Ladies and gentlemen, we made it. Real, meaningful football will be played tonight, as the Eagles will unveil their Super Bowl banner and then host America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys, against whom they are a meager 57-71 all time. Of course, recent developments have resulted in the Eagles being a heavy favorite. Blowing out the […] Ladies and gentlemen, we made it. Real, meaningful football will be played tonight, as the Eagles will unveil their Super Bowl banner and then host America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys, against whom they are a meager 57-71 all time. Of course, recent developments have resulted in the Eagles being a heavy favorite. Blowing out the Chiefs in the Super Bowl will do that, as will the Cowboys trading away Micah Parsons right before the season starts. As it stands right now, Dallas is an 8.5-point underdog, the largest spread of any game in Week 1. Is that justified, though? Our writers aren’t so sure. Let’s take a look at what they think will happen when the NFL kicks off its 106th season. When Philadelphia has the ball Find out what Kenny Clark is worth Lost in all the chaos of the Micah Parsons trade is the fact that Dallas made perhaps its most legitimate investment in shoring up their run defense in two decades. Kenny Clark may not be in his prime anymore at 29 years of age, but he’s still a capable and savvy run defender. He may even be the Cowboys’ best nose tackle since the Jay Ratliff days. The question on everyone’s minds is if it will actually matter. The Eagles are a run-heavy team, what with their elite offensive line and Saquon Barkley and the dual threat ability of Jalen Hurts. Stopping the run is Plan A, B, and C to disrupting the Eagles on offense, and Clark is a big piece of the puzzle in trying to accomplish that. When Dallas has the ball Remind everyone what Dak Prescott is capable of It’s been a while since Dak Prescott suited up for the Cowboys, and many people have forgotten what he’s capable of. He’s been nails against the NFC East, and is 9-4 against this franchise in particular. You have to go back to 2019 to find the last time he didn’t throw multiple touchdowns against the Eagles, and you have to one more year back from there to find the last time he threw multiple interceptions. Now, he’s got an upgraded receiving corps, with George Pickens providing a verifiable deep threat that should open things up underneath for CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. He’s also facing an Eagles defense that has the youngest secondary in the league and lost two of its top three pass rushers from a year ago. Brian Schottenheimer has spoken about fielding a strong run game, but he may want to start off with a vintage Dak Attack for this game. Now onto the predictions from your BTB writers… Tom Ryle: It is hard to look at the Cowboys and the Eagles without seeing that Philadelphia has the stronger, deeper roster. The only way I think Dallas can win is to just outscore their opponents, which is not outside the realm of possibility if Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens are what we think they are. However, I don’t think that happens. Eagles 38, Cowboys 27. Matt Holleran: It’s hard to believe the Dallas Cowboys enter the first week of the regular season as the biggest underdog of any team in the entire Week 1 slate. The Micah Parsons trade moved the line an entire point, and the Cowboys currently sit as 8.5 point dogs in their opening matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. I think the spread is indicative of how this game will go, and I see it being a struggle for Dallas on both sides of the ball. Prescott and the Cowboys offense looks rusty after no preseason work, and their defense wears down in the second half, giving up some big plays. Philly pulls away in the late third quarter and gets a comfortable win to start the year. Give me the Eagles, 24-13. Mike Poland: This is tough to do being the ultimate Cowboys optimist of the group, and although my head says this is Cowboys loss, my unwavering positivity is going to get me in trouble this week. Dak is 9-4 against the Eagles and has won four out of the last five meetings between the two teams. The wildcard player this week is George Pickens. He led the league last year in deep receiving yards (577) where the Eagles defense allowed the seventh-most air-yards (2,324). Cowboys win this week 23-21 (thank you Brandon Aubrey). Brian Martin: Due to the majority of the Cowboys starters sitting in preseason and with a completely new coaching staff, I have no idea what to expect from Dallas in the season opener. I do think it’s going to be a low-scoring, sloppy game by both teams though, but one where home field advantage makes all the difference. Score prediction: Cowboys 13, Eagles 17. Jess Haynie: The Dallas offense does its part, but the defense struggles in its first post-Parsons attempt. Eagles 31, Cowboys 27. David Howman: I’m with Mike on this one (sort of). I see one of two outcomes in this game: either the Cowboys will score a last second victory in a close, competitive game, or the Eagles will absolutely dog walk them in embarrassing fashion. I think the culture that Schottenheimer is building will result in the former outcome, but I could be wrong. I think we see a more pass-happy version of this offense than we’ll see the rest of the year, but for a good reason. Dak Prescott has this team’s number, and the Pickens factor can’t be ignored. Prescott will be dealing early, CeeDee Lamb will put up numbers, and it’ll come down to a 60-yarder from Brandon Aubrey to shock the world and send

