The scent of charcoal wafts through the crisp September air, signaling the return of football and the roar of the grill for the first big game. For the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, however, the mood isn’t one of basking in last season’s glory. A giant target now looms on their backs, and every team in the NFL is gunning to dethrone the kings. The first challenger? None other than their bitter rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, in a matchup that promises fireworks and tests the Eagles’ resolve.
Former Eagle Chris Long, no stranger to the pressures of defending a title, issued a sobering warning on SportsRadio 94 WIP on September 3rd. Drawing from his experience on the 2018 Eagles squad, Long laid bare a chilling reality for Super Bowl champions. “Since 2000, about half the teams that won a Super Bowl even win their division the next year,” he told host Devan Kaney. “It’s not a guarantee that you even win your division.” His message was clear: last year’s triumph means nothing if the Eagles don’t master the mental game.
Long’s advice for the Eagles is to shrink their focus to a microscopic level. “You should start small as a team like that,” he urged. “Start 1-0. Start 2-0. Take it one week at a time and think about the goals you think about every year, because the year before you weren’t thinking about defending a title. You were just trying to win every game, win your division.” This isn’t just coach-speak—it’s a blueprint forged from Long’s time on a 2018 Eagles team that stumbled to a 4-6 start before finding its footing.
This year’s squad, Long believes, is far more talented. But talent alone won’t cut it. “Nothing that team did last year makes a you-know-what on the field. It doesn’t matter,” he emphasized. The fatal flaw that could doom the Eagles? Getting caught up in the hype of their championship banner and forgetting the grind required to win now.
The Cowboys, despite a turbulent offseason headlined by trading star pass-rusher Micah Parsons, remain a formidable foe. Long noted, “The Cowboys, they’re coming off of trading their best player. A tumultuous offseason, which is kind of the norm there.” Yet, Dallas boasts a potent offense led by a healthy Dak Prescott, who holds an impressive 9-4 record against Philadelphia. His go-to weapon, CeeDee Lamb, will challenge the Eagles’ revamped secondary, putting rookie nickel corner Cooper DeJean under immediate scrutiny.
The Eagles’ new defensive scheme, with a fresh coordinator and untested pieces, may need time to coalesce. Long is particularly excited to see rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell in action. “That dude’s a stud,” Long said. “I’m watching him, and I want to see him play regular season football. It’s a lot different.” Preseason hype is meaningless, and the defense’s ability to gel quickly will be critical. Long believes the offense must “stabilize the situation early in the season” to give the defense breathing room.
To conquer Dallas, the Eagles have a clear path forward: lean on their greatest strength. The Cowboys’ run defense was abysmal in 2024, surrendering 137 rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, Philadelphia boasts the NFL’s best offensive line and a dynamic weapon in Saquon Barkley. Establishing the run is the key to unlocking Jalen Hurts’ play-action passing game, which could exploit Dallas’ secondary.
Wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are unfazed by their limited preseason reps. Brown brushed off concerns, while Smith saw the upside: “It was good for the young guys to get out there and get those reps.” With the offense firing on all cylinders, the Eagles can control the tempo and keep Prescott off the field.
Long’s roadmap for the Eagles is simple yet profound: treat this game like a one-game season. Ignore the banners, the hype, and the weight of expectations. The Cowboys are all that matter. A win in this heated rivalry sets the tone, building confidence for the grueling marathon ahead. A loss, however, risks planting seeds of doubt in a team under immense pressure.
The NFL season is a 17-game grind, but it starts with a single step. For the Eagles, that step is beating Dallas and going 1-0. As Long put it, the mental game is everything. If Philadelphia can channel his advice—focus small, play big—they’ll have a fighting chance to silence their rivals and take the first stride toward another championship run.