'We Punched Back!' Cowboys Can't Overcome Mistakes, Eagles Defense in 26-17 Loss: Live Game Updates
The Dallas Cowboys visited inhospitable territory this weekend as they prepared for a Sunday Night Football matchup with the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
It ended in a 26-17 loss ... and a moment of reflection from coach Mike McCarthy as he summarized the comeback effort.
"We punched back,'' he said with some level of pride.
How did it all break down? Our chronological look ...
The Cowboys are enjoying a surprising four-game winning streak with backup quarterback Cooper Rush under center. ... and that status will continue, as the Cowboys - after maybe playing some "mind games'' - will list Dak Prescott as OUT for the game ... maybe one last time.
Rush hasn't put up imposing numbers statistically, but his performances have been steady and effective, and he's avoided mistakes. Rush is 65-of-105 with four touchdowns and zero interceptions while being sacked just five times during the winning streak.
But the Eagles can boast a streak of five games won since the season started. In fact, Philadelphia has now won eight consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season, the longest streak in the league.
How can the Cowboys maintain the momentum gained with Rush at quarterback and walk out of Philly with a win over the yet-undefeated Eagles?
It begins with the play of the defense. The Eagles have a good offensive line, but the Cowboys' defense is presumably better. Dallas ranks seventh in the league allowing 311.4 points per game, but more importantly, third in the NFL allowing just 14.4 points per game. Only Buffalo and San Francisco are better.
The defense has played a perfect strategy of "bend, but don't break" this year, and it's benefitted the offense.
That trend will have to continue on Sunday night, as the Eagles rank second in the league with 419.8 yards per game, and fifth in scoring at 27.0 points per game.
A defensive touchdown and/or takeaway wouldn't hurt things, either.
Another key to a Cowboys win will be the play of Rush, who will have to continue his consistent and mistake-free play against Philadelphia.
Last week, Dallas beat Los Angeles despite Rush throwing for just 102 yards. He may need a better showing to beat the Eagles, as the Cowboys probably won't be able to rush for 160-plus yards as they did against the Rams.
Rush might not need to pass for 350 yards, but he's got to get the passing game going in order to open up the run game against a strong defensive front for Philadelphia. Receiver CeeDee Lamb could help the cause with a big game.
But the key for Rush may be "game management.'' Dallas can't gift the Eagles any possessions in the form of turnovers.
And lastly, it would be nice to see the Cowboys' offense play with a short field for a couple of possessions. That can be accomplished by return man KaVontae Turpin showing what he showed us in the preseason.
Turpin may need to break a couple of returns, if not for a touchdown, then at least into Eagles territory for a short field for Rush and the offense.
Dallas is a six-point underdog and yet has a good chance at a win Sunday night, but it might take a near-perfect performance against an excellent Eagles team on their turf.
Make sure to follow along with in-game updates as they happen with CowboysSI.com.
Cowboys vs. Eagles will appear here after kickoff...
FIRST QUARTER: Eagles 0, Cowboys 0
Dallas takes the ball from its own 16.
Lamb runs right side for eight yards on first down then Elliott runs right guard for just one yard.
On 3rd and 2 the Cowboys are short as the Eagles' defense holds Dallas to a three-and-out.
Anger punts 60 yards to the PHI 15, and Covey returns to the PHI 29 for 14 yards.
Hurts passes to Smith for 13 yards to the PHI 42 before Hurts is sacked at the PHI 33 by Dorance Armstrong for a loss of nine yards.
The Dallas defense holds the Philly offense as Hurts misses Brown on an easy pass deep on the left side.
The Philly kick goes to the DAL 12 where Turpin returns to the DAL 24 for 12 yards.
The Cowboys go 17 yards in five plays and the offense stalls.
The Anger punt goes 59 yards to the end zone for a touchback. Philly will start the drive with the ball at the 25.
Hurts finds Stoll for 21 yards to the PHI 43, then finds Goedert for nine yards to the DAL 45.
On 3rd and 5 Gainwell gets only two but the Eagles go for it on fourth down and get 11 yards to the DAL 27.
Then on 3rd an 1 from the DAL 18, Hurts sneaks up the middle for a first down.
On 4th and 4, Dallas jumped offsides for a first down.
END OF THE FIRST QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER: Eagles 20, Cowboys 3
TOUCHDOWN EAGLES: Sanders runs to the left side for five yards for the touchdown. The Elliott extra point is good for a 7-0 Philadelphia lead with 14:55 left in the second quarter. The scoring drive goes 80 yards in 15 plays and took 7:36 off the clock.
The Elliott kick goes 65 yards to the end zone for a touchback.
INTERCEPTION EAGLES: Rush's pass deep middle for Gallup is tipped and intercepted by Gardner-Johnson at the DAL 44.
The Eagles' offense is doing whatever they want right now against the Cowboys' defense...
Sanders runs for another eight yards to the DAL 14.
TOUCHDOWN EAGLES: Hurts passes short right to Brown who runs it in 15 yards for a touchdown. The Elliot extra point is good for a 14-0 score. The scoring drive went 44 yards in seven plays in 4:07.
Dallas starts at their own 25 after the kickoff.
The Eagles have dominated teams to the tune of 106-24 in the second quarter this season.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS to EAGLES: Dallas is short on third down and attempts a surprise fourth down play and it's incomplete.
