Observations: Eagles 33, Cowboys 10

    150 150 Robert Moody

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    Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/birds247/2014/11/27/observations-eagles-vs-cowboys-2/#LaVHvTJdIxjTVKRq.99

    ARLINGTON, Texas – Here’s what we saw during today’s Eagles-Cowboys game.

    OFFENSE

    * The Eagles’ offense moved up and down the field on the Cowboys to the tune of 464 yards and 33 points. They scored on seven of 111 drives and only turned it over once.

    * Mark Sanchez played a clean game, completing 20 of 29 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps most importantly, he did not throw an interception. Sanchez also made plays with his legs, running five time for 29 yards.

    * The Eagles’ run game was productive as well. They ran 45 times for 256 yards (5.7 YPC). LeSean McCoy had 25 runs for 159 yards (6.4 YPC).

    * On their first drive, the Eagles went 80 yards on nine plays. Sanchez kept the ball and scored from 2 yards out. Later, Sanchez rolled to his left and found Jordan Matthews for a 27-yard TD.

    * The Eagles had plenty of big plays. McCoy picked up 36 on a counter run in the first. In the second half, he had a 38-yard touchdown on an inside zone run. Evan Mathis flattened a linebacker on the play. Jeremy Maclin had a 59-yard grab in the first half, making a catch down the sideline and then reversing field.

    * Maclin finished with eight catches for 108 yards. Matthews had four for 51.

    * The Eagles put together six scoring drives of 50+ yards. They were just 1-for-5 in the red zone. Late in the first half, Chip Kelly called a fade to Riley Cooper on third down, and Sanchez made a bad throw. It was a questionable call, considering the other weapons on offense. In the second half, Sanchez had to use a timeout in the red zone. He had words with Cooper afterwards, presumably about where Cooper was lined up. On the next play, Sanchez threw to Cooper, who wasn’t looking.

    * Darren Sproles was effective again with 32 yards on four touches.

    * The Eagles’ offensive line played well and kept Sanchez clean all game long. He was sacked once and hit once on the day.

    DEFENSE

    * The Eagles’ defense was fantastic. Billy Davis’ crew only allowed 10 points, and the field goal came after a McCoy fumble, with the Cowboys already in scoring range.

    * Tony Romo did not look healthy and was off all game long. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 199 yards and two interceptions. The Eagles sacked him four times.

    * The run defense was excellent, limiting the Cowboys to 93 yards on 25 carries (3.7 YPC). DeMarco Murray had 20 rushes for 73 yards. It was a team effort, but Fletcher Cox was unblockable. He had four tackles (two for loss), a sack and a QB hit.

    * Big play by Brandon Boykin late in the first half. He stripped Cole Beasley, and Nate Allen recovered. The Eagles kicked a field goal on their ensuing possession. Allen later had an interception in the fourth quarter.

    * The secondary held up well. Dez Bryant had a 38-yard grab against Bradley Fletcher, but otherwise was a non-factor. He had four catches for 73 yards on the day.

    * On one play in the first half, the Cowboys had a bad snap, and Romo went down immediately. Vinny Curry got credit for the sack, his seventh of the season.

    * Cox was a beast specifically in the second half. He stopped a third-and-short run on the Cowboys’ opening possession. After the McCoy fumble, he dropped Murray for a loss with the Cowboys in the red zone. On third down, Romo felt pressure and went down. Casey Matthews was credited with the sack.

    * On a later possession, Brandon Graham and Cox both notched sacks. And Cary Williams had an interception.

    * Mychal Kendricks was very active. He had a tackle for loss on a 4th-and-1 play in the second half. Kendricks left briefly with a quad injury, but later returned. Emmanuel Acho dressed, but didn’t play (as far as we could tell). Casey Matthews was on the field in base and nickel. The Eagles also played dime with Nolan Carroll.

    * Cowboys returner drilled Carroll on a special teams play in the fourth. That started a mini-scrum between both teams.

     

    AUTHOR

    Robert Moody

    All stories by: Robert Moody
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