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The Dallas Cowboys were done. They had nothing. They were down 21-0 with 11:32 left in the first half. Everything the Eagles wanted to do, they did. Everything the Cowboys tried, they failed.
Then the Eagles imploded.
They turned into a roiling mushroom cloud on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, under a deluge of a season-high 14 penalties, poor coaching decisions, spotty execution, and a lack of discipline. The under-the-surface soap scum rose in 24 unanswered Dallas points in the Cowboys’ impressive 24-21 comeback victory.
The Eagles were on the verge of clinching the NFC East and what appeared certain a week ago may not be so certain, with surging 5-5-1 Dallas 2.5 games behind. Instead, the Eagles blew a 21-0 lead for the first time since their 1999 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals—in Andy Reid’s NFL head coaching debut.
Dallas plowed through the Eagles for a season-high 473 yards.
This was not Jalen Hurts’ fault.
He completed 27 of 39 for 289 yards and a touchdown, with two rushing touchdowns. Dak Prescott was better, dicing up the vaunted Eagles’ defense for 354 yards, completing 23 of 36, and above all else, showing great poise when the Cowboys were honoring late teammate Marshawn Kneeland and listing terribly in the first half.
A.J. Brown caught a season-high eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, and DeVonta Smith had six grabs for 89 yards.
But the Cowboys’ George Pickens outshined everyone. He may still be open in the AT&T Stadium parking lot, because the Eagles never figured out a way to cover him, after a game-high nine catches for 146 yards. It doesn’t help when defensive backs take each out, as Eagles’ corner Michael Carter II did Quinyon Mitchell on Pickens’ 24-yard reception that set up the game-winning field goal at the Eagles’ 22 with 35 seconds to play.
After the game, the Eagles brought up how they were not prepared for the Dallas’ 5-2 defensive front, but they did open the game scoring on their first three drives against the Cowboys’ five-man front. The Eagles, however, did allow the 30th-ranked NFL defense to shut them out over the final 41 minutes, 32 seconds of the game.
Their last seven drives read: punt, punt, punt, punt, missed FG, fumble, punt for 143 yards of total offense. On their first three drives, the Eagles accumulated 192 yards from scrimmage.
While Eagles’ fans and media set their focus on the offense last week, it was the defense that collapsed. Some of that may have had to do with safety Reed Blankenship leaving the game in the third quarter with an injury, and rookie safety Andrew Mukuba also going down in the second half, with an ankle injury.
The Eagles now have to scour through the ashes for solutions.
There was a lot of early good, trickled in with some bad, and a mountain of late ugly in the Eagles’ 24-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles’ goal line stand at their two, with big stops by Nolan Smith and Cooper DeJean on Dak Prescott scrambling right, and two Prescott incompletions, one a CeeDee Lamb drop (his third in the game/seventh overall in two games against the Eagles) in the back of the end zone on third-and-goal with 3:46 to play.
Punter Braden Mann constantly put the Cowboys back against their end zone. He boomed five punts for an average of 50 yards. On the Cowboys’ first three drives of the second half, they started at their eight, four, and 11 on Mann punts.
DeJean coming up on the Cowboys’ Malik Davis for a one-yard run at the Eagles’ 33 on Dallas’ second drive of the second half. The play put the Cowboys into a third-and-nine situation at the Eagles’ 33. The drive ended with Cowboys’ kicker Brandon Aubrey missing a 51-yard field goal wide left. It was only his second miss this season. His other miss was from 68 yards.
Jordan Davis taking down Javonte Williams for a four-yard loss at the Dallas 13 on the Cowboys’ first drive of the second half. It was a great play by Davis, who shoved aside Cowboys’ pulling right guard Tyler Booker into the backfield, jamming that side of the field.
The Eagles’ offensive line in the first. Hurts seemingly had all day to throw at times.
