With preseason over and the Philadelphia Eagles’ final roster finalized, it is officially game week! The Eagles will kick off their season at home against the Dallas Cowboys. Let’s take a look at three of the most important matchups that could decide the outcome of this game.
Eagles vs Cowboys: 3 Matchups to Watch
Adoree Jackson vs the Cowboys Receivers
The Eagles’ defense had a competition in the offseason to see who would be the starting cornerback opposite of Quinyon Mitchell. Jackson, Kelee Ringo, and even Jakorian Bennett battled for that opportunity. It appears Jackson has won the starting job, even if he won it by default, rather than looking great. Ringo never took the step forward the coaches would have liked to see, and Bennett joined the team too late for a real shot. That leaves Jackson with a difficult Week 1 matchup. He will be tasked with defending one of the top wide receiver duos in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Lamb spends a lot of his time working out of the slot, but you can expect Dallas to move him around in an effort to match him up with Jackson. Pickens also offers a difficult challenge. He is a receiver more known for playing on the outside, where Jackson will be lining up. Pickens is also known as a deep threat and is one of the best the league has to offer in that category.
George Pickens on deep targets in 2024 (including postseason)
99.9 receiving grade (1st)
— PFF (@PFF) May 7, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Jackson appears to have lost a step from his athletic prime, not having the speed that he once did. The Cowboys will look to capitalize on that, and Jackson needs to be ready for the challenge.
Eagles’ IDL vs Cowboys’ DL
At first thought, it may seem as if the Eagles have a massive advantage in this matchup. The Eagles do have an advantage, but there is still cause for concern. Will Landon Dickerson play? And if not, who will be his replacement? Having to start a backup in Week 1 for one of your best offensive players is never ideal. Especially when the other guard position has a player with his first opportunity to be a full-time starter. Tyler Steen will start at right guard after winning that role in the offseason. While Cam Jurgens has proven to be a steady hand at center, there are many questions to the left and the right of him in Week 1.
Micah Parsons vs Jerry Jones
The last matchup isn’t even on the field, and doesn’t involve anyone associated with the Eagles. We are weeks into Parsons and Jones‘s public contract dispute, bringing Parsons’ Week 1 status into question. Obviously, not having Parsons would be a massive blow to Dallas’s defense. Losing their greatest defensive weapon would make it incredibly difficult for Dallas to get enough stops to win the game. Will the two sides agree before kickoff? Will Parsons play even if he does not have a new contract? Only time will tell, but until then, the Cowboys will be without their star defensive end.
Main Photo: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The post Eagles vs Cowboys: 3 Matchups to Watch appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.