It certainly wasn’t pretty, but the Philadelphia Eagles took down the Dallas Cowboys, 23-9, on Sunday night. With the victory, they remain in first place in the dumpster fire NFC East at 3-4-1. The Cowboys fall to 2-6 and have lost three in a row since losing Dak Prescott for the season.
Recap
First Half
The Cowboys started the game with the ball and drove into Philadelphia territory. The drive stalled, however, after Ben DiNucci was sacked for 12 yards which pushed them back on first down. They still got back into field goal range on the next two downs, getting to the 31. Greg Zuerlein legged a 49-yarder to put the Cowboys up 3-0.
Things looked dire for the Eagles as Carson Wentz was strip-sacked at their own 35-yard line. The Eagles returned the favor by strip-sacking DiNucci on 2nd and Goal at their own 17. Philadelphia capitalized on this as they drove down the field 83 yards on 10 plays. Wentz found his new favorite receiver Travis Fulgham for a big 32-yard pass which helped set the Birds up. The returning Jalen Reagor then came up with a two-yard touchdown catch. The Jake Elliot extra point put the Eagles up 7-3 with two seconds left in the first quarter.
The second quarter began with the Cowboys going three-and-out before Wentz was strip-sacked again. Dallas recovered the fumble at the Eagles 46. They went 15 yards on six plays to set up another 49-yard field goal off the leg of Zuerlein. The teams then traded punts. The Eagles looked to be set up as Greg Ward returned the Cowboys’ punt to the 49.
But just a couple of plays later, Wentz sailed a wild pass intended for Reagor in the end zone. The pass looked like it was going to be incomplete but Trevon Diggs somehow came up with the interception, dragging his knee in the end zone. The Cowboys didn’t capitalize on this as they had another three-and-out. The Eagles also had a quick drive and turned the ball over on downs at the Dallas 44. With just 30 seconds left in the half, the Cowboys went 14 yards in five plays. Zuerlein then booted a line-drive kick that squeezed through the uprights from 59 yards out that put the Cowboys up 9-7 at halftime.
Second Half
The second half started with Wentz getting picked off by Diggs again, on a pass intended for John Hightower. The Cowboys went 35 yards in 10 plays but Zuerlein missed the field goal this time from 52 yards. After the Eagles started at their own 49, they found paydirt in nine plays. Wentz found Dallas Goedert for 15 yards on third down. He then connected with Fulgham in the end zone a few plays later. The Eagles went for two and converted as Wentz completed the pass to Reagor. That put the Eagles up 15-9 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Cowboys still had plenty of chances to come back in the game. But they turned the ball over on downs on their first drive of the fourth quarter after taking four minutes off the clock. Even after that, they still had a shot as they forced an Eagles’ three-and-out. Starting with the ball at their own 29 with over 11 minutes left, it looked like they were in a good position to march down and take the lead. The Cowboys marched to the Eagles 21 in six minutes. But then DiNucci was strip-sacked again. The ball was recovered by Rodney McLeod who returned it 53 yards for the touchdown. This pretty much sealed the deal for the Eagles as it turned to desperation time for the Cowboys.
Highlights
Defense gets it done.#DALvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly
📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/H87kgKi0jS
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 2, 2020
Back in business.#DALvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly
📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/LHy8a62ycU
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 2, 2020
The Eagles head into their bye week before taking on the New York Giants in Week 10. The Cowboys head back home to face the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers as things don’t get any easier for them. They do have their bye week following that in Week 10. These two teams don’t meet again until Week 16.
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Main Credit Image: Embed from Getty Images
