Eagles Outlast Cowboys in Chaotic NFL Season Opener
The 2025 NFL season kicked off in dramatic fashion as the Philadelphia Eagles edged out the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 on Thursday night. It was a night packed with storylines—weather delays, a shocking ejection, and a game that swung back and forth before finally being sealed in the final moments.
The evening began in celebration, with the Eagles raising their Super Bowl LIX banner in front of a roaring home crowd. But almost immediately, chaos followed. Star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected before he had even played a snap, after spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott following the opening kickoff. Prescott later admitted he expected only a penalty, not a full ejection, and called the situation “unfortunate.” Carter himself apologized after the game, saying it was a mistake that would not happen again.
Also Read:Despite the early turmoil, both offenses came out firing. Neither team punted in the first half, trading blows on every possession. Jalen Hurts powered Philadelphia with short, controlled passes and timely scrambles, including two rushing touchdowns. A 51-yard bomb to Jahan Dotson set up Saquon Barkley’s 10-yard touchdown run just before halftime. On the other side, Prescott guided Dallas to scores on each of its first four possessions, with Javonte Williams punching in two short touchdowns. At the break, the Eagles held a slim 21-20 lead.
The second half, however, told a different story. Play was suspended late in the third quarter when lightning forced everyone into shelter. After nearly an hour, the game resumed, but the rhythm never returned. Suddenly, punts dominated, defenses tightened, and mistakes loomed large. Philadelphia’s only points came on a 58-yard field goal from Jake Elliott, while Dallas squandered its best chance with a costly fumble by former Eagle Miles Sanders inside the red zone. That turnover proved pivotal, as it kept the Cowboys from seizing momentum.
Still, the game came down to the final two minutes. Dallas had a chance to steal it, but wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, normally so reliable, was haunted by drops. Two crucial passes slipped through his hands, including one that would have put the Cowboys deep in Eagles territory. On fourth down, he had another shot but couldn’t haul in a diving grab. Afterward, Lamb shouldered full responsibility, saying, “I need to catch the damn ball.”
Hurts sealed the win with a clutch scramble on third-and-3, finishing with 152 passing yards, 62 rushing yards, and two touchdowns on the ground. His steady play, combined with the Eagles’ lone takeaway and clean turnover sheet, was enough to secure the victory.
It wasn’t pretty—especially after the sloppy, stop-start second half—but for Philadelphia, it was the kind of gritty win that sets a tone. The Eagles are now 5-0 in season openers under coach Nick Sirianni, and though plenty needs tightening up, they leave Week 1 with the record that matters most: 1-0. For Dallas, the missed opportunities will sting, but this opener suggested the Cowboys might still be better than the scoreline showed.
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