There were unknowns surrounding the Dallas Cowboys entering the 2025 season after the shocking trade that sent star pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, leaving a huge hole to fill on the defensive line. Through five games, the Cowboys' offense has made up for any defensive shortcomings, with running back Javonte Williams leading an improved run game and quarterback Dak Prescott playing at an MVP level (1,356 pass yards, 10 TDs) and a third-best QB rating (76.6).
A 2-2-1 record has Dallas off to a solid start with a somewhat favorable schedule coming up with three of its next five games against the 2-3 Carolina Panthers (Oct. 12), 2-3 Arizona Cardinals (Nov. 3) and 1-4 Las Vegas Raiders (Nov. 17). The run leads up to a massive divisional showdown on Nov. 23 against the struggling Philadelphia Eagles, who now find themselves at 4-2 after scoring a combined 14 second-half points in their last three games.
It's safe to say that the Week 12 matchup officially has new meaning after the Eagles fell to the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football.
Cowboys-Eagles Week 12 Meeting Could Have Massive Implications
With back-to-back losses from the Eagles, each team in the NFC East has at least two losses, making it a wide-open race in a division that has not produced a repeat champion since the Eagles won four straight from 2001-2004. The Eagles still cling to the division lead, but a win from the Washington Commanders on Monday night against the Chicago Bears would put them in a tie atop the standings, while a Cowboys win over the Panthers would keep them in striking distance.
Keep in mind, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys to kick off the season, but Dallas was in position multiple times to win that game late, had it not been for some drops from wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Eagles' schedule is also not as favorable as the Cowboys', having to face the Minnesota Vikings (3-2) and Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) on the road and hosting a New York Giants team it just lost to on Thursday night, as well as a 4-2 Detroit Lions squad that is the highest-scoring team in the league.
Although the defensive issues persist, the aforementioned Cowboys running game has been a bright spot. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams has a fifth-best overall grade of 77.9 out of 48 qualified RBs, a third-best 447 rush yards, and is second in TDs (five). Although veteran Miles Sanders is questionable for Sunday's game with an ankle injury, exciting rookie Jaydon Blue has another chance to prove himself after making his NFL debut one week ago.
If the backfield continues to do its part, opening the field for Dallas' pass-catchers, the Cowboys will have a great chance at splitting the season series against the Eagles.
A lot can change between now and the Week 12 meeting between the Eagles and Cowboys, especially with the competitiveness of the division and the issues both teams are dealing with. However, with a favorable schedule and an offense that has been playing lights-out, there is a solid chance the Cowboys are either division leaders when the two teams square off a second time, or the winner of the game will go to the top of the NFC East standings.
Either way, the Cowboys' 2025 outlook has never been brighter, and they have the Eagles' recent implosion to thank for that.