Photo Credit, Andre Odums/Ossports
Expectations hang in the balance as the Cowboy season unfolds. It’s mid-season, but three early-season losses bring new tactics.
The Cowboys entered the season as one of the Super Bowl favors. Still, it must improve on mental mistakes, penalties and limit settling for three points in the red zone.
During its recent battle against the Philadelphia Eagles, facing fourth and goal, Prescott’s pass to Luke Schoonmaker appeared to be a touchdown, but after review, it was overturned. The replay showed Schoonmaker’s left knee outside the end zone. The score would have left the Cowboys eying a four or five-point disadvantage depending on the outcome of the bonus kick, 28-24.
That third loss came at the hands of another Superbowl hopeful, the Philadelphia Eagle, 28-23 on Sunday evening at Lincoln.
Prescott heaved a desperation pass to CeeDee Lamb at the three-yard line with no time left, but several Eagle defenders quickly wrestled Lamb, who bagged 11 receptions for 192 yards, to the ground as the home crowd erupted.
“It’s a game of inches; that’s why you got to love this game,” Prescott mentioned. It’s tough to win. A lot of good things came out of this game despite the loss. We will use the fight and a lot of the success as we keep going.”
The Eagles (8-1) opened the third quarter trailing 17-14, but Hurts back-to-back touchdown passes to Devonta Smith and Olamide Zaccheaus gave it an 11-point advantage, 28-17, contributing to Dallas’ uphill climb.
Despite facing pressure in the pocket from Fletcher Cox, Nakobe Dean, and Haason Reddick, Prescott completed 29-0f-44 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns but could not come up with that clutch play to put the Cowboys over the hump.
On a day when things needed to work on all cylinders, Gallop dropped a pass inside the 30-yard line late in the second quarter. Instead of a possible touchdown, Dallas (5-3) settled for a 51-yard field goal with 1:20 left in the half to break the tied score, 17-14.
Hurts, who accounted for three of Philadelphia’s four scores, threw for 207 yards on 17-of-23 attempts and two touchdowns, executed the Eagles offensive scene, compounding Dallas’ task. In the first half, A. J. Brown, Dallas Goedert, and Zacchheaus all came up with big catches to help the Eagle keep pace with the Cowboys.
“It’s always about finding a way to win,” Hurts said. All that matters is winning. That’s something I have been saying all year.”
Brown, who finished with seven grabs for 66 yards, is the first Eagle to surpass 1,000 yards receiving in just nine games.
Kenneth Gainwell scored Philadelphia’s first touchdown with 5:45 to go in the first quarter as he bounced to the outside, and 12 yards later, he dived into the end zone.
The Cowboys responded as Prescott threw a four-yard scoring pass to Jake Ferguson, who caught seven balls for 91 yards.
The Cowboys will host the Giants next Sunday at 3:25 pm. The Eagles will have a bye week and travel the following Monday to meet the Chiefs.
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