NFL Football
2025-09-04 - Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NFL Week 1
Thursday 4th September 2025 - Scheduled 8:20pm
1:20am (British Time)
Preview
The defending Super Bowl Champions look to have returned a very strong roster capable of repeating next February, although none of that talk is allowed inside the locker room.
Instead the focus in Week 1 of the 2025 season is making sure the Philadelphia Eagles are locked in on rivals Dallas Cowboys and not on the banner being raised.
Things will be starting afresh on Thursday Night Football and the Eagles will be looking to make an early statement.
Landon Dickerson is hoping to be available and that will mean the Eagles have an Offensive Line that can set the early tempo. Last season they were very important to Saquon Barkley's highly impressive year, and there is every chance that Philadelphia will be able to come out and run the ball very efficiently against this Cowboys Defensive Line.
That powerful Offensive Line will give Jalen Hurts time to throw the ball too and that should be especially the case on Thursday Night Football after the Dallas Cowboys made a huge decision to trade away Micah Parsons. This is a move that is going to overshadow much of the season in Dallas and will be judged in each passing week, but it looks like it will be difficult for the Cowboys to stop the Eagles having a balanced Offensive output.
This is a big spread for a first game of the season- in recent years defending Champions have not always been able to dominate in Week 1, but the Eagles should be doubly focused with this being a Divisional game.
Dak Prescott is back for the Dallas Cowboys and this is a Quarter Back who has enjoyed playing the Eagles in his career and he does have some quality skill players to pick up his passes.
However, the biggest test for the Cowboys is finding a way to run the ball and not put their Quarter Back in obvious passing down and distance.
The Dallas Offensive Line is not as strong as it has been in recent years, and it feels like it is going to be a challenge to run the ball against this Philadelphia Defensive Line. If they are forcing Dak Prescott to complete from third and long, there will be moments that the Quarter Back will have success, but it is also going to lead to potentially dangerous situations and turnovers could be key to the outcome of the opening game.
The Cowboys have to be motivated by the two blowout losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and they are unlikely to be manhandled early in this one.
Dak Prescott has two Wide Receivers that can keep the team ticking over early, but being one-dimensional against this Philadelphia Defensive unit is not going to lead to a lot of success.
The Eagles are 4-1-1 against the spread in the last six against the Dallas Cowboys and they may make some late plays to push past this line set for the kickoff game.
Prediction
Lay the points with the defending Champions.
The Pick :
Philadelphia Eagles 31-21 Dallas Cowboys
