December 10, 2023
It was a disaster evening down in Arlington, as the Cowboys quick work of the Eagles in a 33-13 victory. It wasn't even as close as that score might indicate. The Birds still control the NFC East and winning out over their next four weeks will wrap up the division, but they are no longer in the driver's seat for the all-too-important No. 1 seed in the conference.
Call it being gassed. Call it scheduled losses facing great teams back-to-back that were both on extended rest, but the Eagles' defense can't get a stop right now and the offense is stuck in the mud.
Here's what I saw from the final two quarters. You can read my first half observations as well.
Let's get after it...
• A brief moment of hope! Early in the third quarter, Fletcher Cox battled through Zach Martin, forcing a fumble on Dak Prescott. With the ball bouncing, Jalen Carter scooped it up and ran 42 yards for a touchdown that cut this to a two-score game:
Jalen Carter returns the fumble for a TD!
— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2023
📺: #PHIvsDAL on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/YCEDNi5Ozb pic.twitter.com/rmAk9mxZQk
A former All-Pro defensive tackle and a future one teamed up there to give the Eagles a breath of life.
• I'm highlighting a decision here, not the outcome. Down 14 points with just over 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Eagles faced a fourth and eight at the Dallas 30. In lieu of kicking a field goal, Nick Sirianni kept his offense on the field. Dallas brought the house defensively and a throw short of the sticks to DeVonta Smith wasn't enough for a first.
The Cowboys got tremendous pressure on that one. Hurts' read was to a playmaker and Dallas cornerback Stephon Gilmore was all over him.
It was the right call. If the Eagles kicked a field goal and Jake Elliott knocked it through, the Eagles would still be down two scores. Without converting, it remained a two-score game. The Eagles' offense desperately needed to punch one into the end zone on their own. This defense isn't getting many stops and it might have been a fast track to a 18-point deficit with Dallas getting the ball anyway.
Going out meekly is no way to handle things on prime time with massive playoff stakes on the line.
• The Eagles' offense had some semblance of success to open that half with a couple of nice runs from D'Andre Swift, but it went away, well, swiftly after an A.J. Brown fumble. Even while playing in a dome, when it rains, it pours for the Eagles.
• On the downside of Eagles rookie defensive performances, Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson got the best of Sydney Brown on a third and six pickup of 32 yards. The ball just missed Brown's fingers with great placement from Prescott. Brown attempted to bring Ferguson down with futile arm tackling before Dallas found itself deep in Eagles territory.
Brown's game was raw even as a Day 2 pick, but the returns so far haven't been ideal for him. The Eagles' secondary has been thin. Reed Blankenship was knocked out of this game with a concussion. His energy has given him a role on a good special teams unit, but it hasn't translated to his defensive play at all.
Dallas would go on to kick a 59-yard field goal to make it a 14-point game on this drive.
• Ferguson showed up another Eagles rookie, Kelee Ringo, too.
Hurdle alert:
Fergie hurdle ‼️ @MundoNFL
— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2023
📺: #PHIvsDAL on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/YCEDNi5Ozb pic.twitter.com/SAnOAcjTJD
Congrats to Ferguson on turning into new-age Jason Witten when he plays the Birds.
• It was a night of just missed connections for Hurts and his wideouts:
DeVonta Smith has to catch this!
— DIE-HARD 🦅 Fans (@Eaglesfans9) December 11, 2023
Three drops for him tonight pic.twitter.com/YGTe0FJNMU
Some were flat-out drops. Some were things simply a couple of inches away from flipping the entirety of the game. That specific ball from Smith should be caught, but that's the nature of the sport.
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