The Eagles take over at the DAL 34.
On 3rd and 6 Watkins loses three yards.
FIELD GOAL EAGLES: Elliott is good from 51 for a 17-0 Eagles lead with 7:53 left in the half. The scoring drive goes one yard in four plays and takes 1:31 off the clock.
Dallas takes over from its own one-yard line.
Pollard runs for one yard then 15 then no gain then one for a 3rd and 9 at the DAL 26.
INTERCEPTION EAGLES: Rush passes deep middle for Gallup intercepted by Slay at the DAL 46.
Hurts is complete to Smith for 11 yards then again to Smith for eight yards.
On 2nd and 10 Scott runs for a loss of three yards to the DAL 23.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
Hurts runs up the middle for 12 yards to the DAl 16.
FIELD GOAL EAGLES: Elliott is good from 34 yards for a 20-0 lead with 1:47 left in the half. The scoring drive goes 30 yards in eight plays and took 3:27 off the clock.
The kickoff goes to the end zone and Turpin returns 62 yards to the PHI 41.
Rush is good for 11 yards to Hendershot then nine yards to Gallup before an incomplete pass to Gallup in the end zone.
FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher is good from 30 for a 20-3 Eagles lead. The scoring drive goes 29 yards in nine plays and took 1:18 off the clock with 29 seconds left in the half.
END OF THE FIRST HALF
THIRD QUARTER: Eagles 20, Cowboys 10
The Eagles start the half with the ball from their own 25.
Hurts is complete to Goedert for 15 yards on first down.
On 3rd and 9 Hurts is sacked by Donovan Wilson at the line of scrimmage.
Siposs punts 54 yards to the DAL 6 and returned 15 yards to the DAL 21 by Turpin.
Pollard runs for two yards and Ferguson catches a pass for nine yards for a first down.
Pollard then runs up the middle for eight yards to the DAL 40, then runs again for three.
Rush hits McKeon for 10 yards to the PHI 37 and then hits Ferguson for 22 yards to the PHI 25 as the Cowboys are moving the ball for the first time in the game.
Elliott runs up the middle for six on 2nd and 5.
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Elliott runs left for 14 yards for the touchdown. The Maher extra point is good for a 20-10 Eagles lead. The scoring drive goes 79 yards in nine plays and took 4:28 off the clock.
The Eagles take over from their own 25, and Hurts throws incomplete to Brown.
On 2nd and 10 Parsons broke up a pass and taunted Goedert then after about 10 seconds got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. 1st and 10 Eagles from the PHI 45.
On 3rd and 7 Hurts is sacked for a loss of 12 yards to the PHI 36 by Dante Fowler.
The punt goes 58 yards to the DAL 6 and is returned by Turpin to the DAL 39 but is nullified by a Kelvin Joesph defensive holding call to the DAL seven.
Elliott carries for eight yards, then again for six yards. Rush finds Gallup for nine yards at the DAL 21.
On 3rd and 1, Elliott runs for six yards to the DAL 36 as Zack Martin leads the way.
The Cowboys get another first down with a 13-yard completion from Rush to Lamb at the 50 on a 3rd and 9.
Rush found Lamb again for a 16-yard completion to the PHI 20.
On 2nd and 14, Elliott runs for 12 yards for an upcoming 3rd and 2.
END OF THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER: Eagles 26, Cowboys 17
On 3rd and 2 Rush found Ferguson for four yards to the PHI eight-yard line, and Slay is called for an illegal contact penalty for a first down Cowboys.
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Rush finds Jake Ferguson for a seven-yard touchdown pass, his first NFL touchdown reception. The Maher extra point is good for a 20-17 Eagles lead with 14:39 left in the game. The scoring drive goes 93 yards in 15 plays and took 7:07 off the clock.
The Cowboys have scored 17 unanswered points since going down 20-0.
The Eagles take over from the 25.
Sanders runs for 13, then five, then one, before Hurts scrambles for five yards for a first down.
On 3rd and 5, Gainwell runs for six yards and a first down to the DAL 34.
Hurts gets another first down with a sneak to the DAL 31, then finds Brown for 22 yards to the DAL seven-yard line for a 1st and Goal.
TOUCHDOWN EAGLES: Hurts finds DeVontae Smith for seven yards and a touchdown. There was an after-the-whistle penalty on Diggs after the touchdown that PHI elected to enforce on a two-point conversion. The conversion attempt was no good with 7:30 left for a 26-17 Eagles lead.
The Cowboys take possession from their own 25 after the kick. Rush finds Ferguson for wo the Elliott runs for 11 yards.
Elliott runs for another two to the DAL 40.
INTERCEPTION EAGLES: Rush passes to Lamb deep left and it's intercepted by Gardner-Johnson at the PHI 47.
Sanders carries left tackle for nine yards to the DAL 44.
On 3rd and 7, Hurts fumbles and recovers his own fumble for a loss.
The Siposs punt goes 30 yards to the DAL 12.
Rush throws incomplete to Hendershot then hits Hendershot for 11 yards to the DAL 23. Rush then hit Lamb for seven yards to the DAL 30.
Rush hit Lamb for 24 yards to the PHI 41.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS to EAGLES: Maher missed a 59-yard field goal wide right. The Eagles take over on downs.
The Eagles ran the clock out for the win.
END OF GAME
