If you turned off the TV at halftime during the last meeting between these two, you probably think you know exactly what happened. Most people do. You saw a scoreboard that looked like a blowout. You saw Jalen Hurts basically doing whatever he wanted on the turf at AT&T Stadium. But the NFL has a funny way of making experts look like amateurs in the span of fifteen minutes.
Who Won Cowboys or Eagles: The Shocking Reality
The Dallas Cowboys won the most recent regular-season showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles with a final score of 24-21.
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It sounds like a normal, close football game. It wasn't. This was a Week 12 heart-stopper on November 23, 2025, that saw Dallas climb out of a massive 21-0 hole. Honestly, it was one of those games where you’re checking your phone to make sure the score app isn't glitching.
The Eagles looked like the "defending champs" early on, as the broadcast mentioned. Jalen Hurts was a force, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for another to A.J. Brown. By the middle of the second quarter, Philly fans were already planning the victory parade. Then, the wheels just... fell off.
A Tale of Two Halves in Arlington
Football is a game of momentum, and Dallas found theirs in the most desperate way possible. Dak Prescott, who had a rough start with an interception in the end zone, suddenly started finding George Pickens—who has become a massive part of this offense—for huge chunks of yardage.
The comeback officially tied the largest in Cowboys history. It wasn't just Dak, though. Brandon Aubrey, basically the most reliable leg in the league right now, nailed a 42-yarder as time expired to seal the 24-21 victory.
- Halftime Score: Eagles 21, Cowboys 7
- Final Score: Cowboys 24, Eagles 21
- The Turning Point: A 43-yard "Randy Moss-ish" catch by George Pickens in the fourth quarter.
The September Game: A Different Story
To be fair to the Birds, they did take the first meeting of the 2025 season. Back on September 4, the Eagles edged out the Cowboys 24-20. That game was weird for other reasons—mostly a lightning delay and Jalen Carter getting ejected almost immediately for a spitting incident.
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Philly fans will point to that win as proof they can handle Dallas, but the November loss feels much fresher in the minds of the NFC East.
Why the Rivalry Shifted Recently
There’s been a lot of talk about the "tush push" and Philly's dominance, but this season showed some cracks. The Eagles defense, which everyone was raving about in October, gave up nearly 500 total yards in that November collapse.
Dak Prescott finished that game with 354 yards and two touchdowns. He looked like a man possessed in the second half. Meanwhile, the Eagles offense went cold. They missed a crucial field goal late in the fourth, and Saquon Barkley lost a fumble that basically invited Dallas to win the game.
Key Performance Stats (Nov 23, 2025)
The numbers tell a story of Dallas dominating the air while Philly tried to grind it out on the ground.
Dak Prescott threw for 354 yards, while Jalen Hurts managed 289. The receiving battle was even more lopsided. George Pickens racked up 146 yards and a touchdown, outshining A.J. Brown’s 110 yards.
Interestingly, the Eagles actually committed 14 penalties for 96 yards. You can’t win games against top-tier rivals when you’re constantly moving backward. Nick Sirianni’s squad looked uncharacteristically sloppy down the stretch, and the "Kelly Green" jerseys they wore that day didn't bring the luck they were hoping for.
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What This Means for the NFC East
Looking at the standings as of January 2026, the Eagles actually finished the season with a better overall record (11-6) compared to the Cowboys (7-9-1). Philly secured the division title, but the head-to-head split shows that Dallas is still a massive thorn in their side.
The Cowboys' season was a rollercoaster. They beat the Eagles in a thriller but then lost to the Giants 34-17 in the final week. It’s that lack of consistency that keeps Dallas fans up at night.
Misconceptions About the Matchup
- The Eagles always dominate the trenches: Not in November. Dallas held Saquon Barkley to just 22 rushing yards on 10 carries.
- Dak Prescott shrinks in big games: He was the highest-rated player on the field during the comeback, completing nearly every pass in the fourth quarter.
- The "Tush Push" is unstoppable: It worked for a touchdown in the first half, but the Eagles couldn't lean on it when they were pinned deep and losing momentum.
Analyzing the Coaching Decisions
Kevin Patullo is no longer the offensive coordinator for the Eagles as of mid-January 2026. A lot of that stems from the second-half collapses like the one we saw against Dallas. The inability to adjust when the Cowboys started blitzing Hurts was a major point of contention for Philly fans all winter.
On the Dallas side, Mike McCarthy’s job security is always a topic of conversation, but pulling off a 21-point comeback against your biggest rival buys you a lot of credit with the front office.
Actionable Insights for the Next Season
If you are following this rivalry into the 2026 season, keep an eye on these specific factors that decided the last few games:
- Red Zone Penalties: The Eagles lost the November game primarily due to 14 penalties. Discipline is the first thing their new OC will need to fix.
- The Pickens Factor: George Pickens has changed the gravity of the Dallas offense. Teams can no longer just double-team CeeDee Lamb without paying a massive price.
- Kicking Reliability: Brandon Aubrey is a weapon. In a division where games are routinely decided by three points or less, having a kicker who doesn't miss from inside 50 yards is a massive statistical advantage.
The Cowboys won the battle in November, but the Eagles won the war for the division. As we head into the 2026 draft and free agency, the gap between these two teams is narrower than the records suggest.
Check the injury reports for the upcoming training camps, specifically regarding the Eagles' secondary, as that was the unit that crumbled under pressure during the last meeting. Pay close attention to any defensive coordinator changes in Dallas, as their ability to shut down Saquon Barkley was the real "secret sauce" of their last victory.