Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens before the game against the Atlanta Falcons. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

3 Dallas Cowboys who must improve following subpar debut vs. Eagles

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 7:56 AM ET

A loss to the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles has the Dallas Cowboys sitting at 0-1 to start the 2025 season.

While starting out with a defeat on the road isn't ideal, the Cowboys should feel confident in their roster since they hung with one of the top teams in the league and had a shot at the upset.

That said, there were several players who need to perform better if Dallas wants to secure their first win of the year in Week 2 against the New York Giants. Here's a look at the top three Cowboys who need to improve upon their season debut.

Kenneth Murray Jr., LB

Kenneth Murray Jr. was able to rack up nine tackles in his debut with Dallas, but the linebacker corps as a whole struggled. They weren't able to provide help when Jalen Hurts escaped the pocket and PFF gave Murray a 30.0 grade.

The Cowboys need to look at the group as a whole, but even if they make tweaks, Murray needs to play better going forward.

George Pickens, WR

George Pickens was the team's top addition this offseason and is expected to give them a second huge playmaker at wide receiver. His first game wasn't terrible, but the Cowboys need more.

Pickens had 30 yards on three attempts and drew a pass interference on a deep pass play. Still, his impact wasn't what it needed to be, especially down the stretch.

CeeDee Lamb, WR

Despite recording 110 yards on seven receptions, Thursday was a night to forget for CeeDee Lamb who had four dropped passes. Two of those were on the final drive and after the game, Lamb took responsibility for the loss.

He also vowed to be better going forward, which is exactly what this offense needs. He proved against the Eagles that he can get open, now he just has to get his hands right and this offense could be scary.