5 reasons Dallas Cowboys lost to Philadelphia Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys came close to spoiling the Philadelphia Eagles’ banner night, but instead left Lincoln Financial Field with a frustrating 24–20 loss. While both teams showed flashes of brilliance, several costly mistakes and missed opportunities doomed the Cowboys. Here are five key reasons behind the defeat.

1. CeeDee Lamb’s Costly Drops

The biggest storyline of the night was CeeDee Lamb’s uncharacteristic mistakes. With less than three minutes left and the Cowboys trailing by four, Prescott delivered a perfect deep ball that slipped right through Lamb’s hands. That play would have set Dallas up inside the Eagles’ 20 with a chance to win. A few snaps later, Lamb had another shot at a diving grab on fourth down but couldn’t connect. Two missed opportunities from Dallas’ top receiver changed everything.

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2. The Miles Sanders Fumble

Momentum was swinging Dallas’ way in the third quarter when Miles Sanders gashed his former team with a 49-yard run. But just one play later, he coughed up the football at Philadelphia’s 11-yard line. What could have been a go-ahead score turned into a wasted drive. The fumble energized the Eagles’ defense, which stiffened after that point.

Eagles 24, Cowboys 20 takeaways:
– Kevin Patullo isn’t Kellen Moore 🥲
– Jihaad Campbell could be DROTY
– Dickerson needs rest 🏥
– Mukuba and Sydney Brown might be a better duo than expected
– Dak looked elite 📈
– Braden Mann is a punt god
– Quinyon still got no hands ❌

— Skekscellent (@Skekscellent) September 5, 2025

3. Life Without Micah Parsons

The Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Packers last week, and his absence was glaring. While Dallas’ defense held firm in the second half, it struggled to generate the kind of game-changing pressure Parsons routinely delivered. Jalen Hurts had too much time on key plays, including his 51-yard deep ball to Jahan Dotson that set up a touchdown. Without Parsons, the Cowboys lacked the intimidation factor needed against a high-powered offense.

4. Inability to Capitalize on Jalen Carter’s Ejection

When Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected before the first snap, it looked like a gift. Dallas did take advantage early, scoring on its first four possessions. But after halftime, the offense cooled off, and the Cowboys failed to fully exploit Philadelphia’s weakened defensive front. Against the defending champions, those missed chances proved costly.

5. Poor Execution in the Final Minutes

The Cowboys had two final drives to steal the game. Instead, execution fell apart. Prescott’s protection broke down, Lamb’s hands failed him, and the play-calling became too predictable against a blitzing Eagles defense. While Dallas kept things close, championship teams finish in crunch time—the Eagles did, and the Cowboys didn’t.

EAGLES WIN (1-0)
MUCH NEEDED W

DEFINITELY NEED TO STOP WITH THE STUPID MISTAKES OR THEY ARE GOING TO COST US THE GAME

DALLAS SHOULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN AS CLOSE AS THEY DID

WE MOVE #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/fvhhBk84Oe

— Paddywagon 🍻🚔🍀 (@pat_joseph_21) September 5, 2025

Final Takeaway

The Cowboys showed they could go toe-to-toe with the reigning champions, but football is a game of details. From turnovers to missed catches, Dallas left too many plays on the field. If they hope to compete for the NFC crown, cleaning up these mistakes will be non-negotiable.