Close but no cigar for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Cowboys 24-20 on Opening Night at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles unfurled their World Championship banner celebrating last season, and the Cowboys weren’t able to spoil the party. Dallas is 0-1 and will host the New York Giants on Sunday September 14th in their home opener.
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 5, 2025
Biggest factor in this game was Jalen Hurts’ ability to run. The Cowboys held their own against the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Saquon Barkley. After becoming the 9th RB in NFL history to rush for at least 2,000 yards a season ago, Dallas held Barkley to 84 total yards on 22 touches. However, Hurts had several backbreaking runs, including 2 for TD’s.
QB1 on the run… for his SECOND touchdown tonight ✌️ pic.twitter.com/jXa4ES2NIY
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 5, 2025
The Cowboys also hurt themselves in this one. On the play after being bailed out of a 3rd and 22 by an unnecessary roughness penalty, Miles Sanders fumbled the ball at the Eagles 10 yard line. Then on the Cowboys’ final drive of the game, CeeDee Lamb dropped a sure first down, and then Lamb was not able to make a diving catch on 4th down. Lamb had a good game, catching 7 passes for 110 yards, but his 3 drops were critical.
Both teams drove up and down the field in the first half, but the defenses tightened up in the second half and particularly after a 65 minute weather delay. The Cowboys held up decent against a terrific rush offense and there didn’t seem to be many busts in the game. You could definitely see the difference Micah Parsons makes though, as Dallas only had 1 sack and 5 QB hits.
The Cowboys’ offensive line had a decent night, as Dallas ran for over 5 yards a carry and didn’t allow a sack. Sanders had 49 of the Cowboys’ 119 rush yards on one carry, several plays before his fumble. It wasn’t a great performance and Dak Prescott had to escape trouble a time or two, and it was encouraging to see him do that coming off the hamstring injury from last season. It certainly helped when Eagles DT Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Prescott after the opening kickoff. It’s one of the dumbest decisions that I’ve ever seen made on a football field. Video showed Prescott spitting in the direction of Carter, but Prescott denied trying to spit on Carter. I’m against anyone spitting at or on anyone; it’s an ugly gesture that I won’t condone. In my opinion, there is a difference between the two. Both are wrong things to do, but much like stealing a candy bar and dealing a truck full of drugs, while both will get you in trouble with the law, the latter carries much harsher consequences than the former. Not to mention, fair or unfair, it’s tried and true; the second guy is always the guy that gets caught. Carter’s absence from the game can’t be understated.
Jalen Carter was ejected from the Eagles’ season opener after appearing to spit at Dak Prescott.
(🎥 NBC) pic.twitter.com/HbETVk1ALd
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 5, 2025
Cowboys have their home opener against the Giants on Sunday the 14th at Noon on FOX. Russell Wilson is the new QB and WR Malik Nabers had a fantastic rookie season last year with over 1,200 yards and 7 TD’s. Many believe that 1st round pick Jaxson Dart will take over at QB sooner rather than later. New York can get after the passer as Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns are all dangerous, and I love the selection of Abdul Carter with the third pick in last April’s draft. If the Cowboys can protect Prescott, the Giants are susceptible to giving up big plays. It’s a make or break year for HC Brian Daboll and I think New York is on the right track, but I like Dallas to continue their recent dominance in this series, as the Cowboys have won 15 of the last 16 against New York. With a loss, any optimism coming out of a competitive defeat against the World Champs will be gone.
Cowboys 27 Giants 20
Matt Meyer
@Bluto51
