The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will begin the 2025 regular season on Thursday. The Eagles will raise their Super Bowl LIX championship banner in a pregame ceremony.
Both squads underwent offseason changes. The Eagles lost key contributors to free agency, such as Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Mekhi Becton. The Cowboys are fresh off the stunning Micah Parsons trade, revamped their backfield, and also acquired George Pickens.
Thursday's showdown will be electric. Both the Cowboys and Eagles want to start on the right foot. We've identified three player-versus-player matchups that could help decide the outcome.
Saquon Barkley vs. Cowboys LBs
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is coming off an elite 2024 campaign. The former Penn State standout rushed for 2,005 yards, joining the prestigious 2,000-yard club. Barkley was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, a First-Team All-Pro, made his third Pro Bowl, and won the Burt Bell Award. A Super Bowl capped off his historic season.
The Cowboys desperately wish they had linebacker DeMarvion Overshown available for this contest, but he'll miss a minimum of four contests on the PUP as he continues recovering from torn ACL, MCL, and PCL injuries. Instead, linebackers like Jack Sanborn, Damone Clark, and veteran offseason addition Kenneth Murray will be tasked with meeting Barkley in the hole. Barkley probably likes his chances.
A.J. Brown vs. Trevon Diggs
Though the Eagles will attempt to establish the run versus the Cowboys' weak-until-proven-otherwise ground defense, the matchup between A.J. Brown and Trevon Diggs on the boundary features the most star power. Barkley be damned, Brown demands his targets from Jalen Hurts. Limited to 13 appearances in 2024, he registered 67 receptions for his fifth overall 1,000-yard season in 2024, adding seven touchdowns.
This matchup features a pair of stars returning from 2024 nagging injuries. Diggs was held to 11 regular-season contests last year due to a groin injury and holdover knee issues as a result of a 2023 torn ACL. He still managed to record 11 pass breakups and two interceptions. Diggs hopes his physical limitations are behind him.
CeeDee Lamb vs. Quinyon Mitchell
CeeDee Lamb finished seventh in receptions (101) and eighth in receiving yards (1,194) last season. He's established himself as one of the most consistent wideouts in the league over the previous five campaigns. Lamb is prepped for another campaign of triple-digit receptions as Dak Prescott's go-to target. The Cowboys should have a top-10 passing offense in 2025.
Opposite Lamb will be a budding superstar in his own right, Eagles sophomore cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. A legitimate candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors last season, he allowed a passer rating of just 93.9 and totaled nine pass breakups. Mitchell improved as the campaign progressed, recording his first two interceptions during the postseason. Now the Eagles’ unquestioned CB1 following Darius Slay’s departure, he'll attempt to place Lamb in "Quinyonamo Bay" on Thursday.
