Cowboys Fall 24-20 to Eagles in 2025 Season Opener as Drops and Missed Chances Prove Costly
That one stings. Dallas had plenty of chances in Philly on Thursday night but ultimately lost 24-20, in a game that felt winnable.
Chaos from the start
Before most of us could even get settled in front of the TV, the Eagles lost Jalen Carter, who was ejected for spitting on Dak Prescott just six seconds into the game. I’m sure we can all agree this deserves a lifetime ban and 5 years in jail. The Associated Press said it was the fastest ejection in NFL history. You’d think losing their best defensive lineman would tilt things toward the Cowboys, but Philadelphia regrouped and found ways to hang on.
Javonte and CeeDee do their thing
The Boys came out swinging. Javonte Williams punched in two first-half rushing touchdowns and brought real physicality to the ground game. ESPN credited CeeDee Lamb with seven catches for 110 yards. That looks solid on paper, but Lamb admitted on DallasCowboys.com that his four drops were “terrible” and directly cost the team in clutch moments.
Offensive Line Struggles
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Prescott was pressured on 42 percent of his dropbacks yet still averaged 2.65 seconds to throw, pushing the ball downfield even under pressure. The lack of clean pockets became glaring during the failed fourth-down play late in the fourth quarter.
Pro Football Reference shows how the details slipped away. On third downs, the Cowboys converted only 4 of 13 (30 percent), well below league average. Dallas was just 2/5 on scoring opportunities inside the red zone. Those missed chances explain why a game that felt close on the field turned into a loss on the scoreboard.
Missed chances late in the game
Dallas trailed 24 to 20 after a 65-minute lightning delay but still had the ball and a real shot to win it. Prescott had a chance to extend the drive on fourth and 3 with under two minutes left. The pass fell incomplete, and that sealed the loss as head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on DallasCowboys.com: “No moral victories. The standard is winning.”
Takeaway for Cowboys fans
Dallas showed grit and physicality on the ground with Javonte Williams.
The Cowboys got production from CeeDee, but drops swung the outcome.
NFL Next Gen Stats highlight how Prescott was under fire all night, pressured on nearly half his throws.
Pro Football Reference shows the inefficiency with just 30 percent on third down and 40 percent in the red zone.
It hurts to start 0-1, especially against Philly, but this didn’t feel like an outclassed team. The Cowboys showed enough to believe the pieces are here. Now, it is about finishing.