Blogging The Boys
We have officially made it. The long offseason has come to an end, and regular-season football is finally here. The Dallas Cowboys kick off their 2025 campaign with one of their toughest tests, traveling to Philadelphia to face the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles on Thursday night.
When both teams have healthy quarterbacks, the Cowboys and Eagles always seem to play each other tough, so despite the 8.5 point spread, this should be an entertaining game. Before the two teams square off, here are three bold predictions for the matchup.
1) Eagles’ wide receiver DeVonta Smith leads the team in receiving and scores two touchdowns
While the Cowboys have historically done a decent job of slowing down the Eagles’ number one wideout, A.J. Brown, the same can not be said about their number two man, DeVonta Smith.
While his overall numbers against Dallas in his career may not be eye-popping, Smith is currently averaging 4.5 receptions and 61 yards per game in eight matchups against the Cowboys, but those numbers don’t tell the whole story. The 26-year-old always seems to make some of the biggest plays of the game in matchups between the two teams.
This is best shown by Smith’s six receiving touchdowns in those eight career matchups against the Cowboys. Of those six, at least three have come at critical points in the game. When the Eagles need a score most and they are facing the Cowboys, Smith seems to be the guy they turn to, and more often than not, he comes through.
That narrative remains the same on Thursday as the former first-round pick has a huge game, leading the Eagles in receiving yards and posting another multi-score day against the Cowboys.
2) Dallas’ defense forces two turnovers, including a Sam Williams strip sack
As is the case for most eventual Super Bowl champions, the Eagles excelled at taking care of the football last season. Philadelphia finished the year with the sixth-fewest turnovers in football, and over their final 12 games, including their four postseason matchups, they turned the ball over just five times.
While Philly was a well-oiled machine in the second half of the season, the same cannot be said for the start of the year. In the Eagles’ first four games of the season last year, they turned the ball over a shocking eight times. Those eight turnovers are more than they would have in the final 13 games of the regular season.
Like the Cowboys, the Eagles decided to withhold almost all of their key offensive players from preseason action. While this is likely the right decision long-term, it may result in some sloppy offensive play to start the season.
Dallas’ defense takes advantage of the Eagles’ slow start on offense, as Philadelphia’s early-season turnover struggles rear their head against this year. The Cowboys record two takeaways, including one on a strip sack by 26-year-old pass-rusher Sam Williams.
3) Eagles’ All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley breaks a game-sealing 40-yard touchdown run
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