After a high-scoring first half, a third-quarter weather delay looked like the only way either defence was going to get a break in Thursday night’s season-opener between the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles and their most hated rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
The game started out looking like a statement-making scoring spree for both offences, with the first eight drives resulting in scores and a combined 44 points on the board by the time a severe thunderstorm rolled into Philadelphia and brought a 65-minute delay. But once the weather dried up, so did the points. A handful of missed opportunities kept the Cowboys from spoiling Philly’s party and squashing morale on their banner-hanging night, with the host Eagles claiming the 24-20 victory as they took their first steps toward their title defence.
And while both defences found their footing late in the game, plenty of questions remain. Let’s start there as we break down our biggest takeaways from the 2025 season opener.
Pass-rush problems plague both sides
There were two glaring absences on the field Thursday night, with both teams hitting the turf without their most disruptive defenders — both due to foolish decisions.
Shockwaves are still rippling through the football world in the wake of Jerry Jones trading away generational defender Micah Parsons a week ago. We won’t fully grasp what this means for the club’s defence until we have a larger sample size but the single-game assessment is… not great. Without Parsons, who is as elite at pressuring the quarterback as it gets, Dallas essentially gave Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts the gift of time and space. Yes, they did finally register a sack in the second half when Marshawn Kneeland and newcomer Kenny Clark — a key component of the return for Parsons — took down Hurts, but the Parsons-sized hole in the defensive backfield was noticeable, to say the least.
The Eagles, who boasted the league’s best defence last season, didn’t fare much better in the early goings of this one. While GM Howie Roseman managed to keep his offensive line and weapons almost entirely intact, the roster lost some key pieces of last year’s lethal pass rush in Josh Sweat and Milton Williams, as well as cornerback Darius Slay and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Add in the retirement of longtime Eagle Brandon Graham and Nakobe Dean’s injury still sidelining the linebacker, and that’s a lot of changes to navigate. But all those were expected. Jalen Carter’s abrupt ejection from the game before he even played a single down, on the other hand, was not.
Just six seconds into the season, during an injury stoppage immediately following the kickoff, Carter clashed with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, the two exchanging words before Carter spat on Prescott’s jersey.
The blatant act was caught on camera, and also by the official mere feet away. Carter was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and was immediately ousted from the game.
It was a bizarre and undisciplined — and not to mention, pretty gross — way for the reigning Super Bowl champs to open the 2025 season. Without Carter — who could reportedly face further discipline for his actions — leading the charge, Philly struggled to put pressure on Prescott throughout the matchup.
Both defences ultimately rallied, coming out strong following the delay, but when it mattered most, the Eagles came through. They forced a fumble in their own zone just prior to the weather stoppage, and then late in the game as Dallas began marching down the field poised for a late-game upset, the Eagles’ defence came up with a crucial stop — though, Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb gave them a little help. Lamb, who posted solid numbers with 110 yards on seven receptions, had a regrettable pair of late-game misses that ultimately spelled the end for Dallas.
Hurts, Prescott look ready for prime time
All that time and space only further amplified the performances of both quarterbacks in this matchup. Hurts was in Super Bowl MVP-form Thursday night, particularly in the first half when he ran in Philly’s first two touchdowns of the game. While he wasn’t prolific through the air — 19 for 23 for 152 yards — he didn’t need to be (sound familiar?). Fantasy managers who have A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith on their rosters won’t be happy with this one, but Eagles fans ultimately should be. Saquon Barkley ran in Philly’s third TD, looking as ready to run it back as his QB.
And as much as this loss surely stings for Cowboys fans, considering how it ended, there’s a victory within it: Prescott looked good — and, more importantly, he looked healthy. The 32-year-old, who missed the entire second half of last season with a significant hamstring injury, also looked leaner and more mobile than we’ve seen of late and even made an impressive tackle to save what would’ve been a sure defensive score after Cowboys running back Miles Sanders fumbled in the offensive zone just before the weather delay.
Prescott finished the game with 21 completions on 34 passes for 188 yards, and plenty of optimism about this offence.
Spitgate is a thing, apparently (ugh)
Further reviews, and more camera angles, as shown by the broadcast crew during the weather stoppage, revealed perhaps a little more context about why Carter approached and spat on Prescott. Turns out, Prescott initially spat in the direction of Carter, after which Carter approached him and appeared to confront him.
Asked about the exchange after the game, here’s what Prescott said:
Unfortunately, this probably isn’t the last we’ll hear about it.
