The Philadelphia Eagles lost their second straight game to the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 33-13. The Eagles turned the ball over three times as Dallas raced out to a 24-6 halftime lead, scoring on its first four possessions. Rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter returned a Dak Prescott fumble in the third quarter to provide a glimpse of hope for the Eagles, but it wasn’t enough. Both teams moved to 10-3 on the season and are in a virtual tie with the Niners for first place in the NFC. If the season ended this week, the Eagles would settle for a wild-card spot in the latest playoff standings as the No. 5 seed, while the Cowboys are now in the No. 2 spot.
The Cowboys’ defense dominated the Eagles, holding them to just two field goals while forcing three takeaways and coming up with a critical fourth-down stop. The Eagles entered the game ranking 30th in the NFL in that category. The Cowboys scored all three times inside the 20, so opposing teams have now gotten points 70.4% of the time (31 of 44) when reaching the red zone against Philadelphia.
Dallas (10-3) has won five in a row since, but its next two games are on the road against the AFC East’s top teams, Buffalo (7-6) and Miami (9-3). The Cowboys then host NFC North-leading Detroit (9-4) in their home finale before finishing at Washington.
The Cowboys have shown an improvement in their ability to compete against the Eagles, who have been struggling with a brutal stretch of schedule. The Cowboys established control quickly, scoring on all four of their drives in the first half and were 6 of 8 on third down. The Eagles had to play from behind, their pattern this season, but for the second straight week, they came up against an opponent that was good enough to prevent a comeback. Owner Tony Jones expressed his hope that the teams would play again in the playoffs, and that the Cowboys are equipped to win on the road. The next few weeks will be crucial in quieting some skepticism around the Cowboys until another trophy is hoisted. Jones also expressed his pride in quarterback Dak Prescott, who has embraced the adjustments needed in the offense this season. However, he admitted that he felt pretty good after the Cowboys destroyed the Giants in the season opener.
The 33-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on the road was the Eagles’ second consecutive defeat. With three turnovers committed by the Eagles, Dallas scored on each of its first four drives to take a 24-6 advantage into halftime. The Eagles had a glimmer of optimism in the third quarter when rookie defensive lineman Jalen Carter recovered Dak Prescott’s fumble, but it was insufficient.
Now tied for first place in the NFC East, Philadelphia and Dallas are both 10-3. With San Francisco’s addition, there are now three teams tied for first place in the conference and a bye into the playoffs.
A 13-yard touchdown was scored by the Cowboys on their first possession. On third-and-2, Dak Prescott completed a wide-open pass to CeeDee Lamb. The officials first raised a flag, but later decided that the play did not include offensive holding. Score: 7–0 Cowboys, 0–0 Eagles
Jalen Hurts lost the ball while drawing the quarterback draw with the Eagles in drive motion, just outside the red zone. The ball was retrieved by Donovan Wilson after he loosened it. Hurts has now lost fumbles four times this season.
On Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys ratcheted up the intensity in the NFC playoff chase with a 33-13 victory against their toughest division adversaries.
The Cowboys’ defense, spearheaded by quarterback Dak Prescott, held the Eagles’ offense in check throughout the game. The two clubs improved their records to 10-3 and are now virtually tied for first place in the NFC, only behind the Niners. On the other hand, the Cowboys have moved up to the second seed in the playoffs, and the Eagles would have to settle for a wild-card place as the fifth seed if the season ended this week.
Has the Cowboys’ recent success earned them a spot among the league’s elite? With four games remaining, they are momentarily atop the NFC East thanks to Sunday’s victory. But if Dallas and Philadelphia win their last four games in a row, the Eagles would win the division thanks to a tiebreaker. The outcome of that narrative is still up in the air, but the Cowboys’ defense thwarted the Eagles on Sunday, limiting them to only two field goals while also forcing three interceptions and a game-changing stop on fourth down.
Prescott’s loss of possession resulted in Philadelphia’s lone score. Prescott threw for two more touchdowns, and the running game wore down the Eagles’ front, even if Dallas’ offense wasn’t as well-oiled as it had been over the previous month and a half.
Just as he has been doing all season, rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey continued to make field goals. In addition to his 30 straight makes, he added four more (from 60, 59, 45, and 50 yards), tying him for the team record.
“I think the biggest thing for this team now is really find out who the dudes are,” said Fletcher Cox, a skilled defensive lineman. On certain teams, the guys in the locker room are able to pull it together, and on others, it just falls apart. “Leaders on this team, including myself, must now rise to the occasion and take action if we are to witness true leadership.”
Even in their victories, they have struggled defensively in the red zone, and they have committed turnovers at an alarming rate. Hurts on their first drive, receiver A.J. Brown to begin the second half, and DeVonta Smith in the fourth quarter were the three top offensive players who lost turnovers.