The start of real NFL football is almost here, and with it comes the inevitable hand-wringing over the highly influential decisions of a select few deemed worthy of such glorious power: the referees. While the notion that a referee crew will directly impact the outcome of a game is ludicrous, it’s hard to deny that […] The start of real NFL football is almost here, and with it comes the inevitable hand-wringing over the highly influential decisions of a select few deemed worthy of such glorious power: the referees. While the notion that a referee crew will directly impact the outcome of a game is ludicrous, it’s hard to deny that certain crews have their tendencies, and those tendencies can often play a role in shaping the way the game is played. That’s why we have the weekly referee report, which looks at the crew calling the Cowboys’ game that week and tracks their tendencies at large and specifically as it relates to the two teams they’ll be calling penalties against that week. And the man on the call for Thursday night’s NFL kickoff game between the Cowboys and the Eagles is Shawn Smith. Smith will be entering his eighth season as a head referee, and his 11th overall as an NFL official. Over that time, Smith has earned a reputation as a fairly reasonable official, rarely getting crazy with his administering of penalties but also not letting teams get away with murder. Only once in his career as a head referee has Smith finished in the top five in total penalties called, and that was his second year on the job. He’s also never finished in the bottom three in penalties, usually finishing pretty close to the league average in terms of how often he calls a penalty. Early on, Smith was growing a tendency for favoring the visiting team, often seen as an attempt to mitigate homefield advantage. He usually finished the year calling considerably more penalties on the home team. However, that’s changed lately: two of the last three seasons have seen him throw the flag on the road team at least 20 more times. Last year, Smith ranked dead in the middle of the league in penalties, with 21 more flags thrown against the visitor. In 10 of his games, the road team was more penalized, while three others saw the same amount of penalties across both teams. Coincidentally, the home team was 10-7 when Smith was on the call. It hasn’t always been that way, though. For his career, Smith has seen the home team post a dismal 52-61 record when he’s on the call. Even in the past three years, when Smith has shifted away from calling so many penalties on the home team, the host is still just 23-27. As far as types of penalties, Smith has been fairly agnostic. False starts and holds are always the most commonly called penalties, but Smith doesn’t have any strong tendencies beyond that. He was third among crews last year in calling unnecessary roughness and finished near the top in flags for ineligible man downfield. The former reflects Smith’s distaste for extracurriculars, while the latter is more situational, but still something that bears mentioning given how often the Eagles use RPO’s. Since becoming a head referee, Smith has called just four Cowboys games. Dallas is 2-2 in those games, and 1-1 as the road team. Their two road trips with Smith on the call were in 2022 against the Jaguars – which featured a walk-off pick six in overtime to lose – and at the end of the 2023 season against Washington, a blowout win for the Cowboys. Smith is much more familiar with the Eagles, having called seven of their games. The Eagles are just 4-3 in those games, with a 2-2 record as the home team. They were winless at home with Smith until the 2022 season, when they beat the Packers on Sunday Night Football; Smith also called the Eagles’ divisional round victory over the Rams in last year’s playoffs. All in all, Smith is not an official who often gets accused of playing favorites. He won’t coat the field in yellow, but he won’t tolerate unfair play either. He’ll call penalties when they’re there, and is unafraid to get harsh on undisciplined teams. That’s often been an issue for the Cowboys, so it’s a mild concern heading into Thursday night’s game. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys General

