Through spit, rain, tempers, and a 65-minute lightning delay, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles showed why they remain the team to beat in the NFL.
The defending Super Bowl champions outlasted their bitter NFC East rivals in dramatic fashion, holding off the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 in a wild, storm-soaked opener that ended at 12:18 a.m. Friday morning.
Hurts, steady as ever, rushed for two touchdowns and delivered a shrug celebration reminiscent of his mentor Michael Jordan — who drew a roar from the crowd when shown on the big screen. Saquon Barkley added a 10-yard scoring run, and kicker Jake Elliott drilled a 58-yard field goal as Philadelphia weathered both literal and figurative storms.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it was Philly tough,” Hurts said after the game. “We handled the moment.”
The evening began with jubilation as the Eagles revealed their 2024 championship banner in a pregame ceremony held inside the locker room per head coach Nick Sirianni’s wishes. But celebration turned to chaos just minutes later.
On Dallas’ opening drive, star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected after spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott following a brief exchange. Prescott immediately pointed it out to an official, who flagged Carter and sent him packing.
Fans booed as Carter made his slow walk to the tunnel, helmet in hand. Afterward, Carter apologized: “It won’t happen again.” Hurts said he addressed the incident with his teammate, while league officials could levy further punishment under the NFL’s heightened sportsmanship crackdown.
Despite losing Carter, the Eagles’ offense set the tone. Hurts powered in for rushing scores of four and eight yards, both without the controversial “tush push,” and Barkley scored from 10 yards out to give Philadelphia touchdowns on its first three drives — the first time a defending champion has done that since the 2011 Packers.
Hurts punctuated his second touchdown by firing the ball into the stands and throwing up a Jordan-style shrug.
Dallas hung tough behind Javonte Williams, who scored a pair of one-yard touchdowns, and kicker Brandon Aubrey, who nailed field goals of 41 and 53 yards. CeeDee Lamb hauled in seven catches for 110 yards, but he missed a pivotal grab in the second half that stalled a potential go-ahead drive.
The Cowboys’ best chance came late in the third quarter after a personal foul set them up at the Eagles’ 10. But running back Miles Sanders fumbled, and rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell scooped it up — only to be caught on a diving tackle by Prescott.
Then came the lightning. With Philadelphia up 24-20 and 4:44 left in the third quarter, the game was delayed 65 minutes before resuming close to midnight.
The Cowboys had one final possession with under two minutes left, needing a touchdown to steal the game. On fourth-and-3, Prescott’s pass sailed incomplete, sending what remained of the weather-thinned crowd into a frenzy.
“It was ugly at times, but it was a win,” Sirianni said. “That’s all that matters.”
Injuries: Eagles guard Landon Dickerson left with a back injury and did not return. Quiet Night for Stars: A.J. Brown caught just one pass for eight yards, while DeVonta Smith had three catches for 16 yards. Coaching Debut: Brian Schottenheimer, promoted to Dallas head coach this offseason, lost his first game at the helm.
The Cowboys host the New York Giants in their home opener next week. Philadelphia heads to Kansas City in a much-anticipated Super Bowl rematch — just seven months removed from their dominant 40-22 victory in New Orleans.
