Football is finally back. After a long offseason filled with speculation, draft grades, free agency shakeups, and training camp buzz, the NFL has returned to center stage.
Few matchups could deliver more intrigue in Week 1 than the Dallas Cowboys facing off against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Not only will this clash light up the national spotlight, but it also takes place in Philadelphia on the very night the Eagles raise their championship banner.
While Eagles fans will treat the event like a celebration, Cowboys fans are dreaming of something else entirely: spoiling the party.
There may be no greater satisfaction for Dallas faithful than to watch their team topple their division rival in such a symbolic setting.
Yet when we step back from the emotions and the spectacle, history suggests that the Eagles face an uphill climb in this opener.
In fact, three major reasons stand out as to why history is not on Philadelphia’s side heading into Week 1.
Dak’s Dominance
When it comes to NFC East play, Dak Prescott has built a résumé of sustained success.
Since entering the league in 2016, Prescott has feasted on division opponents, holding an impressive 33-8 career record.
Within that mark lies a particularly important note for this week: his 9-4 record against the Eagles. Prescott has shown the ability to rise to the moment in these rivalry games, whether it’s been in Philadelphia or under the bright lights in Dallas.
While the Eagles have had their fair share of wins during the Prescott era, the numbers overwhelmingly tilt toward the Cowboys’ signal caller.
Simply put, the Eagles have struggled to find an answer for him, and that history looms large heading into this matchup.
Overwhelming Openers
Opening day in the NFL carries its own level of unpredictability, but for the Cowboys, it has historically been a stronghold.
Dallas owns the highest winning percentage on Week 1 in league history, boasting a .660 mark with a 37-18-1 record.
The organization has often used opening weekend as a springboard into their season, establishing momentum right away. The Eagles, by contrast, sit in the bottom third of the league in this category.
With a .405 winning percentage and a 30-44-1 opening-day record, Philadelphia has historically struggled to deliver in season openers.
When those two track records collide, the advantage points clearly toward Dallas.
Super Bowl Hangover
If that weren’t enough, the situation carries another wrinkle that may haunt the Eagles’ fan base.
The only other time Philadelphia opened the season after hoisting a Lombardi Trophy, you know, because they only have two compared to the Cowboys’ five, came in 2018.
That year, their opponent was none other than the Dallas Cowboys. The result? A 27-20 Dallas victory that stunned the home crowd.
Now, in 2025, the script repeats: the Eagles celebrating their Super Bowl win and the Cowboys arriving to crash the party.
History has already shown what can happen in this exact scenario, and Dallas would love nothing more than to write the sequel.
Final Word
While anything can happen in the NFL, the weight of history favors Dallas in Week 1.
Between Dak Prescott’s mastery of the NFC East, the Cowboys’ commanding opening-day success, and the haunting memory of 2018, the Eagles have more than just the Cowboys to contend with. They have history itself.
For Cowboys fans, that possibility makes the return of football even sweeter.