We’re back! Another season, another weekly prediction of which Cowboys players will shine and struggle in the upcoming game. Whose performance are we buying in Week 1, and who are we selling? The stakes couldn’t be higher in this opener, playing the defending champion, division rival, and otherwise villainous Philadelphia Eagles. Whether Dallas comes away […] We’re back! Another season, another weekly prediction of which Cowboys players will shine and struggle in the upcoming game. Whose performance are we buying in Week 1, and who are we selling? The stakes couldn’t be higher in this opener, playing the defending champion, division rival, and otherwise villainous Philadelphia Eagles. Whether Dallas comes away with a victory or not, how will individual players fare in this challenging matchup? And given it’s only Week 1, who might be able to take advantage of some early-season mysteriousness? BUY TE Jake Ferguson If you believe in a bounce-back year for Ferguson, then you should be confident in him getting off to a hot start in Philly. In 2023, Ferguson totaled 12 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown in the two Eagles games. Granted, that was when Dallas was still struggling with the idea of a true number-two receiver. Brandin Cooks hadn’t established himself yet, if he ever did, and Michael Gallup was already limping his way out the door. As such, Ferguson finished the year behind only CeeDee Lamb in targets, receptions, and yards. We still have to see how George Pickens’ arrival affects Ferguson’s stats. But if you go back to 2021, Dalton Schultz had his best year when Lamb and Amari Cooper were atop the WR depth chart. All three had over 100 targets. Even if Ferguson doesn’t get more looks than he has in past years, there will likely be better opportunities with Lamb and Pickens commanding attention. Even without career-high catches, Ferguson could easily beat his personal bests in yardage, touchdowns, and overall efficiency. WR KaVontae Turpin There’s no better time to break out your bag of tricks than when you’re on the road against your biggest division threat. Throw in that it’s Week 1, and there’s just so much we don’t know about how Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams plan to utilize Turpin this year. What we do know, though, is that they’re more intent on it than Mike McCarthy ever was. The Cowboys can’t win this game if they try to outpower the Eagles, but Turpin’s speed can be very effective against any scheme. SELL Offensive Line We think this group can gel as the season goes along and be solid, even formidable, by November. But starting on the road against Vic Fangio’s defense is far from ideal. Between rookie Tyler Booker, a rusty Tyler Guyton, and the ever-suspect Terence Steele, there seems to be too many liabilities for the Eagles to exploit. Even if two of those guys are surprisingly good, it only takes one for everything to crumble. CB Trevon Diggs Speaking of rusty, Diggs is going to be up against it if he plays Thursday night. He deserves so much credit for working his way back to where it’s even possible, but trying to stop A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith is a tough ask even when you’re at your best. We’re bullish on DaRon Bland, now fully recovered from injury, but whoever his running mate is will likely get picked on a lot. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Dallas Cowboys are ready to start another NFL season. In the opening game of the 2025 NFL season, the Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles. Dallas will have to wait around as the Eagles raise their Super Bowl banner, but after that, it’s all a brand-new season. The Cowboys managed to […] The Dallas Cowboys are ready to start another NFL season. In the opening game of the 2025 NFL season, the Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles. Dallas will have to wait around as the Eagles raise their Super Bowl banner, but after that, it’s all a brand-new season. The Cowboys managed to pull off the shock of the offseason when they dealt away Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just about a week ago. In addition to a couple of first-round picks in the future, the Cowboys acquired DT Kenny Clark, who they hope will help with a poor run defense. They will find out soon enough if it helped as the Eagles feature RB Saquon Barkley who tore up the league last season. At least the Cowboys will have Dak Prescott back in the lineup after missing much of last season with an injury. He’ll have a new weapon to use in WR George Pickens, giving Dallas a powerful 1-2 punch with CeeDee Lamb. It all counts starting tonight. Let’s go! Info for the game. Cowboys vs Eagles game info Important links: Cowboys depth chart | Roster Date: Sept 4th, 2025 Game time: 8:20 PM EST Location: Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field TV channel: Local: KTVT 11 National: NBC Coverage Map: 506 Sports Radio: 105.3 The Fan | SXM Streaming: Peacock, ESPN+ Cowboys record: (0-0) Eagles record: (0-0) Odds: Dallas +8.5, courtesy of FanDuel Prediction: Cowboys 20 – Eagles 31 Enemy blog: Bleeding Green Nation Twitter: @BloggingTheBoys Facebook: Please Like us! 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Game Information

