When Dak Prescott threw the game-winning touchdown with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter, he didn’t celebrate. Not with his teammates. Not with the crowd. Not even with a fist pump. He just turned and walked back to the huddle. That’s the kind of quiet intensity that defined the Dallas Cowboys’s astonishing 24-21 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles on November 23, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Down 21-0 at halftime, the Cowboys didn’t just claw back—they erased the largest deficit ever overcome in the 65-year history of this rivalry. And Prescott, in the process, broke one of Tony Romo’s most cherished franchise records.
The Collapse Before the Comeback
The Eagles, defending Super Bowl champions and NFC’s No. 1 seed at 8-2, looked every bit the part in the first half. Jalen Hurts carved up Dallas’ secondary with surgical precision, hitting A.J. Brown for a 7-yard TD that was later nullified by a holding penalty—a gut punch that somehow didn’t rattle Philly. They didn’t need it. Two more touchdowns by Hurts and Miles Sanders made it 21-0, and the crowd at AT&T Stadium, usually roaring with confidence, fell into stunned silence.
ESPN’s broadcast showed Nick Sirianni, the Eagles’ head coach, smirking on the sideline. His team had outgained Dallas 247 to 89 yards. The Cowboys’ offense? Stagnant. Their defense? Outmatched. Analysts were already penciling in Philadelphia’s playoff bye. Even the Eagles’ own fans on social media were posting memes about how the Cowboys “finally gave up.”
The Turning Point: Third Quarter Fire
But here’s the thing—Cowboys fans have seen this movie before. Not the comeback. Not the record. But the stubbornness. Prescott, who entered the game with a 4-5-1 record, didn’t flinch. On the opening drive of the third quarter, he hit CeeDee Lamb on a 38-yard slant, then finished it with a 2-yard QB sneak. 21-7. The stadium exhaled. The Eagles? They looked confused.
Then came the twist: Philadelphia’s offense went silent. No points in the second half. Zero. Not a single first down in the final 30 minutes. Hurts threw two picks—both in the fourth—and his offensive line, which had dominated early, suddenly looked like a group of men trying to block ghosts.
Prescott Breaks Romo’s Record—And Refuses to Celebrate
With 8:43 left in the fourth, Prescott threw his third touchdown of the game—a 14-yard dart to Drew Brees’s former protégé, Trevon Diggs—to tie the game at 21. That pass was his 312th career touchdown pass, surpassing Tony Romo’s 311. The scoreboard flashed it. The crowd roared. Teammates mobbed him.
Prescott didn’t join the pile. He pushed through, waving them off. “I’ve got one more drive,” he muttered, according to sideline reporter Laura Okmin. “We’re not done.”
It wasn’t just a record. It was a statement. Romo’s legacy looms large in Dallas. Prescott didn’t want to be remembered as the guy who broke a number. He wanted to be remembered as the guy who won the game.
Sirianni’s Strategy Backfires
After the game, Nick Sirianni stood at the podium, jaw clenched. “We got complacent,” he admitted. “We thought we had it. We didn’t play like champions in the second half.”
Bleeding Green Nation’s post-game analysis nailed it: Sirianni’s conservative play-calling—kicking field goals instead of going for it on fourth down, punting on 4th-and-1 in the third quarter, and refusing to use the hurry-up offense even after Dallas cut the lead to 21-14—cost them dearly. The Eagles had 17 minutes of possession in the second half. They scored zero points. They had three three-and-outs.
Meanwhile, Prescott and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer unleashed a no-huddle, tempo-driven attack that kept Philly’s defense guessing. Dallas ran 19 plays in the final 8:43. They converted six third downs. They ate up the clock. And when they needed it most, Prescott delivered.
The Ripple Effect
The win improved the Cowboys to 5-5-1, pulling them within one game of the Eagles in the NFC East standings. Philadelphia fell to 8-3, their first loss since Week 3. But more than standings, this game reshaped the narrative.
The Eagles were supposed to be untouchable. The Cowboys were supposed to be rebuilding. Now? Dallas has momentum. Their defense, led by newcomer Quinnen Williams, held Philadelphia to 3-for-12 on third down in the second half. The offensive line, once a liability, didn’t allow a sack after halftime.
And Prescott? He’s no longer just a franchise quarterback. He’s becoming the face of a new era.
What’s Next?
The Cowboys host the Washington Commanders next week. The Eagles travel to Detroit. But the real story? The rematch. The NFC East is now a three-team race. And with the Cowboys showing they can win under pressure, the playoff picture just got a lot more interesting.
One thing’s clear: in this rivalry, nothing is ever over until the final whistle. And sometimes, not even then.
Frequently Asked Questions
How significant is Dak Prescott’s record-breaking performance in Cowboys history?
Prescott’s 312th career touchdown pass surpassed Tony Romo’s long-standing franchise record of 311, making him the new all-time leader in touchdown passes for the Cowboys. He reached the mark in his 87th game, faster than Romo did in 101. The record was especially poignant because Romo himself was in the broadcast booth that night, calling the game for CBS and later telling reporters, "I’m proud of him. He earned it the hard way."
What was the largest point deficit the Cowboys had ever overcome against the Eagles?
The 21-point comeback was the largest in the history of the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry since their first meeting in 1960. Previous records included a 17-point comeback in 2007 and a 16-point rally in 2014. This win surpassed both, making it the most dramatic reversal in the 65-year rivalry. It’s also the largest deficit overcome by any team against a defending Super Bowl champion since the 2013 Seahawks beat the 49ers from 21 down.
Why did the Eagles’ offense collapse in the second half?
The Eagles’ offense went quiet due to a combination of Dallas’ defensive adjustments and Philadelphia’s own poor decision-making. After halftime, the Cowboys shifted to a zone-heavy scheme that disrupted Hurts’ rhythm. Meanwhile, Sirianni’s conservative play-calling—avoiding fourth-down attempts and punting in favorable field position—gave Dallas the ball back repeatedly. The Eagles had zero offensive drives longer than 50 yards in the final 30 minutes.
How does this loss affect the Eagles’ playoff chances?
Philadelphia still leads the NFC East at 8-3, but their path to a first-round bye just got harder. They now trail the 9-2 Kansas City Chiefs in the NFC playoff seeding. A loss in Detroit next week, combined with a Cowboys win, could force them into a wild-card game. Their defense, which had been elite, allowed 24 points and 385 yards in the second half—red flags for a team that prides itself on closing out games.
Is this win a sign the Cowboys are turning their season around?
Absolutely. After starting 1-4-1, the Cowboys have won four of their last five games. Prescott is playing with confidence, Quinnen Williams has elevated the defensive line, and the offensive line is finally protecting him consistently. They’re not just winning—they’re winning in the most brutal way possible: by refusing to quit. If they keep this momentum, they’ll be a dangerous wild-card team in January.
What role did AT&T Stadium play in the comeback?
AT&T Stadium’s atmosphere shifted dramatically after halftime. Once eerily quiet, the crowd erupted into a deafening roar during Dallas’ fourth-quarter drives. The noise disrupted Philadelphia’s communication, leading to two false start penalties and a botched snap on a field goal attempt. The stadium’s retractable roof, closed for the first time this season due to cold weather, trapped the sound and amplified the pressure on the Eagles. It wasn’t just a home-field advantage—it was a psychological weapon.