It's game week.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys kick off the 2025 NFL season on Thursday, meaning preparations are already well underway for each club.
Following last week's blockbuster trade of Micah Parsons, the Eagles can adjust their plan, now that one of the best defensive players in the NFL will not be at the Linc on Thursday night.
Philly left tackle Jordan Mailata was asked Sunday about facing the Cowboys without Parsons.
"Sigh of relief," he said, chuckling, via Tim McManus of ESPN. "I say that as a joke, but at the same time, it's just kind of crazy. The last four or five years that we've played the Dallas Cowboys, we've come up with a game plan because Micah's a gamer. It is a sigh of relief that you don't have to plan like that anymore. However, that is a talented D-line and a challenging defense. You've got to treat them with the same respect, with or without Micah Parsons. They've got Kenny Clark there. He's been in the league a long time. He's a great bloody player. So, now we've got to figure out how he affects our game plan and how we control that."
Parsons led the Cowboys with 12.0 sacks in 2024 (no other player had 6.0 or more). No player who had five-plus sacks for the Cowboys in 2024 will play for them in Week 1.
Parsons leads the NFL with 335 QB pressures since being drafted in 2021 despite ranking 30th in pass-rush snaps (1,585) during that timeframe, per Next Gen Stats. He has a 21.1 pressure percent in his career (also the highest since 2021, minimum 1,000 snaps).
The above two paragraphs are the statistical way of saying: No duh, it will be easier to block the Cowboys without Parsons.
Dante Fowler came over from Washington last year and should take on a bigger role, even after thriving in a rotation with the Commanders. Second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku will be a player to watch Thursday night. He flashed during camp and should see increased responsibilities now that Parsons is out of the picture.
The Eagles perennially boast one of the best offensive lines in the league, even having to replace their starting right guard after Mekhi Becton departed in free agency. Mailata allowed 1.5 sacks in 2024, per NGS (tied with Garett Bolles and Tristan Wirfs for fewest among 31 left tackles with 350-plus pass block snaps).
Even with the addition of Clark, the trenches battle on Thursday will tilt even more heavily toward Philly than it appeared a week ago.
