Cowboys 17, Eagles 3
PHILADELPHIA -- The Dallas Cowboys shut down the high-powered offense of the Philadelphia Eagles and took over sole possession of first place in NFC East with a 17-3 victory on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles (3-4) played their second straight game without quarterback Michael Vick (hamstring) and backup Nick Foles -- the NFC offensive player of the week after he beat Tampa Bay 31-20 last Sunday -- didn't play nearly as well in his second straight start before he was knocked out of the game early in the fourth quarter with a head injury. Rookie quarterback Matt Barkley finished the game for the Eagles, who came into the game averaging 27.6 points per game, fourth best in the NFL.
After a ragged first quarter that had more penalties (six) than first downs (four), the Cowboys (4-3) finally mustered a little offense. They drove 44 yards in eight plays -- with quarterback Tony Romo connecting with three different receivers along the way -- before the drive stalled on the Eagles 20. Dallas settled for a 38-yard field goal by Dan Bailey to make it 3-0 with 3:17 left in the first half and that was the score at halftime.
The Cowboys took the second-half kickoff and promptly drove 66 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. The key play was a 19-yard pass from Romo to wide receiver Dez Bryant that put the ball on the Eagles' 2-yard line -- the first time either team made it into the red zone.
The Eagles appeared to have held the Cowboys to a field goal attempt when Romo's third-down pass sailed wide of Bryant in the end zone, but Eagles cornerback Bradley Fletcher was flagged for pass interference, giving Dallas a first down on the 1. Running back Phillip Tanner bulled into the end zone for the touchdown and the Cowboys had a 10-0 lead with 9:17 left in the third quarter.
The Eagles finally scored on the first play of the fourth quarter after an interception and 36-yard return by linebacker DeMeco Ryans put the ball on the Cowboys' 20. But the Eagles couldn't take full advantage of the turnover, picking up just 17 yards on 10 plays, and they had to settle for Alex Henery's 31-yard field goal that made it 10-3.
Dallas answered with their best drive of the game that ended with a 9-yard TD pass from Romo to wide receiver Terrance Williams that made it 17-3 with 9:25 left in the game.
NOTES: The Cowboys played without defensive end DeMarcus Ware (shoulder) and running back DeMarco Murray (knee). They were replaced by Kyle Wilbur and Joseph Randle, respectively. ... Eagles safety Patrick Chung was deactivated for the third time in the last four games because of a shoulder injury. He was replaced in the starting lineup once again by rookie Earl Wolff. ... Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, who came into the game averaging 105 rushing yards per game, was held to just 55 yards on 18 carries. ... The last time a team coached by the Eagles' Chip Kelly was shut out in the first half came in his first game at Oregon in 2009.
