himself.

The first regular season game in the new $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium became the latest big moment in recent Cowboys history to be marred. Cowboys fans too often remember dropping out of the playoff race in dramatic fashion last season, a playoff game-losing fumbled snap, and now the “big coming out party” of 2009 being ruined by their bitter division rivals.

There is a silver lining of sorts. The game was a great one to watch. The back and forth and physicality of two teams in the same division, both vying for a huge division victory, and both with Super Bowl aspirations, made the whole spectacle spectacular. Well, for Giants fans.

Eli Manning went 25 of 38 for 330 yards and 2 touchdown passes. He threw touchdowns to receivers Mario Manningham and Steve Smith, who ended the game with 150 yards and 134 yards receiving respectively. His performance also included a last minute drive, in which he meticulously marched his team down the field setting up the final field goal. Manning was calm, cool, collected, and looks like an all-pro quarterback poised to lead his team to the big game.

On the other sideline though, Tony Romo’s 3 interceptions were less than spectacular. Even a dominating performance by Dallas’ running backs, and a shut down Dallas run defense were no match for the 21 points gifted to the Giants from the Dallas QB. Granted one was more of a fluke, but his other 2 interceptions in crucial moments of the game due to poor decisions, are what earned the QB a 29.6 passer rating, second lowest of his career.

Marion Barber had a great game rushing 18 times for 124 yards and a touchdown, and Felix Jones, despite an earlier fumble, gave the Cowboys the lead on a 7-yard touchdown run with 3:40 to play in the fourth quarter. The duo’s running performance, albeit the most the Cowboys had produced in the 21st century, fell short when the Giants efficiently came from behind capped by Tynes’ kick, sans a Tony Romo-like mistake.

Wade Phillips was also in rare form, looking lost and without interest, and more like a child than a coach when he shamelessly called a timeout as Tynes attempted his first game-winning kick, simply hoping to mess Tynes up. Tynes’ kick squeaked through, but he was required to try again after some premature celebration. 2nd attempt=game winner.

A night that should have belonged to the Cowboys belonged to Tynes (although Romo may deserve the game ball). A night where Jerry Jones’ $1.2 billion super-stadium was presented to the world on primetime television, a night where George and Laura Bush attended and did the coin toss, along with numerous other celebrities in attendance, will from now on be remembered as another disappointment.