The Eagles have won five in a row and are in first place in the NFC East; the team also left Dallas victorious for the first time since 2017.
The Cowboy’s defense kept them in the game during the first half by producing five first-half sacks, but Cooper Rush and Dallas offense could not move the ball.
What was a close game, the Eagles held a 1-point lead with 1:51 left in the first half. (7–6) turned into a laugher as Dallas never scored again. The Eagles scored a TD to end the second quarter and another 20 points in the second half.
The Eagles were minus 6 in turnover ratio before the bye, over the last five weeks, they have changed the tide and are now plus one.
Their 28-point win is their largest margin of victory over a divisional foe since their Super Bowl season.
Eagles’ Offense
The Eagles converted turnovers into points in Dallas and were only stopped by themselves. They create their own long down and distance with penalties and giving up sacks. Once they clean that up, they will be more lethal than they have already shown this season.
Nick Sirianni is 5–0 since shaving his head. The so-called Baldianni era is on a heater. The Eagles Head Coach has now led the team to a 7-2, or better, start three years in a row, with a different OC and DC in each of those seasons.
Kellen Moore has started to open the playbook more since the bye, and I would expect to see even more versus Washington this Thursday.
The Eagle’s offensive line had protection issues early by allowing five sacks in the first half. That tied for the most in a game in Jalen Hurts’ NFL career. The line dominated the trenches in the second half.
Jalen Hurts had his first turnover in five weeks with an interception in the red zone, followed by a fumble at the Eagle’s 6-yard line. Dallas had a good pass rush for most of the game, but some of the sacks could have been avoided by getting rid of the ball faster and play calls that did not involve routes that took long to develop. Even so, Jalen finished the game with a total of 4 TDs, two rushing and two passing. He secured his 50th rushing touchdown and became the leader in Eagles history by scoring both a pass and rushing TD in the same game. He also has a top-five passer rating in the NFL.
Per next-gen stats, Jalen Hurts, who was pressured on over half of his dropbacks against the Cowboys (53.6%), finished 7-of-9 for 115 yards and two touchdowns while pressured.
Kenny Pickett took over the Eagles offense with 12:42 remaining in the game. He only had 2 pass attempts, but he did succeed in a “Pickett Push” picking up a first down on 4th and 1.
Saquon Barkley played sparingly after appearing to tweak his arm or wrist and finished the game with only 14 carries, totaling 66 yards. He seemed fine later in the game and should be good moving forward.
A.J. Brown had one of the quieter, nonchalant, 100-yard games I have ever seen. His first since week 4. He catches everything so effortlessly that fans almost forget to appreciate him every game. He is one of the best wide receivers in the game, in his prime.
Jahan Dotson made the most of his one target like last week. One reception for 27 yards.
Welcome back, Dallas Goedert. He had a nice TD to end the first half and finished the game with two grabs for 25 yards.
Jake Elliott had a perfect day with two field goals and four extra points.
Eagles’ Defense
Vic Fangio’s defense smothered the Cowboys and created five turnovers, the most in a single game since October 2, 2022, against Jacksonville.
The Cowboys finished the game with 32 net passing yards and only 146 total yards. Dallas only made it to the red zone twice and scored 3 points. Dallas took over at the Eagles 6 and gained 1 yard before settling for a field goal. The Eagles answered with a 7-play 84-yard TD drive, and everyone at the stadium started to get the sense that the Eagles had weathered their self-created storm.
Dallas did have a chance at a touchdown, but owner Jerry Jones chose to open the roof, which caused Cee Dee Lamb to lose the ball in the sunlight. Ironic, considering they chose to open it to gain a competitive balance.
Since the bye week, the Eagle’s defense is giving up just 10.2 points per game!
Bryce Huff had a strip sack, he has not been what some expected, but he has improved since the bye week.
Brandon Graham had a QB hit, half-a sack, and two tackles. The 37-year-old can likely play another season if he chooses. The only scenario that he may not return is if he can ride out into the sunset with his second Super Bowl Championship.
Nolan Smith harassed the Dallas QB all game and added a TFL versus the run, where he has been stellar at setting the edge all season.
Milton Williams recovered a botched snap, and the turnover resulted in the Eagle’s first TD drive of the game via a Jalen Hurts Brotherly Shove.
Jalen Carter shut down the run game, especially inside the red zone. The stats look great, but they still don’t do him justice. He had a batted ball at the end of the first half and filled the stat sheet with four tackles, half a sack, and a tackle for loss. He is one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the game.
Zack Baun recovered a sack fumble that bounced around the turf, led the team in tackles, and added a tackle for loss. He is increasing the value of his next contract every week.
Reed Blankenship was the beneficiary of a fumble recovery via a Zack Baun hit. He also added four tackles.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson had his second interception of the season and the fifth turnover the Cowboys committed. He also finished second in tackles on the day with seven.
The Rookies
The 2024 NFL Draft picks were so active in the win at Dallas that they get their section this week.
Johnny Wilson made his first career NFL TD reception. His size plays in the red zone.
Ainias Smith 2 receptions for 6 yards on two targets.
Will Shipley had nine carries for 34 yards and averaged 32 yards per return on kick-off duty. He runs hard with a purpose every time his hands are on the ball. He could be RB2 as soon as next season.
Quinyon Mitchell was targeted five times, allowing two catches for 15 yards. He made two tackles and two pass defenses, including a PBU. He is one of the stingiest corners in the league and could be on his way to earning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Cooper DeJean recovered Zeke Elliott’s fumble in the end zone to thwart a Dallas score. He only allowed 5 yards on five targets in coverage. He has been a revelation since taking the NCB and slot corner role.
Jalyx Hunt tipped a pass almost intercepted by Nakobe Dean and made his presence known throughout the game in limited snaps by adding a tackle. He is showing how talented he is every time he steps on the field. He played 25 snaps, good for 42% of the defensive plays versus Dallas!
Jeremiah Trotter Jr has played well on special teams this season and did again in Dallas.
Looking Ahead:
The 7-2 Philadelphia Eagles are in first place in the NFC and have won 5 in a row. The Eagles are playing their best football in over a year, and at the right time as they head home to face Washinton in an NFC East divisional showdown.
As always, Thank you for reading.
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Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