Another year, another coordinator. That’s how it’s been lately for the Eagles. After falling short against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, it was Shane Steichen who left for the Colts head coaching job. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni promoted from within, elevating quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to the position. A year later, Johnson was […] Another year, another coordinator. That’s how it’s been lately for the Eagles. After falling short against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, it was Shane Steichen who left for the Colts head coaching job. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni promoted from within, elevating quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to the position. A year later, Johnson was out. The offense had faltered, and the relationship between Sirianni and Jalen Hurts had reportedly deteriorated to the point where they weren’t speaking regularly. In came Kellen Moore, who had no ties to Sirianni and thus brought a fresh perspective. It clearly worked, as the Eagles won the Super Bowl, fittingly against said Chiefs. However, just like the last time they reached the big game, Moore left for a head coaching job. That marks the fourth different offensive coordinator in as many years for Philadelphia. Rather than going outside the building again, as Sirianni did with Moore, they promoted pass game coordinator Kevin Patullo. A member of the Eagles coaching staff since Sirianni’s first year on the job, who also worked alongside the head coach with the Colts before that, Patullo will call plays for the first time this Thursday when the Eagles kick off their season at home against the Cowboys. Of course, we shouldn’t be expecting any major changes. Even Moore didn’t overhaul the offense last year, instead adding a few new flavors to an already established playbook. That’s because the Eagles know exactly who they are on offense, especially after signing Saquon Barkley in free agency last year. This team’s offensive identity is built around the run game. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland has consistently put forth elite offensive lines that pave the road for whomever, and putting Barkley back there was the equivalent of strapping a rocket engine to a Lamborghini. Hurts’ physical running ability adds an extra dimension, too, and this offense is at its best when it’s using option plays early and often. Hurts also has a great receiving tandem in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, along with Dallas Goedert at tight end, to throw to. When Steichen was in town, Hurts thrived on a robust package of RPO’s and play-action passing concepts. With Moore, an expansion of option routes gave more leeway to Brown and Smith to take what the defense was giving them. So what will change with Patullo? Philosophically, Patullo is a disciple of former Cowboys head coach Chan Gailey, under whom he coached with the Chiefs, Bills, and Jets. Gailey’s offenses were predicated on the quick game: he built his passing attack on quick hitters, timing-based concepts, and made extensive use of RPO’s in his latter years. He loved play-action, and often used it for situational deep shots. Sound familiar? Patullo was a piece of the puzzle in building this Eagles offense alongside Sirianni and Steichen, finding ways to make things easier on Hurts while also taking advantage of his best assets. That background likely indicates a return to some of those staples of the Steichen years, meaning more RPO’s and more quick hitters. That should be beneficial for Hurts, who held the ball too long too oftren last year. Among full-time starting quarterbacks last year, only one player had fewer passes attempted in under 2.5 seconds last year. Hurts also led the league in average time spent in the pocket. Patullo will surely seek to get the ball out of his hands quicker. It will be interesting to see how well that works, though. Not only has Hurts been holding it longer each year, but his receiving corps is getting up there in age, too. Both Brown and Smith missed multiple weeks with injuries last year, and the Eagles nearly dealt the 30-year old Goedert in the offseason. Meanwhile, Barkley is coming off just his second full season in his career, and it’s one that saw him touch the ball 482 times by the time the confetti came down in the Super Bowl. Only twice in his career had he ever even topped 350 total touches. It’s fair to wonder if he’ll have the same kind of effectiveness as he did last year, or at least come close to it. On paper, Patullo has all the makings to be a great first time play-caller. That said, people were saying the same thing about Brian Johnson just two years ago. The Eagles know what they want to do on offense, but knowing it and doing it are two different things. The Cowboys defense certainly faces long odds of containing them, though. Jerry Jones defended his sudden trade of Micah Parsons by highlighting the team’s need to stop the run. While that was certainly a big need, Kenny Clark alone may not be enough to get the job done. For the record, neither was Parsons, most likely. It’ll be interesting to see how Matt Eberflus tries to attack Patullo in this game, especially without Parsons in the fold. The two coaches worked together in Indianapolis for three years, so they have some familiarity with each other. Who will end up having the upper hand? We’ll find out soon enough. 