Eagles Edge Cowboys 24-20 in Thrilling NFL Season Opener on NBC

This week’s Thursday Night Football kicks off the NFL’s 2025 season with a headline clash between the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. The game took place September 4 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, starting at 820 PM Eastern and aired live on NBC with streaming available through Peacock. Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark called the action, offering their renowned prime time insights. This marks the only Thursday night game this season not exclusively on Amazon Prime Video according to FBSchedules, with most other matchups moving to Prime next week. The Eagles enter as reigning champions after dominating the 2024 season and winning Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs, and expectations are sky-high under coach Nick Sirianni. Jalen Hurts remains the centerpiece for Philly’s offense, while A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith headline a deep receiving group. On defense, all eyes are on Haason Reddick and the reinvented secondary, which features standout rookie safety Samari Evans. Recent profiles in the Philadelphia Inquirer spotlighted the Eagles’ offseason discipline and locker-room buy-in with whispers from NFL Network about a possible “mini-dynasty” if Philly maintains momentum. Sports Illustrated notes that some insiders have even made the Eagles preseason favorites to repeat, a feat rarely seen in recent decades. Dallas, meanwhile, starts a new coaching era with Brian Schottenheimer replacing Mike McCarthy after a disappointing 7-10 finish in 2024. Dak Prescott still calls the shots on offense and looks to rebound with CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard leading the charge, though Dallas fans voiced nervousness on Twitter and ESPN Radio about whether the offensive line can hold up against elite pass rushers like Reddick and Jordan Davis. Schottenheimer is promising a “return to Cowboys physicality” but, as noted by NFL.com, sources report Jerry Jones is expecting quick results after the team’s fall from perennial playoff contention. The opener was tightly anticipated in Vegas, with most sportsbooks having the Eagles favored by between 4 and 5.5 points and the consensus over-under at 49 points. A few Atlantic City bookmakers told The Athletic they saw sharp money on the under, perhaps expecting a defensive slugfest. In terms of players to watch, Hurts versus Prescott is the obvious headliner, but the return of Tyron Smith to Dallas’ offensive front and rookie tight end Jake Bowers making his NFL debut are creating secondary buzz. On field, Philadelphia eked out a 24-20 victory after some late-game heroics from Hurts and a clutch fourth-quarter stop by the defense, per ESPN's rapid recap and confirmed by CBS Sports. Major postgame headlines included questions about Prescott’s late-game management and praise for the Eagles’ resilience despite a few early miscues. No major injuries emerged from the opener according to recent team statements, though both coaching staffs will likely make adjustm This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.