Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

DOMINATION IN BIG D

» HUGE 2ND HALF CARRIES EAGLES PAST COWBOYS, 37-9

- By Schuyler Dixon

ARLINGTON, TEXAS » No kicker, no problem for the Philadelph­ia Eagles.

Carson Wentz threw for two touchdowns and three 2- point conversion­s after Philadelph­ia lost kicker Jake Elliott to a head injury, and the Eagles all but wrapped up the NFC East with a 37- 9 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

The Eagles (9-1) out scored the Cowboys 30-0 in the second half while extending their winning streak to eight, their longest since and tied with New Orleans for the best current run in the NFL.

Philadelph­ia leads the second- place and defending division champion Cowboys ( 5- 5) by four games with six to play after handing Dallas its worst home loss at 8- yearold AT& T Stadium.

Dallas’ Dak Prescott threw a career- high three intercepti­ons and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown in his second straight loss without star running back Ezekiel Elliott, serving a six- game suspension for alleged domestic violence.

Luke Elliott’s injury wasn’t a factor for nearly a half because the NFL-leading Eagles couldn’t get in scoring position. They failed to get a first down on f ive straight first- half drives, starting with one at the Dallas 15 when Elliott missed a 34yard attempt and soon after left the field.

Trailing 9- 7 at halftime, Wentz led the Eagles on scoring drives of 75, 90 and 85 yards, the middle one boosted by Jay Ajayi’s 71- yard run against his hometown team in his second game since getting traded by Miami.

Ajayi had 91 yards on seven carries and LeGarrette Blount added 57 on 13 carries, including a 30- yarder leading to the last offensive touchdown.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson declared at halftime that he would go for every fourth down and try 2- point conversion­s after every touchdown.

It came into play right away when Corey Clement scored on an 11- yard run to open the second half and ran in a screen pass behind three blockers for the 2- pointer.

The first fourth- down try was Wentz ’ s 17yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery for a 29- 9 lead. That 2- point pass failed. Torrey Smith had the other TD catch, an 11- yarder.

After Derek Barnett hit Prescott’s leg and armas he was throwing, Nigel Bradham picked up the loose ball and ran it 37 yards for a touchdown. Wentz’s pass to Trey Burton provided the final margin.

The Cowboys appeared to have fixed the problems of missing injured left tackle Tyron Smith and 2016 All- Pro linebacker Sean Lee from a week earlier, when they allowed eight sacks of Prescott along with three Atlanta scoring drives following Lee’s injury in a 27- 7 loss to the Falcons.

But af ter protecting Prescott fairly well before halftime, Dallas allowed three sacks and 180 of Philadelph­ia’s seasonhigh 215 yards rushing in the second half.

Prescott was 18 of 31 for 145 yards for a careerwors­t 30.4 passer rating before backup Cooper Rush took mop- up duty.

INJURIES

Eagles: After missing wide right on the 34- yard field goal in the first quarter, Jake Elliott was evaluated for a head injury. He was in on the tackle on Switzer’s long return on the opening kickoff, but made an extra point and kicked off again before the missed field goal.

UP NEXT

Eagles: Home against Chicago next Sunday.

 ?? MICHAEL AINSWORTH — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Eagles running back Jay Ajayi ( 36) leads the Cowboys’ Xavier Woods ( 25) and Byron Jones ( 31) on a long run as Ajayi carries the ball in the second half Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Eagles running back Jay Ajayi ( 36) leads the Cowboys’ Xavier Woods ( 25) and Byron Jones ( 31) on a long run as Ajayi carries the ball in the second half Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
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 ?? MICHAEL AINSWORTH — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Philadelph­ia Eagles’ Carson Wentz, let, Zach Ertz ( 86) and Trey Burton, right, celebrate a two- point conversion caught by Burton in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Philadelph­ia Eagles’ Carson Wentz, let, Zach Ertz ( 86) and Trey Burton, right, celebrate a two- point conversion caught by Burton in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

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