4 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Cowboys aren’t exactly betting favorites heading into Philadelphia for the NFL’s kickoff game against the reigning Super Bowl champion. They’ve often been a playoff team when Dak Prescott is on the field, but his return from a season-ending injury hasn’t seemed to inspire much confidence. At least some of that has to do with […] The Cowboys aren’t exactly betting favorites heading into Philadelphia for the NFL’s kickoff game against the reigning Super Bowl champion. They’ve often been a playoff team when Dak Prescott is on the field, but his return from a season-ending injury hasn’t seemed to inspire much confidence. At least some of that has to do with the defense he’s facing in Week 1. Vic Fangio is entering his second season running the Eagles defense, and the godfather of the most common defense being run in the league today is not daunted by the challenges he faces in 2025. Fangio pioneered the light box defense with two deep safeties that’s become the flavor of the month in recent years. He’s watched on as many of his acolytes – Brandon Staley, Sean Desai, Ejiro Evero, Joe Barry, Raheem Morris, and others – have risen the coaching ranks rapidly. Other coaches, like Aaron Glenn or Vance Joseph, have tried to simply emulate Fangio despite not having worked directly with him. Yet, there’s no replicating the original, and Fangio remains the most effective at his particular style of defense. It’s a scheme that makes heavy use of zone coverages, primarily quarters coverage, and is designed to take away big plays and make offenses earn it with dinks and dunks. Fangio also uses light boxes, almost encouraging teams to run on him, and either floods the secondary with extra bodies or stacks the line of scrimmage to confuse pass protection schemes. It’s a fairly simplistic scheme on its face, similar to a pitcher who only throws a few different pitches but is a master of them all. Of course, it’s hardly simple for a quarterback. Fangio’s defenses will usually look the same before the snap, but defensive backs will drop into different spots of their zone after the snap, based on the call and the offense’s alignment. This is where Fangio’s genius comes in: he’s a master of knowing how to make things difficult for an offense. Put simply, Fangio’s overarching philosophy is to frustrate an offense so much that they try to force something, at which point they make a big mistake. Fangio has succeeded in this tactic against all the greats, most recently Patrick Mahomes, and he’s done it to Prescott and the Cowboys many times with several different franchises. That said, Fangio does face a new challenge this year. Out of the 18 different Eagles defenders who played at least 250 snaps last year – Fangio likes to use deep rotations, especially on the defensive line – 10 of them are no longer in Philadelphia. An 11th player, starting linebacker Nakobe Dean, is starting the season on the PUP list. The three biggest losses, though, are pass rushers Josh Sweat and Milton Williams and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Sweat led the team in sacks, while Williams was third. Gardner-Johnson, often regarded as the heart and soul of the defense, led the team with six interceptions; the rest of the roster had seven combined picks. Philadelphia seems to be planning on replacing those impact players from within. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis are both strong players, and both are expected to see more playing time with Williams gone. On the edge, Nolan Smith is joined by Jalyx Hunt and Azeez Ojulari, as well as hybrid player Zack Baun. Third-year safety Sydney Brown seems the most likely successor to Gardner-Johnson, too. It’s a dangerously cautious approach to replacing three stars, but the Eagles are gambling more so on Fangio than on their ability to draft and develop talent. Fangio has produced elite defenses with less talent in the past, and he seems more than capable of putting these new faces in the right places to succeed. That’s where the Cowboys offer a unique first test. Prescott got hurt before he could face Fangio last year, and there’s a new play-caller in head coach Brian Schottenheimer. His offensive coordinator, Klayton Adams, helped upset the Eagles two years ago as the Cardinals’ offensive line coach, where he coached under another Fangio disciple in Jonathan Gannon. The Cowboys also added George Pickens, whose vertical threat is perfect for testing this kind of defense. Simply put, nobody knows what this Cowboys offense will look like. Prescott has always been a productive quarterback, and his connection with CeeDee Lamb is well established by now. With Pickens, Schottenheimer, and other new factors, it’ll be hard for Fangio to know exactly how to attack in Week 1. The stage is set for a fascinating chess match between Schottenheimer and Fangio. The outside world may be expecting a defensive beatdown from the Eagles, but don’t be surprised if the Cowboys come out with some answers for Fangio’s limited but deadly pitching repertoire. 