Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles

The 2025 NFL season opened with fireworks as the Philadelphia Eagles outlasted the Dallas Cowboys 24–20 on Friday night in a game that had everything — controversy, weather chaos, and a fierce divisional fight to the very end. Even before kickoff, the night turned dramatic when Eagles star Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting toward Dak Prescott during pregame warmups, igniting tensions and setting the stage for a heated clash between the NFC East rivals.

Dallas struck first with power, as Javonte Williams bullied his way into the end zone twice in the opening half, giving the Cowboys early control. But the Philadelphia Eagles quickly answered with their trademark ground attack, leaning on Jalen Hurts’ legs and Saquon Barkley’s burst to counterpunch. Hurts scored twice on keepers, while Barkley added a rushing touchdown to put Philadelphia ahead by four at the break, turning the matchup into a battle of running games.

Momentum seemed to tilt fully toward the Eagles midway through the third quarter — and then nature stepped in. A sudden lightning storm forced a 65-minute delay with Philadelphia still clinging to its 24–20 advantage. Fans were evacuated, players stretched on the sideline to stay warm, and the delay seemed to reset the game entirely, giving Dallas fresh life heading into the final stretch.

When play resumed, however, defenses dominated. Both teams were shut out for the entire second half, leaving the outcome hanging in the balance until the very last drive. Dallas Cowboys marched downfield with under two minutes left, but crucial drops by CeeDee Lamb and a red-zone fumble earlier by Miles Sanders proved too costly to overcome. Philadelphia’s secondary held strong in crunch time, swatting away Prescott’s final desperation throw to seal the victory.

Hurts finished an efficient night completing 19 of 23 passes with 214 total yards and two rushing touchdowns, while Barkley churned out 60 yards and a score of his own. Though A.J. Brown was quiet for much of the game, his late catches helped keep drives alive when the Eagles needed them most. For Dallas, the sting of missed opportunities will linger, but for Philadelphia, this was a gritty, character-defining way to begin their Super Bowl title defense.

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