PHILADELPHIA – The Cowboys went into Philadelphia and took care of business, rallying from a third-quarter deficit to score the final 18 points.
There were some big plays by the offense and defense, and even one on special teams that was called back … but maybe that was a good thing.
Here are a handful of plays that might have changed the outcome:
Pass to Flournoy on second drive – The Cowboys trailed 7-3, and momentum was against them early as the offense faced a third-and-long in their own territory. But Dak Prescott fired a throw to Ryan Flournoy, who then tight-roped the sideline for a 35-yard gain to the Eagles' 34. From there, the Cowboys kept the drive going and scored their first touchdown off a Prescott pass to CeeDee Lamb in the corner of the end zone for a 10-7 lead. Without Flournoy's big catch, the Cowboys likely would've given the Eagles good field position and fallen even further behind.
Wiping out a TD is a good thing? – OK, this might be a stretch, but hear me out. When the Cowboys trailed 14-10 early in the second quarter, Tyler Goodson actually returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown, but it was wiped out due to a penalty by Justin Barron. Seeing a kickoff for a score taken off the board is never a good thing, right? Well, the defense had just given up a long TD drive and was about to be on the field again. The Cowboys, despite the penalty, still put together a scoring drive to take the lead, and then on the Eagles' next possession, Dallas was actually able to get their first stop. So the Cowboys scored anyway while also giving the defense some needed rest.
Eagles' first penalty before half – The Cowboys led 17-14 late in the second quarter, but after a punt from their own end zone, the Eagles were about to take over near midfield with a chance to score before the half. However, when the ball was in the air, the Eagles were flagged for holding, which negated their good field position. Not only was it the first penalty of the game for the Eagles, but it pushed them back to their own 41. From there, the Cowboys defense stepped up with a three-and-out and forced a punt. That gave Dallas the chance to go down and kick a field goal. Instead of Philadelphia potentially tying or taking the lead, the Cowboys led by six at the half. That penalty by the Eagles certainly changed the play-calling.
Eagles penalty on Lamb drop – Down 21-20 in the third quarter, the Cowboys went back to work on offense and faced a third-and-8. Not only was it a passing situation, but Prescott had just taken a shot to the midsection and appeared out of breath. But they had to pass it, and Dak stepped up and threw a bullet to Lamb, who actually dropped what would've been a first down. However, a defensive holding on Riq Woolen gave the Cowboys a first down anyway. That proved to be pivotal as the offense ended the drive with a touchdown and two-point conversion to regain the lead for good.
Ferguson draws P.I. penalty – With the Cowboys leading 28-21 in the fourth quarter, the Eagles had them pinned back at their own 16-yard line and needed a big stop. But on first down, Prescott went to Jake Ferguson, who didn't have a catch in the game. But he drew a big pass interference penalty on Cooper DeJean at the 33, giving the Cowboys needed breathing room. After that, the offense drove down for a field goal and a 10-point lead.