7 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last week. We are not here to talk about that. Parsons is gone and will come up repeatedly in Week 4 when the Packers prepare to visit AT&T Stadium for the first time since authoring arguably the worst playoff loss in the Jerry Jones […] The Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last week. We are not here to talk about that. Parsons is gone and will come up repeatedly in Week 4 when the Packers prepare to visit AT&T Stadium for the first time since authoring arguably the worst playoff loss in the Jerry Jones era from an embarrassment standpoint. But obviously everything with the Cowboys right now is contextually tied to the trade so it is relevant. Tuesday marked the first day back at work for some folks, with Labor Day being on Monday, which meant that the flame was re-lit. David Mulugheta, Parsons’ agent, went on First Take to have his day in court (so to speak). This happened just a few hours after ESPN launched a massive piece that featured work from Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham, Jeremy Fowler, Todd Archer (Cowboys) and Rob Demovsky (Packers). The Avengers assembled. The whole thing is worth a read, but it focuses largely on the Parsons part of this saga for obvious reasons. Something stands out though as it relates to the other player involved in the trade, the one the Cowboys received in defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Clark, a staple of the Packers defense since entering the league in 2016, was hardly a throw-in. His contract was attractive — Green Bay had already paid him the bulk of his 2025 deal, so the Cowboys would pay him just $2 million this season, and $20 million unguaranteed next season. A two-year, $22 million deal for a high-level player was viewed as a win for a Dallas team that sees the 29-year-old Clark as a multiyear solution, and there would also be no dead money if the Cowboys chose to release him after the season. “From our perspective, it had to include Kenny Clark,” a source close to Jones said. “The only way it worked for us, we need something that helps us now and helps us in the future.” Kenny Clark is a good player and is going to help the Cowboys. He deserves support and shouldn’t be lumped in with this whole thing in any kind of negative context. Read that bit again, though. Doesn’t it kind of contradict itself? Clark is heralded as someone who is a very good player, but regarded as having an attractive contract. He is referred to as high-level and someone who can be a “multiyear solution”, and within that same sentence it is said that there would be no dead money if the Cowboys moved on from him after 2025. What? The Cowboys could certainly re-work Clark’s deal and maybe that is what this implies. Perhaps Dallas will negotiate a new one with him after 2025 that works for everyone involved. But in the interest of leverage since we have talked about that in an exhaustive sense, wouldn’t that be giving Clark an enormous amount? How and why would the Cowboys be hyping this entire thing up as being about the future for their team, there is obviously no doubt that having multiple first-round picks come their way as a part of the trade are the crux of that argument, relative to Clark specifically when they are talking about maybe cutting him in the spring? Those things cannot co-exist. There is a long, very long, way to go until this trade is proven to have been worth it or proper on either end. But that a week hasn’t even passed yet, and that the most intensive reporting on the matter includes a tip that Dallas could move on in the offseason is certainly weird. How is that a part of any future? 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

This side of Between the Lines we flip the attention to the defensive line, where chaos meets strategy. This is where the Cowboys’ games are won and lost so let’s dive in. Interior Defensive Line Osa Odighizuwa (2024 Stats: 47 Total Tackles, 5 TFL, 60 Pressures, 4.5 Sacks, 1 FF)Grade: N/A Solomon Thomas (2024 Stats: 26 Total Tackles, 5 […] This side of Between the Lines we flip the attention to the defensive line, where chaos meets strategy. This is where the Cowboys’ games are won and lost so let’s dive in. Interior Defensive Line Osa Odighizuwa (2024 Stats: 47 Total Tackles, 5 TFL, 60 Pressures, 4.5 Sacks, 1 FF)Grade: N/A Solomon Thomas (2024 Stats: 26 Total Tackles, 5 TFL, 22 Pressures, 3.5 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR)Grade: N/A Kenny Clark (2024 Stats: 37 Total Tackles, 4 TFL, 34 Pressures, 1 Sack, 2 FR)Grade: N/A Mazi Smith (2024 Stats: 41 Total Tackles, 4 TFL, 8 Pressures, 1 Sack)Grade: N/A Jay Toia (2024 Stats: N/A)Grade: N/A So there’s no easy way to put this Cowboys fans, the Eagles are fresh off a dominant 2024 season and they enter this matchup at the top of several key offensive categories. They led the NFL in rushing attempts (621), came second in total rush yards (3,048 yards) and rushing touchdowns (29), doing so with the league-topping running back and a solid dual-threat quarterback. We all know about the “tush push”, but Philly is lethal in short-yardage situations. They converted 76% of their runs on attempts of two yards or fewer, and on zone runs they deploy very effective pin-and-pulls and spread formations, cutting Barkley free to the edges with help blocks from tight ends or receivers. But it doesn’t end there. In 11 personnel, Barkley averaged 6.9 yards per carry over 152 attempts, highlighting how effective they are in traditional sets versus man coverage. So now we know the mountain this interior defensive linemen face, what can they do about it? Simply put, the Cowboys must hold the line, especially on short yard runs