The Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) have the chance all fans and front offices secretly wish for – an opportunity to clinch the division title in the face of your biggest division rival at home. The graphics packages and celebratory tee shirts will be hidden away, only seeing the light of day following a late-season home win.
Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys (7-8) will look to keep an impressive streak intact beyond this season – Philadelphia has not swept Dallas since 2011 and the Andy Reid Era of Eagles football. Following this season’s 34-6 at Jerry World during Week 10, Philadelphia has the opportunity of a lifetime against their biggest rival, the Dallas Cowboys, at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 17.
This is a history series, so before we cover a potential current-day celebration, let’s travel back in time to discuss one of the greatest rivalries in the NFL. In our first look at the legacy of Philly-Dallas football, the Aikman-led Cowboys were the crown jewel of the NFL in the mid-1990s in a long string of Dallas wins. Andy Reid’s arrival in Philly began a two-decade reign in the City of Brotherly Love that grabbed back some success for Eagles fans. Still, Philadelphia has a 73-54 regular season record and a 1-3 postseason mark against Dallas, including losses in their last three playoff matchups.
Andy Reid Dominated Dallas, NFC East For over a Decade
Dallas fans must have disliked new Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid, as he had the Cowboys’ number early in his days roaming Philly’s sideline. Reid was victorious in 10 of his first 12 meetings with Dallas between 1999 and 2004. Overall, Reid finished 17-11 in the regular season and 0-1 in the postseason against Dallas during his rookie head coaching stint in Philly.
Before reaching Super Bowl XXXIX against the defending champion New England Patriots, Andy Reid dominated the NFC East to a level not yet seen in Eagles history. With a Week 16 win over Dallas, 12-7, Philly swept the NFC East for the first time since the division was created in 1967. The good times were shortlived as Dallas swept the series against Philly the next season in 2005.
Philadelphia received a special holiday gift in a road win, 23-7, over Dallas on Christmas Day in 2006. The victory sent Philly to the playoffs as NFC East Champions, which was no small feat with three teams making the postseason. Philly defeated the New York Giants, 23-20, in the wild card before falling in the Divisional round in New Orleans, 27-24. Dallas was forced on the road, losing a tight contest to Seattle, 21-20, in the Wild Card Round.
Head Coach Andy Reid has the most significant point-differential win in the series’ history, a 38-point win over Dallas, 44-6, in 2008. The resounding victory clinched Philadelphia the final available playoff spot for a 9-6-1 Eagles team while sending the Cowboys (9-7) to the golf course to reconsider their offseason life choices.
Well…something happened that offseason as Dallas uncovered the blueprint for success against Philly. The Cowboys posted three victories against the Eagles in 2009, including the only recent postseason matchup. Before reaching the playoffs, Dallas dispatched Philadelphia at home, 24-0, in a Week 17 matchup that ripped away back-to-back NFC East titles from Philadelphia due to owning the tiebreaker, with both teams finishing at 11-5. This allowed Dallas to host the first-ever playoff game at the new Cowboys Stadium. Dallas rolled to a 34-14 win in the final game of the Donovan McNabb era in Philly. It was the first playoff win for the Cowboys in 14 years since claiming Super Bowl XXX in 1996.
One more major accomplishment in the tenure of Andy Reid occurred in 2011, as Reid is the last Eagles coach to sweep the season series against the Cowboys. The Cowboys series sweep the following season in 2012 contributed to a 4-12 campaign for Philadelphia. Andy Reid was fired during the 2012 offseason after 14 years and 140 wins.
Chip Kelly Splits with Dallas Over Three Seasons
Chip Kelly replaced Reid for two seasons and has a 3-3. In 2013, his first season at the ship’s helm in Philadelphia, Kelly clinched the NFC East in enemy territory with a 24-22 victory in the final week of the regular season. However, it was another short-lived soiree as Philly was eliminated from the playoffs by New Orleans, 26-24, just six days later in a disappointing home playoff loss. During his final season in charge of Philly, Kelly celebrated a 2015 overtime win, 33-27, in enemy territory.
Doug Pederson Struggled against Dak Prescott
Doug Pederson replaced Kelly in 2016, bringing his playing football experience and evolving coaching knowledge from Andy Reid, now in Kansas City, to the land filled with cheesesteak-filled championship dreams. Ultimately, Pederson and his Eagles had fits with the Dak Prescott-led Cowboys. During five seasons in Philadelphia, Pederson finished with a 4-6 record with two overtime losses in 2016 and 2018.
‘Of course, the season between those OT defeats to Dallas will forever live in Eagles history as Doug Pederson and the Eagles claimed Super Bowl LII to lift the Lombardi high for all the NFL world to see. Philly improved to 9-1 with a Week 11 win over Dallas. In a meaningless Week 17 game and starters resting for the Playoffs, the Cowboys blanked the Eagles, 7-0, on New Year’s Eve 2018, which did not impact the Eagle’s top seeding in the NFC.
A few seasons later, the coaching carousel turned as it often does in the Philly sports landscape. Doug Pederson was out of Philly following the 2020 season. Pederson finished his time in Philly with a winning record of 42-37-1 in five seasons.
Sirianni Can Even Up Record Against Cowboys with Win in Week 17
In 2021, Nick Sirrianni arrived from Indianapolis in 2021 to take over the head coaching position. The current bench boss of the Birds has faced the Cowboys seven times with a 3-4 record over four seasons. Dallas gave Sirianni a rough greeting by posting a combined 92 points (to 47) against Philly in a series sweep during the coach’s first season. The Cowboys were a thorn in Sirianni’s side, with four wins in five games between 2021 and 2023.
Entering this weekend, the narrative is different. Siranni looks to become the first head coach since Andy Reid in 2011 to sweep Dallas in a season series… if the Eagles emerge victorious in Week 17 at Lincoln Financial Field. It will be one more thing for the Eagles, along with a potential Saquon Barkley rushing title, to celebrate before the game faces go back on heading towards the NFL playoffs next month.
The Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) host the Dallas Cowboys (7-8) with bird eyes fixed on claiming the NFC East Title at Lincoln Financial Field during the 1 PM EST window of NFL games during Week 17.
Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