The Eagles’ best overall first half this season. They ran over Dallas for a 21-7 lead. They scored on their first three drives. They caused two turnovers and amassed 196 yards of total offense. Jalen Hurts was 13 for 19 passing, for 164 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for two more. A.J. Brown finished the half with five receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown, while Smith had three catches for 58 yards.
Safety Reed Blankenship’s interception in the end zone on a second-and-goal at the Eagles’ 5. Dallas had blown a first-and-goal at the Eagles’ one on its fourth drive with a false start on left tackle Tyler Guyton. Dallas’ comedy of mistakes in the first half started on a fourth-and-10 at the Eagles’ 24 on their second drive. The Cowboys’ Marist Liufau was flagged for roughing the kicker, which prolonged the series, resulting in a 14-0 lead. On the next drive, Dallas fumbled the ball away, which led to a 21-0 Philadelphia lead. Blankenship squashed Dallas’ first best scoring chance on its fourth drive. Guyton was later called for a 15-yard tripping call on Dallas’ fifth possession, putting the Cowboys in a first-and-25 at the Eagles’ 28.
Smith’s great body adjustment on Hurts’ underthrown 41-yard rainbow at the Dallas 11 on the Eagles’ third drive. The Smith reception, his first in the game, came on a third-and-12. Smith had outrun Dallas’ corner Caelen Carson, who could not pull up and ran by Smith, allowing him to come back and get the ball. It set up a 21-0 Eagles’ lead.
Linebacker Zack Baun pouncing on KaVontea Turpin’s fumble at the Eagles’ 31 on the Cowboys’ second play of the second quarter.
Eagles’ first quarter defense. They held one of the most potent offenses scoreless over two drives, and a combined 0-for-3 on third- and fourth-down conversion attempts. The Eagles held Dallas to 48 yards of offense over 12 plays, with just 16 yards passing. Dallas’ one first down in the quarter came on a penalty. The Cowboys’ first first down without a penalty came on the first play of the second quarter.
The Eagles’ first quarter offense. They pounded Dallas for 111 total yards, eight first downs, three-of-four third-down conversions and a 14-0 lead. Hurts was 9 of 13 for 90 yards, with one touchdown passing, one rushing. The Eagles averaged 5.8 yards a play, 6.9 yards a pass. A.J. Brown caught five passes for 67 yards on six targets, and everything seemed happy in Eagleville—then.
Hurts reaching Brown for a 22-yard reception to the Dallas 43 on a third-and-five on the Eagles’ second drive. Brown simply beat Cowboys’ corner Shavon Revel on an inside slant left down the middle of the field. Revel, nor the Cowboys, could stop it.
Linebacker Jalyx Hunt clamping down on Dallas’ Jake Ferguson for a yard gain on Dallas’ second drive.
Hurts finding Brown for a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. It was a great pass by Hurts, who noticed Cowboys’ safety Donovan Wilson drift down to cover Will Shipley out of the backfield. Hurts found Brown over the outstretched hands of Cowboys’ linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. Brown easily beat Cowboys’ cornerback DaRon Bland for a 7-0 Eagles’ lead with 8:41 to play in the first quarter.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean staying with Dallas’ Williams on a third-and-six at the Cowboys’ 47 on Dallas’ first drive. Dallas opted to go for it on fourth-and-three, which led to a 7-0 Eagles’ lead. Dean later ran through Williams to sack Prescott for a sack in three-straight games at the Dallas six on the Cowboys’ first drive of the second half.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter forcing Prescott to scramble out of bounds for a two-yard gain on the Cowboys’ third play of the game, putting Dallas in a second-and-eight situation.
Baun dropping a sure interception with 3:02 left in the third quarter. It came on a second-and-five on Dallas’ third drive of the second half. The following play, Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb with a 48-yard pass at the Eagles’ 18 on a third-and-five.
The Eagles’ five penalties for 30 yards in the first half.
Right tackle Fred Johnson going offsides on the Eagles’ second drive.
