The NFL’s curtain rises September 4, 2025, with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys in the Kickoff Game. On paper, Dallas arrives armed with stars and swagger. But against Philly, that sheen has a habit of vanishing.

Just last year, the Eagles ran up 75 points across two meetings, leaving the Cowboys’ defense exposed and their supposed contender status in question. 34-6 in November and 41-7 in December, both in Philly’s favor. And history won’t let Dallas forget those two games. Because Philly’s been their Kryptonite for a long time now.

Historic beatdowns: When the Eagles turned Cowboys’ dreams into nightmares

Eagles 24 – 0 Cowboys

On September 15, 1991. Dallas was left scrambling. Now it remains etched in rivalry lore. A 24-0 humiliation where the “NFC’s best” offense collapsed. Five turnovers, 90 total yards, and 11 sacks of Troy Aikman.

For nearly an entire half, the Dallas Cowboys couldn’t even manage a first down. The Eagles’ defense was a relentless wave, with Clyde Simmons alone accounting for 4.5 sacks (most in a single game). Aikman himself could only grimly assess the damage, stating, “I don’t know if this was our worst performance since I’ve been here… but I guess it was as bad as it’s been.” It was Philly’s 8th straight win against the Cowboys, and that game made it 2-1 in the postseason in favor of the Birds.

Eagles 44 – 6 Cowboys

Then, the 2008 regular season finale was even worse. A win-and-in playoff scenario for both teams after a wild afternoon of favorable out-of-town scores. The energy at the Lincoln Field was, as safety Quintin Mikell recalled, “almost like being in the Super Bowl.” What followed was a 44-6 demolition.

The Eagles played with the fury of a team given a second life. “It felt like it was our time,” receiver Jason Avant said. “We realized we were going to beat the doors off the Cowboys because of everything that happened… It felt like it was destiny.”

The Cowboys, meanwhile, went belly-up. The Eagles’ defense, playing for ailing coordinator Jim Johnson, turned in a legendary performance, scoring two touchdowns on fumble returns. Cornerback Joselio Hanson returned a 96-yard fumble for a touchdown, and DE Chris Clemons added a 73-yard fumble return. Both turnovers were forced by safety Brian Dawkins.

Brian Westbrook watched from the sideline in awe, noting, “It didn’t even matter who was out there on the field. It could have been the ’85 Bears. It didn’t matter to us.” It was a 38-point beatdown that crushed Dallas’s playoff hopes and sent them into the offseason with a historic, soul-crushing L.

Eagles 41 – 14 Cowboys

In the 2000 season opener, the Eagles turned up the heat. In a daring move, Coach Andy Reid opened with an onside kick, immediately seizing momentum. Then, they unleashed Duce Staley, who racked up 201 rushing yards, and a defense that hounded Aikman into yet another concussion.

Their secret weapon against the 109-degree Texas turf? Pickle juice. “We loaded them up last night, before the game and during the game,” Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder said. “We don’t know why it works, but we only had one cramp.” It was a bizarre detail that perfectly underscored a day where the Eagles had an answer for everything, and the Cowboys had nothing. It was Dallas’s worst opening day loss in decades, a failure from the first unexpected bounce to the final whistle.

That game carried no shortage of odd footnotes. It marked just the second time in Troy Aikman’s 12-year career that he failed to complete a pass, the other coming in 1990. It was also only Philadelphia’s third win at Texas Stadium in 11 years. For Randall Cunningham, facing the Eagles — his original team — was a first-timer moment. Because in his three years with Minnesota, he did not face them. And that game just opened another wound in the long Philly-Dallas battle.

From the Vet’s farewell to AT&T’s rock bottom: Eagles have haunted the Cowboys

Eagles 44-13 Cowboys

The final home opener at the Vet in 2002 was meant to be a celebration of Eagles history, and they honored it by adding another classic chapter against their oldest foe. After a sluggish start, Donovan McNabb (threw for 287 Yards and 3 TDs ) and the offense erupted, ultimately routing Dallas 44-13.

The defense, a hallmark of that era, collected four turnovers and sacked Quincy Carter, ensuring the Vet’s last curtain call against Dallas was a party. It was a fitting sendoff: one more dominant performance in a building that witnessed so many of them, leaving the Cowboys to play the role of helpless guests one final time.

Eagles 34-6 Cowboys

This history of home failure hit a new, unprecedented low in 2024.  The final score was 34-6. With Dak Prescott sidelined (will he make it this time?), the Dallas Cowboys’ offense was a masterclass in ineptitude. Backup QB Cooper Rush managed a paltry 45 passing yards and lost two fumbles before being benched for Trey Lance, who threw an interception.

The unit’s total of 146 yards was the worst home output in the history of AT&T Stadium. The Eagles’ defense was a nightmare, racking up five takeaways. In a loss that felt like a culmination of all their struggles, the Cowboys “set a horrible NFL record during their loss on Sunday,” becoming the first team in NFL history to trail by 20+ points in six consecutive home games.

This ignominious streak, stretching back into the previous season, is a stat that transcends a single bad year. It speaks to a deep-rooted cultural flaw, a persistent inability to protect their own house against worthy adversaries. For a franchise that prides itself on its aura, this 58-74 record against the rivals is the ultimate symbol of its erosion.

So, now, with Micah Parsons’ uncertainty looming like a grey cloud over Jerry’s World, the pressure mounts on America’s Team to start getting dubs in these big games. Can they break the curse this season against their arch-rivals? The Cowboys Nation wants the team to answer that question on the gridiron.