Eagles vs. Cowboys Week 1 Preview: Birds open in South Philly against a lost Dallas Cowboys team

The NFL didn’t waste any time giving us fireworks. The Eagles kick off their title defense 2025 season on tonight at The Linc, raising the Super Bowl LIX banner with the Dallas Cowboys in town.

The Eagles blew Dallas off the field twice last year, and now the Cowboys show up without Micah Parsons, with Brian Schottenheimer making his head coaching debut, and with half their fanbase already in meltdown mode.

That’s the state of “America’s Team” heading into the opener, if we’re still calling the Cowboys that instead of the Eagles.

GAMEDAY: Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles

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Parsons Gone, Defense in Shambles

The Cowboys traded Parsons to Green Bay a week ago, and while they got Kenny Clark and two first-rounders back, it’s a massive loss. Dallas still has some pass rush juice, but nobody else commands attention the way Parsons did.

That puts a lot of pressure on a secondary that’s already thin. Trevon Diggs is coming off knee surgery, DaRon Bland will slide inside, and Kaiir Elam, a failed first-rounder in Buffalo, is the guy they’ll be throwing out there on the boundary against AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith.

Good luck with that.

The Eagles’ Offensive Edge

The Eagles bring back basically the same core that hoisted the Lombardi. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Brown, Smith, Lane Johnson, and Jordan Mailata, you know, the works.

Kevin Patullo steps in at OC, but don’t expect the offense to look much different. Saquon averaged over five yards a carry against Dallas last year, and with Parsons gone, it feels like Hurts and Barkley will be able to pick their spots all night long.

Dallas’ Best Hope

If Dallas is going to hang around, it’s going to come through the air.

CeeDee Lamb now has George Pickens opposite him, which finally gives Dak Prescott a second legit option. Jake Ferguson at tight end is also a steady target.

The Cowboys are going to have to throw, because their running game is non-existent. That’s where rookie corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean get their first test.

Prediction: Birds by a MILLION

The Cowboys might be a different team by midseason, but right now they’re walking into a buzzsaw. The Eagles are deeper, healthier, and still riding the high of February. Hurts and Barkley set the tone, the defense makes Dak uncomfortable, and the banner drops with the right kind of exclamation point.

Eagles 31, Cowboys 17. Birds cover, vibes immaculate.

On Thursday, The Next Pursuit Begins 🦅#FlyEaglesFly | @Bcass28 pic.twitter.com/9pUDzfrZoM

— The Liberty Line (@LibertyLinePHL) September 1, 2025

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