By Zach Berman, Brooks Kubena, Jon Machota and Sam Jane
What a day for Dak Prescott. In the same game he passed Tony Romo to become the Dallas Cowboys’ all-time leader in passing yards, he also led a comeback from a 21-point deficit to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24–21 on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.
With the win, Dallas tied a franchise record for the biggest comeback in team history.
Prescott hit wide receiver George Pickens, who finished with nine catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, on a 24-yard slant to set up kicker Brandon Aubrey’s game-winning 42-yard field goal. Aubrey, who missed a 51-yarder earlier, drilled his second attempt to give Dallas (5-5-1) a critical win for its postseason hopes.
One of the NFL’s top rivalries produced an uncharacteristically messy game Sunday, as the teams combined for 22 penalties for 165 yards and committed two turnovers apiece. Cowboys star wideout CeeDee Lamb dropped three passes, including a potential go-ahead touchdown. Saquon Barkley lost a fumble for the first time this season. Aubrey’s errant 51-yard try was only his second miss of the season.
But in the end, Cowboys vs. Eagles delivered as it typically does. Dallas’ typically leaky defense held Philadelphia (8-3) scoreless in the second half. Prescott posted 354 yards passing, completing passes to seven different receivers. Pickens and Lamb caught 40-plus yard passes and continue to look like one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL.
Philadelphia still holds a commanding lead in the NFC East, but the Cowboys are now firmly in the race for a wild-card spot.
Biggest win of the season for Dallas
At one point it was 21-0 and appeared as if the Eagles were en route to just embarrassing the Cowboys. And then the Dallas defense showed up. Stop after stop, this was a unit that looked nothing like the group defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus had coached in the first nine games of the season. Trading for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and getting back linebacker DeMarvion Overshown has clearly lifted all boats. There were so many huge plays by the defense, but none bigger than Osa Odighizuwa’s sack of Jalen Hurts in the final minutes to get Dallas the ball back.
This was easily coach Brian Schottenheimer’s biggest win. Not only for how improbable it was, but also because of the opponent. The Eagles, the defending champions, entered Sunday as the Super Bowl favorites. But there’s just something about Prescott playing against the Eagles, especially at AT&T Stadium. And the addition of Pickens has just taken everything to another level. They might not make the playoffs, but the Cowboys showed Sunday, they can beat anyone. — Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer
A second-half meltdown for Eagles’ defense
After allowing a total of 16 points in their last two games, the Eagles ended their four-game win streak by giving up 24 unanswered points to the Cowboys. A nine-play, 49-yard drive within the final two minutes led to the game-winning 42-yard field goal. Philadelphia’s defense afforded the offense one more chance to win when it stopped the Cowboys on fourth-and-goal to maintain a tie score with 3:46 left in the game.
But the Eagles spent the majority of the game on their heels.
The Cowboys consistently moved the ball. And while two early turnovers on a fumble recovery and an interception by safety Reed Blankenship helped protect a 21-0 lead, the defense destabilized in the second half.
Injuries to cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (concussion) and Blankenship (thigh) forced defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to move Cooper DeJean to outside cornerback and debut Michael Carter II at nickel. DeJean surrendered two explosive passes that fueled Dallas touchdown drives. — Brooks Kubena, Eagles beat writer
Slow second half for Eagles’ offense
The Philadelphia offense jumped to a 21-0 lead with touchdowns on their first three possessions, and it appeared as if all the problems from recent weeks were solved. And then? They went silent.
The Eagles did not score again. They totaled 107 yards. They never advanced past the Cowboys’ 38-yard line. They had three three-and-outs. They fumbled the ball. They missed a field goal. They committed costly penalties.
The aggressiveness that was apparent early turned into a conservative approach, and it cost the Eagles. And when the Cowboys finally tied the score, Hurts took a costly third-down sack to thwart a possession. The Eagles had been used to playing from ahead, as they had not trailed in a game since Week 6. They believed they knew how to figure out ways to win, but this collapse will haunt the Eagles. — Zach Berman, Eagles beat writer
Eagles’ penalties prove costly
The Eagles committed 14 penalties — their most of the season and the most by the team since Nick Sirianni’s first game as head coach. Those penalties were detrimental, taking gains of 20 yards and 16 yards off the board for the offense and constantly helping the Cowboys’ offense move the chains. It also cost the Eagles valuable field position in the fourth quarter, which led to Dallas winning the field-position game. Sirianni talks often about “master the things that require no talent,” and the undisciplined plays will draw the ire of the coach this week. — Berman
Turnovers plagued Philadelphia
The Eagles entered the game with a league-low four turnovers, and they’re not shy about their emphasis on taking care of the ball. It’s seen on signs in the auditorium and in slogans that Sirianni shares with the team. The Eagles saw the other side of that. They committed two turnovers in the fourth quarter, including a fumble by Barkley while in field-goal range and a fumble by punt returner Xavier Gipson inside the Cowboys’ red zone. The Eagles’ defense made key stops after both turnovers to keep points off the board, although the Barkley penalty cost the Eagles a chance to take a late lead. — Berman