Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley Dazzle NFL Fans in Wild Season-Opening Win vs. Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl defense started off strong.

Led by stellar performances from Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, the defending champions kicked off the 2025 season with a 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.

As the Eagles maintained a four-point lead on third down with just under two minutes remaining in regulation, Hurts moved the chains with his legs and sealed the victory for Philadelphia.

He finished 19-of-23 for 152 yards and was sacked once. Hurts also rushed for 62 yards on 14 attempts, finding the end zone twice on the ground.

Fans were impressed with his impact on the game.

Meanwhile, Barkley picked up 60 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. He also caught four passes for 24 yards.

The game started off as a shootout, as both teams came away with points on every single drive of the first half.

Philadelphia's defense was hurt by the early absence of star defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was ejected before the first snap of the contest for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

After the Eagles kicked a field goal on their opening drive of the second half, Dallas appeared to be on the verge of responding as they drove down into Philadelphia's red zone.

A fumble by Cowboys running back Miles Sanders kept the team off the scoreboard, though.

The game was then paused due to a weather delay, eventually resuming with the Eagles taking over on offense.

The defensive intensity picked up after the delay, with both teams trading punts until the Cowboys started driving in the fourth quarter. With Dallas about to cross into Philadelphia's territory, a fourth-down pass from Prescott to CeeDee Lamb fell incomplete.

For the Eagles, Jahan Dotson finished with a team-high 59 yards on three catches. His performance was highlighted by a 51-yard reception in the second quarter.

Backup running backs Will Shipley and AJ Dillon also stepped up behind Barkley, combining to record 36 rush yards on six attempts.

Meanwhile, Prescott finished 21-of-34 for 188 yards without a touchdown or an interception. Dallas' offense was held scoreless over the final two quarters of Thursday's game.

For the fifth straight season, the Eagles have started 1-0.