It was a night charged with controversy, suspense, and that signature Philly grit.
From the opening whistle, the tone was set. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected just six seconds into the game for spitting on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott—an act both shocking and unforgettable
Yet the Cowboys didn’t wait to capitalize. They executed a 53-yard drive that ended in a Javonte Williams one-yard touchdown—a sharp blow right after the turmoil—a score that unmistakably tilted momentum their way.
But Philadelphia wasn’t about to let chaos define them. On their first drive, Jalen Hurts answered with a 4-yard touchdown plunge, capped by impressive rushes from Saquon Barkley and a dynamic 20-yard catch-and-run by Will Shipley.
Second quarter action elevated into a classic shootout. Dallas retook the lead yet again, only for Hurts to respond with another rushing touchdown. Barkley then powered in a touchdown, backed by a stunning 51-yard completion to Jahan Dotson. Just before halftime, Dallas trimmed the gap with a 41-yard field goal—leaving it 21–20 Eagles at the break.
The third quarter brought both respite and volatility. Jake Elliott drilled a 58-yard field goal, extending the lead. Then came the 65-minute lightning delay, a moment that froze play and spiked the tension where it stood—Eagles holding a fragile four‑point edge.
When play resumed, both defenses took charge. The Cowboys failed to score in the second half, unable to reclaim their footing against a resilient Eagles defense.
In the final minutes, Dallas had a chance. But a fumble by Miles Sanders near the goal line and a dropped pass by CeeDee Lamb—despite his 110 receiving yards—sealed their fate. Prescott ended the threat by missing a fourth-down conversion, and the clock ran out on their comeback hopes.
On the Eagles side, Hurts finished with 214 total yards and two rushing touchdowns, while Barkley added 60 yards and a score.
The Lincoln Financial Field press box was electric with anticipation. As the Eagles took the field defending their crown, before a single snap could be thrown, the impossible happened: Jalen Carter, locked eyes with Dak Prescott—and spat. The ref’s whistle blew in disbelief. Ejected. Six seconds, one act—chaos.
Carter disappeared down the tunnel as the Cowboys pounced, Williams powering in a touchdown that seemed to ride the wave of controversy straight into the scoreboard.
But Philly had its own hero. Jalen Hurts. His runs carved through the defense. He answered, then answered again. Saquon Barkley carried the rock with authority. Dotson turned one pass electric. By halftime, the Eagles had taken control—a one-point lead earned, not gifted.
Then came the storm. Lightning. A 65-minute interruption. The tension crackled—not just in the sky, but in every fan’s heart. When play resumed, the defenses turned solid. Silent. Resolved.
On the sidelines, Jake Elliott’s leg was a cannon. He boomed 58 yards of perfect pressure relief. The Eagles led. The roof seemed to lift.
Dallas rallied. Prescott scurried. Lamb sprinted. But a fumble. A drop. The clock. The Eagles kneeled through the last seconds.
Philadelphia erupted. They had survived the night’s storm—both from above and within. Amid lightning, scandal, and tension—they prevailed. The Super Bowl champs stood, battered but unbroken. Their defense may have lost a star early, but the spirit—unchanged. The city—ecstatic.