and on third-and-short. Stopping the Eagles linchpin concepts demands flawless assignment discipline from the Cowboys interior and certainly requires them to not draw flags. Moving Barkley laterally is a specialty for the Eagles, so interior defenders must shed blocks while maintaining gap integrity, not an easy task. Another point to note is the fact Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson has been limited in practice due to a back injury, so keep an eye on his health. Cohesion could suffer here if he is unable to play the whole game, and most certainly run blocking effectiveness on the inside will take a dip. This is the type of game where Kenny Clark will be important. The seasoned, powerful run-stopper acquired from Green Bay in the Micah Parsons trade will need to hit the ground running in Week 1. Although his 2024 sack production dipped, he remains a formidable presence in two-gaps. As for Mazi Smith, he struggled in run defense (35.9 PFF grade) last season. With interior line a huge focal point this week, his development is critical for this game. Defensive End Marshawn Kneeland (2024 Stats: 14 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 11 Pressures, 0 Sacks, 1 FR)Grade: N/A Sam Williams (2024 Stats: N/A)Grade: N/A Dante Fowler Jr. (2024 Stats: 39 Total Tackles, 14 TFL, 50 Pressures, 11 Sacks, 2 FF)Grade: N/A Donovan Ezeiruaku (2024 Stats: N/A)Grade: N/A James Houston (2024 Stats: N/A)Grade: N/A The Cowboys’ interior defenders must hold firm, amplifying the need for edge pressure to disrupt Philly’s downhill blocking schemes. The Eagles lean on inside-zone and gap schemes, plus constant play-action threats, so winning on the edge can tilt the line of scrimmage in Dallas’ favor this week. The Eagles’ run game is the benchmark of NFL consistency. For the Cowboys’ edges, it’s not just about rushing the passer, it’s about being anchors, gap-sound disruptors, and disciplined on the outside. Success hinges on reading blocks, setting the edge cleanly, and forcing the game back inside where interior defenders like Odighizuwa and Clark thrive. Entering his second NFL season, Kneeland finished 2024 with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery. His athleticism and improving instincts make him a versatile rotational piece, valued for both interior presence and edge flexibility. Dallas re-signed Fowler on a one-year deal worth up to $8 million, relying on his experience and production to elevate the pass rush like he did while in Dallas under Dan Quinn two seasons back. A proven force, Fowler adds immediate punch to the rotation. Ezeiruaku racked up 16.5 sacks in 2024, the second-most in college football, earning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the Ted Hendricks Award. Known for his fluid footwork, elite bend, and deft counter moves like cross-chop and euro-step, this could be a great foundational game for “E-Z” to set the tone for his career. Then we have Williams coming back from his ACL season-ending injury last year and he’s looking hungry to get going and is extremely motivated for this season. That will be even more so with Parsons’ departure and Williams probably benefited the most on the depth chart from the trade. Dallas’ edge corps enters the season with a powerful blend of youth, experience, and upside. Youthful explosiveness (Kneeland, Ezeiruaku), a hungry comeback (Williams), proven pressure (Fowler), and situational firepower (Houston) create a formidable front. The key will be blending these talents to keep the Eagles off balance and force rhythm-defining plays early. Defensive line injury updates: Perrion Winfrey went down in practice on Monday. He looked very uncomfortable walking off the field so his availability for this week’s Thursday Night game is extremely doubtful. Keep watch on BTB for more updates on the situation. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

There isn’t much left the Dallas Cowboys can do before they open their season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Of course, if you looked back just a week or so, Micah Parsons was still a member of this team. That’s how fast fortunes can change in the NFL. Cowboys fans have hit the range of emotions […] There isn’t much left the Dallas Cowboys can do before they open their season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Of course, if you looked back just a week or so, Micah Parsons was still a member of this team. That’s how fast fortunes can change in the NFL. Cowboys fans have hit the range of emotions this year. Some highs like what looks like a solid draft class, and the trade for George Pickens. Some lows like the limbo of whether Mike McCarthy would stay or go, and Jerry Jones causing chaos once again over player contracts. The Cowboys have done some good things and some curious things heading into the 2025 season. But it is here now. We know the roster and after Thursday there will be no more guessing about what type of team we have for this season. Before we get there though, let’s lay down a marker as to your confidence level in the Cowboys right now. We’ll track this throughout the season, so vote in the poll and then hit the comments. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster