The first regular-season game of the 2025 NFL season was full of drama, leaky defensive play, and weather delays– and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Before the first offensive play of the game, Jalen Carter was promptly ejected following an on-field “spat” with Dak Prescott that saw the 3rd-year defensive tackle out of Georgia launch a loogie at the chest of the Cowboys’ QB that–as of today–has evolved into a social media debate to answer the question: who spit first?
Philly’s defense undoubtedly felt the pain without Carter, allowing Dallas to march down the field on their first two drives for back-to-back Javonte Williams touchdowns. Philly responded to each drive with back-to-back scoring drives of their own, capped off with 2 Jalen Hurts rushing touchdowns. Philly was able to showcase their 2-minute drill abilities before the end of the first half, moving the ball down the field to allow a Saquon rushing score to complete an 81-yard drive– which would also be the last touchdown scored in the game.
The game got off to a slower start in the 3rd quarter following what was an electric opening half of the NFL regular season, which eventually culminated with a near hour-long lightning delay at the closure of the quarter. Things didn’t get much more offensively exciting when play resumed, as neither team would put points on the board in the 4th quarter and would finish the second half of the game with 3 combined points following the 41 combined points from the first half.
The delay certainly slowed the momentum of the game, but both defenses did make more plays after being on their heels for the vast majority of the first half of play. The ostensible genesis of the Parsons trade boiled down to an emphasis on stopping the run (per Mr. Jones himself), which was seemingly why they opted for 29 year-old Kenny Clark as a part of the package deal. In Jerry’s defense, the impact of Clark was felt immediately– with Dallas giving up a mere 2.8 rushing yards per carry when Clark was on the field, though a concerning 6.6 YPC when he was not. The incredibly reactionary takeaway one game into the year is that Kenny Clark is and will be a tremendous asset for Dallas in their endeavor to improve their run defense, but it’s apparent that their front seven remains dysfunctional and will require adjustments to compete in an ever-improving division.
If you’re an Eagles fan, there’s some cause for concern on the defensive side of the ball given how handily Dallas was moving the ball during the first half. The aforementioned absence of Carter played a huge role in that and could likely be the reason for a 2-TD day for former-Bronco Javonte Williams, but between Howie Roseman, Vic Fangio, and a defensive corps that somehow continues to get younger and better, Philly knows what they have in their personnel and shouldn’t have much issue reclaiming their 2024 form. They better hope so at least, given that their regular season schedule includes 10 playoff teams from 2024– the most in NFL history.
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