PHILADELPHIA – If the NFL wanted drama to kick off the 2025 season, Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field delivered it in full.
The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles raised their banner, the Dallas Cowboys showed flashes of promise, and fans endured a bizarre mix of a spitting ejection, a weather delay, and a nail-biting finish that stretched past midnight into Friday morning.
Oh, and in case you missed it—the Cowboys’ biggest star, Micah Parsons, was nowhere to be found after his shocking trade to the Green Bay Packers last week.
Despite being heavy favorites, the Eagles had to grind out a 24-20 win in what turned into a far more competitive showdown than expected. And while it’s only Week 1 of 272 regular-season games, this one had enough chaos to feel like a playoff clash. So let’s break down the winners and losers from the NFL’s opening night.
🏆 Winners
Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott
Both quarterbacks reminded the league why they belong in the spotlight.
Hurts, true to his quiet, lead-by-example style, did more than enough—efficient in the air and lethal on the ground with two rushing touchdowns. The reigning Super Bowl MVP looked postseason-ready in September.
Prescott, meanwhile, made a strong return after missing the final nine games of 2024 with a hamstring injury. He commanded the Dallas offense with confidence, moving the ball consistently against what was supposed to be one of the NFL’s toughest defenses. Sure, his fourth-quarter execution fell short, but let’s be honest—the drops by his receivers didn’t exactly help.
Cowboys’ Running Game
Dallas’ ground attack was a weak spot last year, ranking just 27th in the league. Not Thursday. The Cowboys ran for 119 yards at 5.4 yards per carry, with new addition Javonte Williams punching in two touchdowns.
The downside? Miles Sanders’ costly fumble killed momentum in the third quarter. Still, it was a much-needed step forward for a unit that has been under heavy criticism.
Mother Nature (Again)
Football might claim to be an all-weather sport, but once lightning strikes near a stadium, everyone has to head for cover. With 4:44 left in the third quarter, a 63-minute weather delay hit Philly, eerily reminiscent of the Eagles’ season opener in 2018 when storms delayed kickoff against Atlanta.
Oddly enough, no points were scored after the break—proof that storms can kill momentum on both sides.
Boyz II Men
Sometimes it’s the little things that stand out. Philly legends Boyz II Men delivered a goosebump-inducing national anthem, wearing jerseys honoring Brian Dawkins, Jerome Brown, and Reggie White. A perfect way to set the tone for the night.
❌ Losers
Jalen Carter
The Eagles’ Pro Bowl defensive tackle didn’t even survive the opening drive. Carter was ejected before taking a single snap for spitting on Dak Prescott during an injury timeout.
Losing their most disruptive defender immediately canceled out the Cowboys’ Parsons absence, and it raises big questions: Will the NFL hand him a suspension?
Cowboys’ Run Defense
For all Jerry Jones’ talk about stopping the run—one of the reasons he said he traded Parsons for DT Kenny Clark and two first-round picks—his defense got steamrolled.
The Eagles racked up 158 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, controlling the game even without leaning heavily on their passing attack.
Georgia Bulldogs Pipeline
Philly’s roster is loaded with former University of Georgia stars, but they didn’t exactly shine in this one.
- Carter was tossed before the first snap.
- Nolan Smith drew two costly personal fouls.
- Jordan Davis and Kelee Ringo were nearly invisible.
- Azeez Ojulari wasn’t even active.
Not exactly the proudest night for the Bulldogs-to-Eagles experiment.
DUDE Wipes
The Eagles’ infamous “Tush Push” finally got a presenting sponsor, DUDE Wipes—but Philly barely used the play. No highlight moments, no branding payoff. Tough break for the marketing team.
Mazi Smith
A first-round pick in 2023, the Cowboys defensive tackle was a healthy scratch. That’s a brutal statement in Week 1, especially with Dallas desperate to beef up its run defense. As NBC’s Cris Collinsworth put it: “That’s as close to being cut as you can be.”
Philly’s Secondary
Without Carter applying pressure up front, the Eagles’ defensive backs looked shaky. The secondary racked up multiple pass interference penalties, and safety Reed Blankenship nearly decapitated TE Jake Ferguson in the end zone. Not the kind of discipline you want to see in a season opener.
A.J. Brown
One catch. That’s it. Philly’s star receiver finished with just eight yards. Head coach Nick Sirianni blamed it on Dallas’ defense and the flow of the game, but given Brown’s lingering hamstring issues, it’s worth keeping an eye on.
CeeDee Lamb
Statistically, Lamb had a nice night—seven catches for 110 yards. But when it mattered most, he dropped key passes that stalled drives. For all his fantasy football glory, he left real Cowboys fans frustrated.
Jerry Jones
The Parsons trade already had Cowboys Nation fuming. Losing a close one to a division rival in Brian Schottenheimer’s debut as head coach? That just adds salt to the wound. Jones bet big on reshaping this defense, but Week 1 left him looking like the biggest loser of all.
Final Thoughts
The Eagles walked away with the win, but it wasn’t pretty. Hurts looked like a star, yet Carter’s meltdown and the defense’s shaky performance kept the Cowboys alive longer than expected.
As for Dallas, they proved they can compete even without Parsons, but if the run defense doesn’t tighten up, it’s going to be a long season.
One game down, 271 to go—but if the rest of the season delivers this much drama, fans are in for a wild ride.