The Cowboys scored all three of their touchdowns within the 20-yard line, bringing the opposing team’s point total when they reached the red zone against Philadelphia to 70.4% (31 out of 44 attempts). Before the game, the Eagles were ranked 30th in that category in the NFL.
Following their 28-23 home victory against the Cowboys on November 5, Philadelphia secured a two-game lead in their division and became the only 8-1 team in the NFL. On the game’s last drive, Dallas almost won it. After a 22-yard gain, CeeDee Lamb was stopped at the 5-yard line with 46 seconds left in the game. The Cowboys’ last drive was assisted by 56 yards in penalties.
Dallas (10-3) has won their last five games in a row, but they will face Buffalo (7-6) and Miami (9-3)—the top two teams in the AFC East—on the road in their next two games. Before wrapping up their season in Washington, the Cowboys will play host to the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (9-4) in their home finale.
Tuesday, December 18th, Eagles: In Seattle. After losing to San Francisco, the Seahawks will not play a winning club in their last four games.
The Cowboys will begin a three-game road trip next Sunday in Buffalo, where they will face AFC East playoff contenders. On the other hand, we have division-leading Miami.
However, Jerry Jones, the team’s owner, values dramatic moments, monumental triumphs, and the kind of drama that establishes a challenger status. This was one of those, so Jones, who isn’t afraid of a little pomp and circumstance, dug into his knowledge of mediaeval Spain to find the legend of El Cid, the national hero who, according to legend, rode into battle in armor after suffering a mortal wound, leading his forces against the besiegers of Valencia.
According to Jones, Mike’s coach was riding a horse along that beach.
Given that what Jones said was the greatest important triumph of the McCarthy period, you can understand his excitement. For Dallas, this was the season-defining triumph. The Cowboys had not beaten a top-tier NFL club or even a team with a winning record until Sunday night. They were thrashed by the 49ers in October and narrowly defeated the Eagles in November. Consequently, the age-old issue of whether or not the Cowboys could win the biggest games lingered over them as they neared December.
“This game is additive,” he said. Due to the nature of our opponent, there is no doubt that everyone now feels more confident in their abilities to compete than they did three hours ago. A lot of work was evident. We know we can compete as a team, but we have to prove it in Buffalo. They are quite scary. Miami will have to be the site. On Capitol Hill.
The Eagles defense seemed exhausted from their recent tough schedule for the second week in a row, but the Cowboys’ aggressive game plan soon put them in charge. As a team, the Cowboys converted all four first-half drives into scores and went 6 for 8 on third downs. The Eagles were once again forced to play from behind, as has been their trend this season. However, for the second week in a row, they faced a formidable opponent who managed to foil any comeback attempts.
Jones said that he had expressed his desire for the teams to compete again—specifically, to meet in the playoffs—to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie before to the game. Jones would be overjoyed if the game took place in Dallas as it would signify their NFC East championship. Even though the Cowboys are unstoppable at home, Jones is certain that they can still win away from home. After a one-point loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia, they have gone undefeated ever since. There will be plenty of doubt around the Cowboys until they lift another trophy, but the next few weeks, with back-to-back away games against Buffalo and Miami, will be revealing.
“I definitely have inquiries,” Jones said. I thought we had a shot at winning the games. When we headed into the game, I believed we could defeat the 49ers. Well, we certainly didn’t. On the other hand, I refuse to pit the metaphorical chickens against any NFL club.
Jones has few regrets as an owner, but a handful of them relate to the 2007 Cowboys squad that seemed like it may win the Super Bowl with Tony Romo as quarterback. None of them did, and Romo was never the winner. Jones was really pleased with that squad, but he is disappointed that Romo has not won a Super Bowl. After leaving the field to cries of “M-V-P,” Prescott is now, according to Jones’ Sunday comments, “qualified in every way to have a Super Bowl in his career.” He spoke highly of Prescott for his willingness to adapt to the offense’s changes this season and for getting the team through the early training hiccups.
Despite admitting he felt quite good when the Cowboys crushed the Giants in the season opener, Jones said he feels as good about this squad as he has at any time this season. “Visions of sugarplums,” he said. A few weeks down the road, while facing the 49ers, that all came tumbling down.
Reed Blankenship, a safety, left the game in the second quarter after being declared out with a concussion.
In a bid to get the half off to a quick start, A.J. Brown fumbled on the first drive. For Brown’s knee to touch the floor, Stephon Gilmore swatted the ball out seconds beforehand. Damone Clark caught the stray ball. Nevertheless, the Eagles were able to force a throw-off.
It’s down! After Fletcher Cox snatched the ball from Dak Prescott’s hands, Jalen Carter pounced for the scoop and scored! Carter scored his first career touchdown on a 42-yard fumble return, temporarily putting the Birds in the game. (Winner: 24–13 Eagles)
