Dallas Cowboys Report Card: Good Grades in Philadelphia Eagles Demolition
The Dallas Cowboys continued their impressive roll by dismantling fellow NFC contender the Philadelphia Eagles 33-13 at AT&T Stadium.
Dak Prescott and the "Texas Coast Offense" were rolling in the first half, scoring on every possession, while coordinator Dan Quinn's defense held the much-vaunted Eagles offense to just two field goals.
The beatdown continued in the second half as the Cowboys defense didn't give up an offensive touchdown while also forcing fumbles for fun. While it wasn't as glamourous in the second half, the Cowboys played a good game against a contender as they blitzed their rivals.
Before the game, we highlighted five keys for the Cowboys to win and slay the Eagles, so what are our grades?
1. Control the emotion: BIG PASS The Cowboys controlled their emotions from the outset as they marched down the field on the opening drive, producing a 12-play 75-yard touchdown drive that took five minutes off the clock.
Donovan Wilson forced a Jalen Hurts fumble on Eagles first drive of the game, and they didn't look back as they rolled to a 24-6 lead at half-time en route to scoring on every first-half possession.
Dak went for 14 of 23 for 157 yards and two TDs and had a 110.2 rating in the first half.
When the game was there to win, Dallas was locked in.
2. Heed Bosa's blueprint: BIG PASS The target was to limit Hurts' running ability, and the Dallas defense did just that. After Hurts had four rushes for 28 yards in the first half, Hurts would have just one more rush for the second half, as he finished with five carries for 30 yards.
The Cowboys stopped the Eagles and Hurts' running game and, in truth, did it with ease.
The Cowboys defense forced three fumbles in the 33-13 win over the Eagles.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
3. Target the Eagles' slow secondary: BIG PASS The Cowboys' offense knew they had an advantage against the Eagles' defense speed-wise, and with completions of 26, 27, 30, 32, and 39 yards, Prescott torched the secondary as the speed Dallas had was on show.
Ferguson's 27 and 32-yard gains down the seam were a thing of beauty, as was Cooks' burning past his defender to set up a one-yard touchdown grab for Michael Gallup, and MG had himself a good 39-yard reception late in the game.
We knew the Eagles' defense couldn't run with the Cowboys' skill-position players, from CeeDee Lamb to Brandin Cooks to KaVontae Turpin, and it seems that Dallas and "Big Mike" did, too.
4. Get them turnovers: HUGE PASS Oh, how the tables have turned. In the Week 9 loss, the Cowboys forced three fumbles, and the Eagles somehow recovered all three.
But not this time.
Dallas forced three fumbles (another one from Hurts, which makes it seven loose balls in seven games) and recovered all of them. Donovan Wilson, Stephon Gilmore and Markquese Bell all got in the stealing action as Quinn's defense returned to its "Dallas Doomsday'' best.
The Cowboys won the turnover battle, and had it not been for Dak's fumble, the Eagles wouldn't have had a touchdown in the game.
5. Terence Steele and Pals Protect Prescott: PASS The Eagles managed to get to Dak three times and force a fumble, which Jalen Carter took to the house, but when the heat was on early, and the game was there to be won, the offensive line did its job.
Prescott was sacked just once in the first half as the Cowboys put some serious distance between themselves and the Eagles.
While the final stat line will see Prescott sacked three times, he was kept relatively clean when the game was there for the taking.
A special shoutout to Brandon Aubrey, who continued his stunning start to his NFL career, nailing 60, 59, 45, and 50-yard field goals.
Overall, it was a big test Dallas faced, and it was another one the 10-3 Cowboys passed with flying colors. In doing so, they made the NFC East and NFC race much more intriguing by laying waste to a contender. ... making the Eagles look like a pretender.
