Football is back, and the 2025 season kicks off with a classic NFC East rivalry: Cowboys v. Eagles on Thursday Night Football. This preview doesn’t need hype—the rivalry sells itself.
Philadelphia begins the year fresh off another Super Bowl victory and boasting one of the most talented rosters in all of football. Dallas stumbles into the season opener under a cloud of drama after trading Micah Parsons to another NFC rival, the Green Bay Packers.
Dallas isn’t favored in this game—in fact, they’re the biggest underdog in Week 1—and they shouldn’t be. The Eagles have the advantage in the trenches on both sides of the ball. They can pound the rock with the NFL’s best player—RB Saquon Barkley. And they’ve got A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to terrorize an injured and overmatched secondary.
So let’s be real. The Cowboys’ path to victory is narrow. This Cowboys vs. Eagles preview comes down to a very specific checklist of things Dallas must do.
Cowboys Vs. Eagles Preview: Three Things The Cowboys Must Do
Win The Turnover Battle
“Winning the turnover battle” seems an obvious place to start for any team to win a game. But for Dallas, it’s imperative. The Cowboys aren’t going to shut down Philadelphia’s offense. The Eagles are too talented, and Dallas’ defense doesn’t have the personnel to force three-and-outs.
The only glimmer of hope is turnovers.
From 2021-2023, Dallas’ Dan Quinn-led defense led the league in forced turnovers. Not coincidentally, the team finished 12-5 in each of those seasons. Those defenses were not grind-it-out, bend-don’t-break units. They relied on game-changing plays to give the offense extra bites at the apple.
The Cowboys have to steal possessions to have any chance in this game. And not one, but multiple. Tips and overthrows? Gotta get those. Fumbles? You better jump on every single one of them. Whatever it looks like, Dallas has to create chaos.
If the Eagles run 70 clean plays, Dallas has no shot. The Cowboys must find a way to shorten drives and flip the field. That means two or three takeaways, minimum—and the offense better not turn the ball over.
That’s a lot to ask against a team as run-dominant as the Eagles, but it’s the only way Dallas can tilt the balance.
Dak Goes Nuclear, Circa 2020
Remember the start of Dak Prescott’s 2020? We all remember how it ended—Prescott grabbing at his grotesquely twisted, compound-fractured lower leg. But before that, Prescott was on pace to shatter the single-season passing record.
In a three-game stretch from Weeks 2-4, he threw for 450, 472, and 502 yards, with eight touchdowns and three picks. Dallas finished 1-2 in those games, through no fault of their quarterback.
That’s the kind of nuclear the Cowboys need Thursday night.
Why? Because they’re not running the ball effectively against this Eagles front—sorry Brian Schottenheimer. Forget balance. Javonte Williams? Miles Sanders? Jaydon Blue? None of them are going to churn out yards against this Eagles trench unit. The only chance Dallas has is through the air.
The opportunity is there. CeeDee Lamb is one of the best receivers in football, and George Pickens—acquired via trade this offseason—brings explosiveness and verticality. The Eagles secondary, while still formidable, will have to break in newcomers Andrew Mukuba and Adoree’ Jackson after the departure of veterans Darius Slay Jr. and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Look for them to take a small step back from the juggernaut they were last year.
If Dallas wins, it’s because Dak went off. 450 yards and three or four touchdowns, exploiting the only matchup on the field that might tilt their way.
It’s not just about yards or touchdowns, either. Dak has to be flawless—four touchdowns won’t matter if you throw three picks. No turnovers, and no wasted red zone trips. If the Cowboys are going to steal this game, Dak’s bounce back season has to start immediately.
Special Teams Has To Score
And not just field goals. Brandon Aubrey and the Cowboys’ special teams unit are arguably the team’s biggest strength, but Dallas won’t win this game three points at a time. Nor can they win by simply winning the field position battle.
No, we’re talking KaVontae Turpin touchdowns. If the Cowboys win, it’ll be because Turpin, or someone else, found the end zone.
Turpin is arguably the league’s most dangerous return man, and he has the ability to break the game open in a single play. Check out this kickoff return against Washington. Against an Eagles team that can grind out long, punishing drives, the Cowboys will need a lightning bolt—a punt or kickoff return touchdown. And Turpin is just the guy to deliver it.
Dallas doesn’t have the luxury of playing this one straight-up—the Eagles are simply a better team. They need points from somewhere unexpected, and a return touchdown would be exactly that. Without it, the Eagles’ talent advantage is just too much to overcome.
Prediction
The formula is simple. Not easy, but simple. Win the turnover battle, throw the ball all over the yard, and score a touchdown on special teams.
That’s a narrow path, and it’s why the Cowboys are the biggest underdogs in Week 1. The Eagles are better in the trenches, nastier on defense and more balanced on offense. If Dallas doesn’t steal possessions, hit explosives through the air, and find points in the return game, this one gets ugly.
Can it happen? Sure. Rivalry games are weird, and it is the first week of the season. We’ve also seen Prescott put the team on his back before. But if we’re being honest, the safer bet is Philadelphia.
Prediction: Eagles 34, Cowboys 20
Main Photo Credit: Julian Guadalupe-NorthJersey.com
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