For the first time in a dozen years, the NFL is pitting divisional opponents head-to-head on the first Thursday night of the regular season.
Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson has the popcorn ready.
The Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field to kick-off their Super Bowl title defense on Sept. 4. The game will feature plenty of juicy storylines, from the Eagles’ second banner-raising ceremony in eight years, to Dallas’ 28-year Super Bowl drought, to some new faces joining one of the NFL’s most bitter rivalries — led by enigmatic wide receiver George Pickens.
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Player reactions are trickling in since the league’s official announcement on Monday morning. Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons posted a picture outlining the matchup on his Instagram story, accompanied by a four-word message: “Yeah yea let’s ball.”
Johnson offered no words, at least not yet. He did share the same graphic as Parsons, accompanied by the viral GIF of Michael Jackson eating popcorn in a movie theater.
Dallas has already opened as a 6.5-point underdog for the Week 1 game. The Eagles have won four of their last five games against Dallas in Philly, including their last three meetings there, and roasted the Cowboys twice in 2024 by a combined score of 75-13.
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The NFL could have picked NFC powerhouses like the Detroit Lions or Los Angeles Rams for this spot, or ascending programs like the Denver Broncos or Chicago Bears.
Instead, the league is banking on the star power of its largest market, and based on Johnson’s reaction, the Eagles will be up for the challenge.
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