The Philadelphia Eagles began their 2025 NFL season with a 24-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. The game featured several notable events, including the unveiling of a World Championship banner, an injury to Ben VanSumeren on the opening kickoff, and the ejection of defensive tackle Jalen Carter for unsportsmanlike conduct before play began.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Eagles with two rushing touchdowns and a team-high 62 yards on the ground. He completed 19 of 23 passes for 152 yards and was not responsible for any turnovers. Hurts’ performance included key plays late in the game that helped secure the win.
The Eagles’ running backs contributed significantly, with Saquon Barkley rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Will Shipley added early impact with three rushes for 26 yards, while A.J. Dillon gained 10 yards on three attempts. Right tackle Lane Johnson commented, “It was ugly at times out there, but we stuck with it and we got the job done. That’s all that matters.” The team finished with a total of 158 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Wide receivers A.J. Brown, Jahan Dotson, and DeVonta Smith were noted for their blocking efforts in support of the running game.
A crucial moment came when defensive tackle Byron Young and linebacker Jihaad Campbell forced a fumble by Miles Sanders near Philadelphia’s goal line, which Quinyon Mitchell recovered. This turnover proved decisive as it was the only one in the game.
A weather delay lasting just over an hour affected both teams’ momentum after play resumed. Outside linebacker Nolan Smith said, “It wasn’t easy, but we have great trainers and we stayed loose and were ready to go… Playing in the Super Bowl helped. I kept thinking about that long halftime.”
Despite missing Carter due to his ejection, other defensive players such as Young, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Gabe Hall, Adoree’ Jackson, Cooper DeJean, Jakorian Bennett, Kylen Granson (who filled in at fullback), and Brett Toth (who replaced Landon Dickerson) stepped up during critical moments.
The Eagles’ offense started strong with touchdowns on their first three possessions followed by a field goal after halftime but slowed down as defenses tightened following the weather delay.
Defensively, Philadelphia limited Dallas to 20 points and held them to just over 300 total net yards despite missing key personnel.
Johnson summarized postgame: “That’s all I care about… We have a lot to correct and we know it, but the name of the game is winning and we did that.”
The Eagles will next face Kansas City after an extended break as other NFL teams begin their seasons.