Dean getting flagged for illegal contact on the Cowboys’ second drive. It did not matter. Dallas went three-and-out.
The Eagles’ defensive miscue on the Pickens’ 24-yard pass reception with less than a minute to play. Micheal Carter ran late across the field, and literally into Quinyon Mitchell, chipping him before he had a chance to react to Pickens. A slant route will always work when the defense picks its own players.
Hurts getting sacked for 13 yards on third-and-two at the Eagles’ 37 with 1:52 to play. He could have simply thrown the ball away.
Xavier Gipson getting absolutely planted by the Cowboys’ Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark and having the ball jarred loose with 5:09 to play. With the ball punted inside the five, Gipson should have let the ball go into the end zone instead of fielding the punt at the one-yard line. Why?
The Eagles’ season-high 14 penalties for 96 yards—many on offense.
Right tackle Fred Johnson getting called for illegal use of hands with 8:08 to play, wiping out Smith’s 16-yard reception on a second-and-seven. The next play, Saquon Barkley lost a fumble at the Cowboys’ 33.
The Eagles’ getting flagged for an illegal formation that wiped out Dallas Goedert’s 20-yard reception on the Eagles’ first drive of the second half. Offensive lineman Matt Pryor reported in as eligible and was covered by a wide receiver.
Giving up 21-unanswered points. In that span, Prescott completed two 48-yard bombs, and a 43-yard pass. The Eagles had just 42 yards passing and 58 total yards in the third quarter in comparison to Dallas’ 89 yards passing and 135 yards in total offense.
Smith getting called for offensive pass interference on the Eagles’ first play of the fourth quarter, putting them in a first-and-20 at the Dallas 42, followed by a false start on Brown, pushing the Eagles back further for a first-and-25. The Eagles had to try a Jake Elliott 56-yard field goal—which sailed wide right.
The Eagles throwing for 42 yards in the third quarter and punting three-straight times.
Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba being run over by Cowboys’ tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford at the goal line on the Cowboys’ four-yard TD pass. Mukuba was nowhere near Spann-Ford, because he was picking himself up off the ground.
Cornerback Kelee Ringo getting flagged for pass interference on the Cowboys’ third drive of the second half. The 10-yard penalty put Dallas at the Eagles’ four. The following play, Prescott hit Spann-Ford with a four-yard TD pass.
DeJean getting terribly exposed trying to cover Lamb downfield on the Cowboys’ third possession of the second half. Prescott hit Lamb with a 48-yard pass to the Eagles’ 18 on third-and-five. It led to Dallas getting within 21-14. DeJean had a tough game. Pickens later climbed over him with 12:30 to play for a 43-yard reception after the Elliott missed field goal.
Adoree’ Jackson continues to be an Eagles’ liability. He had been playing solid in the previous two weeks, but Prescott knew where to go on a second-and-six for 17 yards to Pickens on Dallas’ fourth drive. The play brought Dallas to the Eagles’ 13. Three plays later, safety Reed Blankenship gave the Eagles their second turnover with an interception in the end zone. Jackson later was burned again by Pickens for 24 yards on the Cowboys’ second drive of the second half at the Dallas 34.
Giving up 163 yards of total offense and nine first downs in the second quarter. Prescott threw for 143 yards, and completed 11 of 12 in the quarter.
The Eagles allowing Dallas to score, after getting them in a first-and-25 on the Cowboys’ fifth drive. The conversion led to Dallas scoring for the first time.
Turpin darting through the Eagles for a 48-yard reception on the Cowboys’ fifth drive, caught between DeJean, Blankenship and Jackson. Down 21-0, Cowboys were looking for anything to get them going. The Turpin spark looked like it ignited the Cowboys’ offense. Right guard Tyler Steen’s holding call on the Eagles’ third drive. It pushed the Eagles back into a first-and-20, after the Eagles brought the ball to midfield. It was a small example of the flotsam that was to come.
