Cowboys Fall Short in Season Opener, Lose 24-20 to Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field

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PHILADELPHIA — The Dallas Cowboys opened the 2025 season with a hard-fought 24–20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, a game that offered flashes of potential but ultimately exposed lingering concerns on offense. Both teams wasted no time setting an early tone. The Cowboys marched down the field on their opening possession, capping it off with a touchdown to match the Eagles’ quick strike on their first drive. The shootout atmosphere, however, faded quickly as Dallas struggled to find consistency. Midway through the first half, a costly turnover flipped momentum in Philadelphia’s favor. A fumble deep in Cowboys territory forced quarterback Dak Prescott to make a desperation tackle just to prevent an Eagles defensive score. The play set up an easy scoring opportunity for Philadelphia, putting Dallas on its heels. Then came an unexpected twist: a lightning delay that lasted more than an hour. The break seemed to sap the Cowboys’ offensive rhythm, and they never fully recovered. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb—usually Prescott’s most dependable playmaker—was uncharacteristically shaky, dropping three passes that could have extended drives or positioned Dallas for points. Despite the miscues, the Cowboys’ defense kept them within reach. Micah Parsons and the defensive front applied steady pressure on Jalen Hurts, limiting the Eagles’ explosive plays and keeping the game tight deep into the fourth quarter. But Philadelphia executed in the red zone when it mattered most, while Dallas faltered in critical moments.

Prescott finished with a modest stat line, managing the game but unable to deliver the late-game heroics the Cowboys needed. The final Dallas drive stalled short of midfield, sealing a narrow defeat. With the loss, Dallas falls to 0–1 and finds itself chasing in the NFC East race from the outset. The Eagles, meanwhile, move to 1–0 and continue to assert themselves as the division’s standard-bearer. Head coach Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys will need a quick turnaround as they prepare for Week 2, where pressure is already mounting in one of football’s most competitive divisions.