Cowboys vs. Eagles. Week 1. Thursday Night Football.
Let’s. Go.
The full Dallas Cowboys schedule will be released later today, but we already have a juicy matchup to kick off 2025.
The Philadelphia Eagles will begin their title defense at home against their hated rival while raising their second Super Bowl banner in team history.
The Dallas Cowboys are a traveling circus. They went 7-10 last year, with Philly outscoring them 75-13 in the two matchups. The Eagles boast (arguably) the best roster in football despite several offseason departures. Meanwhile, Dallas hired a brand-new coaching staff that’ll be tested immediately.
This is exactly the kind of moment the Cowboys should want. The country thinks they’re a joke and fully expects the Eagles to work them on national television. This is Dallas’ chance to make a statement.
Here’s why they will.
Why Week 1 Is the Perfect Time To Get Philadelphia
Week 1 Is A Slog
Week 1 is never clean. Regardless of roster talent, the opening week is chaotic and ugly—blown assignments, sloppy play, poor conditioning, and bad timing. Teams rarely play their starters in the preseason, and practice resembles game conditions less and less. It’s also misleading. After Week 1 last year, New England and Chicago were 1-0 and New Orleans was an offensive juggernaut.
That’s not a knock on the Eagles—the Cowboys are just as vulnerable—it’s just the reality. However, it does balance the playing field when there is a clear talent disparity. And right now, the Eagles have the better roster.
But the Eagles also have new pieces to break in—a new offensive coordinator and several new defensive pieces. Timing won’t be perfect. Execution won’t be as sharp. And the emotions of banner night only add to the chaos.
If Dallas wants to land a haymaker, Week 1 is their best shot.
The New Coach Bump
Mike McCarthy had a really nice run with this team. After a rough pandemic season, he put together three consecutive 12-5 campaigns and made the playoffs three times. But his voice and vision grew stale, and it was clear his time had run its course.
Enter Brian Schottenheimer.
A career assistant, Schottenheimer was no splashy hire. But he brought what Jerry Jones was looking for: a presence, a respected voice, and a coach who could hold players accountable. He’s also quietly assembled a solid staff around him—one that’s capable of impacting every phase of the game.
Call it energy, urgency, whatever. A new coaching staff almost always brings a spark. Players feel it. The coaches feel it.
Schottenheimer may be a first-year head coach, but he’s no rookie. With 12 years of OC experience across multiple teams—and the lineage of being Marty Schottenheimer’s son—he knows the NFL. He also knows this roster and already has a relationship with Dak Prescott. That familiarity will help ease the transition.
Nobody knows what this team will look like come Week 1. There’s no meaningful film on what this offense or defense will look like. Philly can scout tendencies all day, but they won’t have a clear read. This works to the Cowboys’ advantage.
The Return of Dak Prescott
The Eagles pummeled the Cowboys in both matchups last year, but Prescott didn’t play in either one.
Dak owns a 9-4 career record against Philadelphia, with a 3-3 record at Lincoln Financial Field. In 13 career matchups, Prescott holds a passer rating of 100.6 and a 3-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He performs well against the Eagles, and has done so consistently.
This year’s first Cowboys vs. Eagles matchup will feature a healthy, confident Prescott, with a one-two punch at receiver like he’s never had before.
With the George Pickens acquisition, Dallas now has something it desperately needed: a vertical, contested-catch threat on the outside. In his last fully healthy season (2023), Prescott ranked second in the NFL on vertical or back-shoulder throws. Over the last three seasons, Pickens ranks first in receiving yards on those types of throws, despite catching passes from a carousel of quarterbacks in Pittsburgh.
Timing and rhythm will be off in Week 1, but precise timing isn’t required when 50-50 balls are more like 80-20. All it will take is Pickens coming down with one jump ball for Dak to feel comfortable.
Prescott has always been more aggressive when he trusts his guys. With Pickens on the outside, CeeDee Lamb working underneath, and Jake Ferguson continuing to emerge as a red-zone weapon, the passing game has a diversity and dynamism that it lacked in 2024.
The Cowboys Will Spoil the Eagles’ Banner Night
Week 1 is chaos. Communication is sloppy, and timing is off. It’s exactly the kind of environment where underdogs thrive. Throw in a heated rivalry, and anything can happen.
Dallas enters with a new coaching staff, a refreshed culture, and a quarterback who plays Philly well. They’ve got firepower in the passing game, matchups to exploit in the secondary, and a rebuilt running back room. Pair that with a new OC who specializes in the run game, and this offense might finally have a balance it’s lacked for years.
Cowboys vs. Eagles is a great way to start the year. Nobody expects Dallas to win.
That’s why they just might.
Main Image: Bill Streicher – USA Today Sports
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