Eagles Hold Off Cowboys in Season Opener, 24-20, after Lightning โDelay
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Eagles began their Super Bowlโ defense withโค a hard-fought 24-20โฃ victoryโข over โคthe Dallas Cowboys Sunday night,โค weathering a persistent comeback attempt from a Dallas team playing without Micah Parsons. The game, delayed for over an hour in the third quarterโ dueโ to lightning, saw the Eagles’ offense showcase its versatility while their defense โฃwas tested โmore thoroughly than it often was during their championship โrun.
Dallas’ offense proved potent, moving the ball with โคeaseโ against a unit that led the NFL in yards allowed last season and stifled Patrick โขMahomes โand the Chiefs โin Super Bowl LVIII. The Cowboys scored on their first four possessions, with Javonte โwilliams scoring two 1-yard touchdowns andโ Brandon Aubrey adding two field goals.
The Eagles responded, with saquon Barkley scoring a touchdown with 51 seconds โฃremaining in the first half.However, Philadelphia’sโ offense proved the more consistent force.โค Jalen Hurts ran for two touchdowns – bothโ onโ non-tush pushโ plays – a 4-yard score and an 8-yard โคscore. Heโ also connectedโ with jahan Dotson on a 51-yard pass โฃthat set up barkley’s 10-yard touchdownโข run late in the half. At halftime, the Cowboys trailed 21-20.The โgame was paused with 4:44 left in the third quarter dueโฃ to โlightning, with theโข Eagles leading 24-20. Theโ delay lasted just over an hour, resuming play at 11:30 p.m. ET. A Miles Sanders fumbleโฃ at the Philadelphia 11-yard line instantly before theโข delay appearedโ to galvanize the Eagles’ defense.
Despite the โคCowboys’ offensiveโฃ success, and even after โขSandersโข broke free for aโข 49-yardโ gain only to be tackled by linebacker Zack Baun, the Eagles โคultimately heldโ on. A late drive by Dallas was thwarted โbyโฃ dropped โคpasses from CeeDee Lamb, including โขa deep ball that would have placed the Cowboys inside the 20-yard line.
The Eagles, pushedโ to โtheir limit by a resilient Cowboys squad, ran out the clock to โคsecure the win. It was a starkโค contrast to much of last season, where they rarely faced such sustained pressure.