Despite the Dallas Cowboys dropping a Week 1 contest to the Philadelphia Eagles, there were certainly some positives to be had. And, aside from any positives or negatives, the entertainment factor was there, early on.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected right away in this one after spitting on Dak Prescott. To begin the game after Carter's departure, the Cowboys' offense took advantage.
In the first half, specifically, Dallas gained 177 yards of offense while going 4-of-5 on third down. Prescott led four drives, all of which ended with scores.
No punts? No punts. The Cowboys punted zero times in the first half.
The Cowboys highlighted more than one pain point for the Eagles' defense
Now, the second half was definitely a different story. Say what you will about the Eagles clamping down. To be fair, they played a much better half of defense in the second half but the Cowboys did also beat themselves in more than one way. You can blame the weather delay for the lack of second half points, if you want, but that's besides the point, here.
Also in that very same spirit of being fair, the Cowboys offensive line did hold the Eagles without a single sack for the entire game. They were stellar, for the most part.
The Cowboys offense was far from perfect, but they were good enough to expose the Eagles' biggest worry on defense. If Carter is absent, for any reason, this unit is much, much worse. Without Carter up front, the defensive line has a completely different feel to it and thus, there will be a lot more pressure on their cornerback group.
Speaking of that cornerback group, Adoree Jackson was targeted seven times and gave up five receptions for 103 yards. He saw one dropped pass, so he could've given up six of seven targets being completed in the end. Jackson was a pain point for the Eagles' defense, and aside from Carter, that's another giant red flag for Philly, despite the win.
Overall, the Cowboys played well enough to win at times. There were positives. But, if I'm an Eagles fan, I am certainly worried about that defense, with or without Carter.
This is, after all, the defense which finished no. 1 in yards allowed for 2024 and was a huge reason why Philadelphia brought home the Lombardi Trophy. It's only Week 1, but Dallas gave Philly plenty to think about.
More Cowboys News and Analysis