Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Eagles hold on to first place
Brutally ugly victory over Cowboys leaves plenty of questions
PHILADELPHIA » Whether they have two wins, zero wins, a Hall of Fame quarterback or a third- string rookie who wasn’t good enough to play at Pitt, they’re still the Dallas Cowboys.
And make no mistake, Eagles fans are keeping score.
Whatever it is, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson always struggles against the Cowboys, which was the case again Sunday night in a 23- 9 win at Lincoln Financial Field.
Instead of letting the game come to him, Pederson went out of body with low percentage fourth- down gambles and borderline exotic play calls and it was contagious. Carson Wentz, operating behind a makeshift off ensive line, turned the ball over four times to give the Cowboys and rookie seventh- round quarterback Ben DiNucci a chance to prevail.
Rodney McLeod alertly returned a fumble 53 yards for a score with 5: 18 left to put this one away. Except for McLeod, there was a lot of standing around after T. J. Edwards stripped the ball from DiNucci.
Thankfully for Pederson, the Eagles are 3- 4- 1 and in control of the NFC East lead, and he’s 4- 5 versus the Cowboys. Not quite Andy Reid stuff , as Big Red was 17- 12 (. 586)
including the playoff s coaching against Dallas. But Pederson is inching closer to former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, who was 3- 3 (. 500) versus the Cowboys. The Cowboys are 2- 6. The Eagles survived creative special teams strategy by the Cowboys, who took a
safety late in the game instead of punting out of the end zone to fall behind 23- 9. They then tried an onside kick on the free kick – a punt by Greg Zuerlein. The ball landed in a sea of players, the Eagles recovered and that was the end of that.
The creativity, however, was overshadowed by below average performance on both sides. That’s life these days in the East.
DiNucci joined three other rookies beaten by the Eagles in their NFL starting debuts, a list composed of the nondescript Brandon Weeden ( Browns), John Beck ( Dolphins) and Cade McNown ( Bears).
Joe Webb, who started against the Eagles in that infamous Tuesday night game at the Linc in 2010, is the only rookie to beat the Birds in his debut.
At the end of the first half, it was Zuerlein 9, Eagles 7. The Cowboys’ kicker nailed two 49yard field goals and a 59- yarder – with six seconds left – that behaved like a bad golf shot crushed into a nasty crosswind. Yet it cleared the crossbar and split the uprights. The latter boot is the longest field goal of the NFL season.
Wentz helped make that possible with three turnovers, including his league- leading 11th interception in the second quarter. Cornerback Trevon Diggs, the defender opponents love to target, made a sprawling catch at the boundary in the end zone for the pick.
Counting two more lost fumbles, it gave Wentz a league- high 15 turnovers and counting, as Diggs intercepted another deep ball in his own end zone. That made a dozen picks and 16 giveaways for Wentz.
Then there was Pederson, who stubbornly gambled on two fourth- and- short situations at the 44- yard line of the Cowboys instead of making the rookie and a bag of gadget plays keep the visitors alive.
The failures gave the Cowboys short fields and DiNucci just enough room to get Zuerlein in range.
The Eagles’ offensive ineptitude was surprising despite another change on the offensive line with Jordan Mailata starting at right tackle in place of the scratched Lane Johnson. Mailata gave up a sack to DeMarcus Lawrence on Wentz’s first pass, one of three sacks in the half by the Cowboys.
Wentz also absorbed a wicked hit by blitzing linebacker Kyle Vander Esch, his head bouncing off the turf.
The Eagles were 1 of 4 on third down and 0- for- 2 on fourth down in the first half against a defense that was allowing almost 35 points per game.
After Diggs’ second interception and 33- yard return, the Cowboys ran the ball eight straight times, reaching the 26- yard line of the Eagles. Fletcher Cox dropped wide receiver Cedrick on double- reverse, and the Eagles got their break when Zuerlein missed a 52- yarder.
It gave the Eagles a first down at their own 42- yard line.
Wentz marched the Eagles 58 yards in nine plays with one costly Cowboys penalty, throwing a nine- yard scoring fade to Fulgham, and a ball to Jalen Reagor on the two- point try. It gave the Eagles a 15- 9 lead with 1: 54 left in the quarter.
The Cowboys opened the playbook on their first series. After a seven- yard run by Elliott,
Lamb gained 19 on a double- reverse and Elliott got three taking the direct snap from center Joe Looney, who was back in the starting lineup. Elliott and wide receiver Cedrick Wilson took turns strategically in the wildcat.
DiNucci completed a 12- yard pass to Lamb for a first down, then got slammed to the ground by Vinny Curry, who threw him for a 12- yard loss, the first of four sacks on the night.
The Cowboys stayed on the field long enough for Zuerlein to kick his first 49- yard field goal for a 3- 0 lead.
It sure looked like it would be a tough night for the Cowboys when running back Boston Scott, starting in place of the injured Miles Sanders, burst over the right side for a 19- yard gain on the Eagles’ first play.
But Wentz was sacked twice on the series, the second time escaping the pocket. Safety Donovan Wilson ran Wentz down and jolted the ball loose with a blow to the chest. It was just the fourth takeaway of the season for the Cowboys, a league low, and it gave the Cowboys a first down at the 25 of the Eagles.
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham repaid the favor after the Cowboys reached the four- yard line of the Eagles, jarring the ball loose from DiNucci for his seventh sack. Graham also recovered it.
The Eagles marched 83 yards for a score to take a 7- 3 lead on Wentz’s two- yard pass to Reagor, who had a six- yard run and an eight- yard catch on the series.
The Eagles blew two chances to intercept DiNucci, Jalen Mills and Alex Singleton dropping throws toward the sideline that had pick- six written on them. The slippery turf – a driving rain pelted the Linc an hour before the kickoff – didn’t help.
Instead, DiNucci got the Cowboys close enough for Zuerlein to boot another 49- yard field goal five minutes into the second quarter.