Though the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Dallas Cowboys 33-13 on Sunday, they still have two infamous streaks standing. First, the Eagles haven’t swept the Cowboys in the regular season since 2011. Second, they haven’t beaten them in Dallas since 2017. Maybe next year, or in the playoffs, they’ll have another chance to end this drought.
The game was another disappointment, and here are 10 thoughts from the loss that leaves them 10-3:
Turning point. Three fumbles, all on the Cowboys’ side of the field – one each from Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith. Jalen Hurts’ cough-up at the Dallas 21 may have been the most costly. The Cowboys had just scored and the Eagles looked poised to answer despite committing three penalties on the drive. Maybe not much would have changed, especially with a defense that couldn’t make a stop in the first half, but it would have been interesting to see how things played out from there.
Schedule. The Eagles looked slow and tired against Dallas, probably due to the mental strain from the tough schedule. The game against Dallas was the fourth in a six-game run that began in Week 9, followed by a bye and games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers. It continues Monday night in Seattle.
Coaching. Falling behind at halftime in six straight games is a coaching issue. The Eagles have to start quicker, and that’s up to the coaches to put in a plan that will allow that to happen.
Target share. Hurts targeted just three receivers, but to target them and only them is ridiculous.
Julio Jones. In eight games, Jones has been targeted just eight times and has five catches for 16 yards and one touchdown. It seems like a waste of talent to not use him.
Zach Ertz. Can he be the answer in Philly’s quest to find another option?
Defense. Yes, it got torched again in the first half before any sort of adjustments could be made. At least the Eagles held the Cowboys without any touchdowns in the second half.
Josh Sweat. He has been invisible for the past two weeks, possibly due to his unusually large number of snaps. The Eagles’ lack of depth on the edge could be catching up to him.
Nolan Smith. The rookie played the most snaps of his season, with no recorded stats. His development is important for the team.
Kelee Ringo. The rookie cornerback made an appearance, but playing him should be a good thing. His development can only serve the Eagles well in the future.
Related: D’Andre Swift’s Production Fading After Strong Start