After a long offseason, the NFL finally returns Thursday night, 9/4, at 8:20 PM ET with a matchup between NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to face the defending Super Bowl champions while debuting nearly an entirely new coaching staff. This rivalry dates back to 1960, with Dallas holding the all-time lead at 74 wins to 58. In recent years, however, the NFC East has gone back and forth between these two franchises, and over the last 10 meetings, the record is evenly split at 5–5. This game opened with Philadelphia as a 7-point favorite, but with Micah Parsons leaving Dallas and heavy public money on the Eagles, the line has shifted to Philadelphia -8.5 (-105) (moneyline: -395) and Dallas +8.5 (-115) (moneyline: +310) per DraftKings. The over/under is currently set at 47.5 (over -110; under -110).

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Weather

Temperatures will remain in the low to mid-70s throughout the game. The concern, however, is precipitation, with a 49% chance at 8:00 PM ET, a 66% chance at 9:00 PM ET, and a 68% chance after 10:00 PM ET. Wind may also play a factor, with averages around 10 mph and gusts reaching up to 24 mph. This could turn into a slugfest and a game decided in the trenches, which would favor the Eagles.

Position Group & Coaching Comparisons

Coaching: The coaching edge clearly favors the Eagles in this matchup. Philadelphia maintains continuity at both head coach and defensive coordinator but will be introducing new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has been with the organization since 2021. The Cowboys, meanwhile, enter with a new head coach in Brian Schottenheimer, promoted from offensive coordinator. Dallas also brings in two brand-new coordinators, with Klayton Adams taking over as offensive coordinator and Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator.

DL’s vs OL’s: Philadelphia dominates the trenches on both sides of the ball and has retained most of its production from last season. The Cowboys’ offensive line is not at the level it has been in past years, and their defensive line takes a significant hit without Micah Parsons this season.

QB’s: You can certainly make a case for both quarterbacks, but the edge goes to Jalen Hurts, who is coming off a Super Bowl MVP season. Dak Prescott, capable of playing at an elite level when healthy, will be making his first appearance since a significant hamstring injury.

RB’s & TE’s vs LB’s: The running back edge also lies with the Eagles by a wide margin, thanks not only to their offensive line but also to how dominant Saquon Barkley was last season. Tight end could go either way, but with the Eagles boasting a stronger linebacking corps, they hold a slight edge there as well.

WR’s vs. Secondaries: The wide receiving corps debate can go either way between these teams, as both have elite No. 1 and No. 2 receivers while dealing with depth concerns beyond that. On paper, Philadelphia owns the stronger secondary, but with new pieces being worked in at corner and safety, the Cowboys could hold a slight edge in this matchup.

Last 10 ATS & Over/Under Results

The Cowboys and Eagles have split their last 10 matchups, and the same holds true against the spread. Since 2020, Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS at home against Dallas. The over has also been frequent in these meetings, hitting in 7 of the last 10 games, including 4 of the 5 home contests played in Philadelphia.

Final Thoughts

With the Eagles drawing most of the attention heading into this matchup, and little talk surrounding Dallas outside of the Micah Parsons trade, the Cowboys will certainly carry a chip on their shoulder. It will be difficult to gauge how Dallas looks offensively under the new coaching staff, but with the wind and rain, both teams will likely need to lean on the run, which favors the Eagles. The under could also be enticing here given the weather conditions and early-season rust.