The Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles don’t just play football; they wage war. It’s personal. If you’re looking for who won the Cowboys and Eagles game, the answer depends entirely on which Sunday you’re staring at, because in 2024 and heading into the 2025 postseason cycle, the momentum swung like a pendulum in a hurricane.
In their most high-stakes meeting of the 2024 regular season—the one that effectively broke the spirit of Big D—the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely dismantled the Dallas Cowboys 34-6. It wasn't close. It was a bloodbath at AT&T Stadium that left fans heading for the exits before the fourth quarter even started.
The Day the Star Faded: Breaking Down the 34-6 Rout
Honestly, it was ugly. You’ve seen bad football, but this was a specific kind of "season-ending" bad for Dallas. Jalen Hurts wasn't even perfect, but he didn't have to be. He accounted for four touchdowns—two through the air and two on the ground via that inevitable "Tush Push" that defenders still can't seem to figure out.
Dallas was playing without Dak Prescott. That’s the big asterisk everyone talks about, but let’s be real: the defense folded like a cheap lawn chair. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance both saw the field, and neither could find the end zone. When your offense produces zero touchdowns and your defense gives up over 300 yards of total offense, you aren't winning in the NFL. Period.
The Eagles defense was the real story. Vic Fangio had those guys playing like they were shot out of a cannon. Zack Baun was everywhere. Cooper DeJean looked like a seasoned vet rather than a rookie. They forced five turnovers. Five! You can’t give the ball away five times against a middle school team and expect to keep it competitive, let alone against a Super Bowl contender like Philly.
Why the Scoreboard Didn't Tell the Whole Story
Stats are great, but they're kinda boring without context.
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The vibe in the stadium was toxic for the home team. You could feel the shift in power. For years, the Cowboys had maintained this weird dominance at home, winning 16 straight at one point. That's gone. The Eagles didn't just win; they exorcised some demons. Saquon Barkley, who the Giants basically gifted to Philadelphia in free agency, ran with a chip on his shoulder that you could see from the nosebleeds. He didn't have a 200-yard game, but he had the "tough" yards—the ones that keep the chains moving and break a linebacker's will.
The Historical Seesaw: Who Won the Cowboys and Eagles Game Traditionally?
If you look at the all-time series, it’s actually remarkably tight, though Dallas holds the edge. Entering 2025, the Cowboys lead the series 74-57. But that’s ancient history when you’re talking about who’s king of the hill right now.
Last season, they split the series. Dallas took one at home, Philly took one at home. That's the NFC East way. Nobody gets out clean. But the 2024-2025 cycle felt different because of the Prescott injury and the sudden emergence of the Eagles' secondary as a "No Fly Zone" 2.0.
A lot of people forget that the Eagles had a massive collapse the year prior. Everyone thought they were "frauds." Then they went out, hired Kellen Moore—the former Cowboys OC, which is just peak drama—and suddenly the offense found its rhythm again. It’s funny how that works. You take the guy who knows the Cowboys' personnel better than anyone and put him in charge of the rival's playbook. It’s chess, not checkers.
The Quirk of the "Sun" at AT&T Stadium
We have to talk about the curtains. Or the lack thereof.
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During that 34-6 blowout, there was a moment where CeeDee Lamb lost a touchdown pass because he was literally blinded by the sun streaming through the West windows of Jerry World. It’s become a meme at this point. Jerry Jones refuses to put up curtains, claiming the sun is the same for both teams. Maybe. But when you’re the home team and your star receiver is squinting like he’s looking into a nuclear blast, it’s a bad look. The Eagles players were laughing about it in the post-game interviews. When the opposing team is mocking your stadium design after beating you by 28 points, you’ve hit rock bottom.
Key Factors That Decided the Recent Matchups
- Turnover Margin: In the last three games between these two, the winner has had a +2 turnover margin or better.
- Red Zone Efficiency: Philly has leaned heavily on Saquon and the "Brotherly Shove." Dallas, meanwhile, has struggled to run the ball with a committee of Rico Dowdle and aging veterans.
- Third Down Defense: The Eagles' pass rush, led by guys like Jalen Carter, has been getting home without needing to blitz. That leaves seven or eight guys in coverage. For a backup QB like Cooper Rush, that's a nightmare.
It’s easy to blame the quarterback, but the Cowboys' problems are systemic. Their offensive line, once the "Great Wall of Dallas," has been leaky. Tyler Guyton is learning on the fly, and it shows. On the flip side, the Eagles' O-line didn't miss a beat after Jason Kelce retired. Cam Jurgens stepped in and, while he’s not a Hall of Famer yet, he’s been solid enough to let Hurts operate.
The Coaching Mismatch
Nick Sirianni is a lightning rod. People hate him or love him. But he wins. Mike McCarthy, on the other hand, spent most of the 2024 season on the hottest seat in professional sports. When you compare the two, Sirianni feels like he’s playing with house money, while McCarthy looks like he’s trying to keep a sinking ship afloat with duct tape.
The tactical shift when Vic Fangio took over the Eagles' defense cannot be overstated. He simplified things. He stopped trying to be "cute" and just let his athletes play. In the most recent game, they played a lot of "shell" coverage that dared Dallas to run the ball. Dallas couldn't. They tried, they failed, and then they were forced to pass into a crowded secondary. It was a coaching masterclass in identifying a weakness and suffocating it.
What This Means for the NFC East Standings
The Eagles didn't just win a game; they took control of the division narrative. With the Washington Commanders suddenly becoming relevant thanks to Jayden Daniels, the Cowboys have slipped to third in the pecking order. That’s a sentence I didn't think I'd be writing two years ago.
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For those tracking the betting lines or the playoff seeds, the Eagles' win solidified them as a top-3 seed in the NFC. Dallas, conversely, plummeted into "top-10 draft pick" territory. It’s a stark reminder of how fast things change in the NFL. One hamstring injury to your franchise QB and a couple of bad coaching decisions, and suddenly you’re losing by four scores at home to your biggest rival.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Game
If you're looking ahead to the next time these two square off, keep these things in your back pocket.
- Watch the Injury Report: If Dak Prescott isn't 100%, Dallas doesn't have a prayer. The gap between their QB1 and QB2 is a canyon.
- Check the Home/Away Splits: Philly plays significantly better at Lincoln Financial Field, but they've proven they can dominate in Arlington too.
- The Barkley Factor: Saquon Barkley is the engine. If a defense can't hold him under 4 yards per carry in the first half, the game is usually over by the third quarter because the Eagles will just play keep-away.
- Pressure Rates: Look at the sack counts. If the Eagles are getting to the QB with just four rushers, Dallas's receivers won't have time to get open, regardless of who is throwing the ball.
The rivalry is currently lopsided, but the NFL is cyclical. The Eagles won the most recent battle in embarrassing fashion, but the war for the NFC East is far from over. Dallas has a long offseason of soul-searching ahead, while Philly looks like they’re ready for a deep January run.
Check the current live standings on the NFL official site to see how the playoff seeding has shifted since that last result, as the tiebreakers in this division are notoriously messy. Keep an eye on the "points against" category—it’s where the Cowboys’ decline is most visible. Strategies for the next matchup will likely revolve around Dallas trying to fix their run defense, which has been the "Achilles heel" for two seasons straight now. If they don't find a massive interior defensive lineman in the draft or free agency, expect more of the same the next time the Eagles come to town.