Further Review: What Really Happened in Philly
The Cowboys have now lost three straight games, although this one had a different feel to it. Dallas had its chances before falling in the end. Let's look back once more at the key moments in Philly.
Player of the Game: Called up from injured reserve on Friday, Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards stuffed the stat sheet Sunday night. He racked up 12 tackles, one for loss, with a sack and a forced fumble. He replaced the injured Nathan Gerry and the Eagles didn't miss a beat. He was the centerpiece of an Eagles attack that stopped Zeke and the running game and pressured Ben DiNucci all night.
Nemesis: Maybe he didn't have the greatest stat line of his career, but Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was a beast inside yet again. He had three tackles, a sack and two for losses, while recording two hits on the quarterback. Cox also drew a holding call and controlled the middle of the line of scrimmage, especially on passing downs.
Unsung Hero: What can we say about the game rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs had on Sunday? Do you focus on the two touchdowns he gave up, or the two interceptions he had, becoming the first rookie since 2010 to snag two picks in a game for the Cowboys. In reality, that's the life of playing a talented rookie such as Diggs. He's going to give up plays, but he'll make some as well, evident by his game on Sunday.
Turning Point: The Cowboys led 9-7 midway through the third quarter following an interception by Trevon Diggs. The offense ran the ball seven straight times and had moved to the Eagles' 26 before calling a reverse pass to Cedrick Wilson, who was swarmed and dropped by Fletcher Cox for a 10-yard loss. The Cowboys only gained two yards on third down and Greg Zuerlein's 52-yard field goal attempt was no good.
Don't Forget ... The Cowboys had a first-and-goal at the Eagles' 4 following a fumble recovery by Donovan Wilson. Looking for a touchdown that would've given them their first two-score lead of the season, the Cowboys went backwards. A three-yard loss by Zeke was followed by a sack and forced fumble on DiNucci, negated a chance for a possible 10-0 lead.
So, That Happened: While the intentional safety is rather rare, it's especially uncommon when trying to get the ball back. The Cowboys found themselves down 12 and facing fourth and long deep in their own territory. From the sideline, the coaches instructed the players to tell snapper L.P. Ladouceur to intentionally snap the ball over punter Chris Jones' head for a safety. That gave the Cowboys a shot to attempt another rare onside attempt as kicker Greg Zuerlein punted the ball straight up, creating a loose ball on the ground, that was ultimately covered by the Eagles to secure the win.
Stat of the Game: The Cowboys were stopped behind the line of scrimmage on 10 different plays Sunday. Four of those were sacks on Ben DiNucci, who fumbled twice – once leading to a touchdown. But six other players were times the Eagles slithered through into the backfield to either stop Zeke or snuff out the reverse runs and other trick plays the Cowboys ran often.
Milestone: Ben DiNucci became the 14th quarterback in franchise history to start a game as a rookie. Those players are now 4-10 in those games, although Drew Henson (2004) and Jason Garrett (1993) were both replaced by veterans for the second half. DiNucci's 40 attempts ranks second all-time among rookies playing in their first start.
