The Dallas Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia, Penn., to face the Eagles at the Lincoln Financial Field in a rematch of Week 7 when the Cowboys were victorious over the Eagles at home in Arlington. Both teams came into this game with a .500 record on the season at 7-7. A Cowboys victory would have ensured they win the NFC East Championship, but instead, the Eagles won and move into the top spot in the NFC East.
The Eagles started with possession of the ball to open the game and closed their opening drive of 11 plays and nearly five-and-half minutes shaved off of the clock with a 36-yard field goal kick by Jake Elliott to put the Eagles on the board first, 3-0.
The Cowboys, who are one of the teams with the lowest three-and-out totals, went three-and-out in their first two drives and didn’t match any of the Eagles’ opening points.
The Eagles also capitalized on their second drive of the game when Carson Wentz connected with Dallas Goedert for a six-yard touchdown pass to take an early 10-point lead over the Cowboys. Philadelphia went three-and-out in their next drive.
The Cowboys had possession of the ball as the first quarter ended and the second began, and Dallas put their first points up when Kai Forbath closed out the opening drive with a field goal from the 49-yard line, making it 10-3 with 13:00 on the clock.
Both teams exchanged downs for the next several drives until the Eagles finished out their last possession of the first half with a 53-yard field goal attempt in which Elliott kicked wide right and it was no good. The Cowboys answered in their final drive with a successful 32-yard field goal kick by Forbath and Dallas went into halftime only down by four points, 10-6.
Dallas had possession of the ball first to open the second half of the game but failed to convert the opening drive into any points after a call on the field was overturned and Tony Pollard fumbled the ball, giving the recovery and possession to the Eagles. The Eagles didn’t convert their opening drive into any points, either, and it wasn’t until the last seconds of the quarter before any points would be scored, as the Eagles put another touchdown on the board and expanded the lead to 11 points, 17-6.
Starting the fourth quarter, Dallas again had possession of the ball, but again didn’t turn the drive into any points. The Eagles failed to turn their opening drive into points, as well, as Elliott missed another field goal kick, this time from 55 yards and kicking it wide left.
The Cowboys answered in their next possession with Forbath kicking a 49-yard field goal and closing the gap in the lead to only eight points with just over eight minutes left to play, 17-9. The Eagles were unable to do anything in their following drive, and Dallas had another opportunity with just over four minutes to play to tie the game.
At the time of two minute warning, Dallas was on the Philadelphia 25-yard line with the first down and 10 yards to go. After the timeout, Prescott was sacked on the first play for a loss of four yards, and then he threw two incomplete passes, one in the end zone stopped by Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones on fourth down, giving possession back to the Eagles. Both teams had all their timeouts left and Dallas used their first one after the first Philadelphia play and then their second one three plays later. They called their final timeout immediately following the next play.
The Eagles’ victory over Dallas gives them a chance to take the NFC East title and a playoff berth with a win over the New York Giants and/or a Dallas loss or tie next week.
For Dallas to take home the NFC East title, they would need to win next week and see Philadelphia lose.
The Eagles came into this important game with quite a few of their core players injured, but Carson Wentz and the Eagles showed their true grit, determination, and resiliency to win a game with so much at stake.
Deep in the heart of South Philly#DALvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/EYNAAiycd2
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 23, 2019
Final#DALvsPHI | #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/NTRSfd8Eff
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 23, 2019
