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Eagles vs. Cowboys Week 8 Observations and Reaction (With Videos)

Adrian Fedkiw|

Why did Josh Huff have the longest pass attempt of the night?

Why use your No. 2 overall pick on Carson Wentz if he’s not going to throw the ball more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage?

Why didn’t Caleb Sturgis kick that 53-yard field goal?

Why is Wendell Smallwood getting the ball in the fourth quarter after not touching it all game?

Doug Pederson’s honeymoon is over.

Dak Prescott tossed a 5-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Jason Witten in overtime and the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 29-23 on Sunday night.

Witten’s score capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took 7:12 off the clock. Prescott scrambled around before finding the wide open tight end in the front of the end zone. Dallas scored the final 16 points of the game.

Carson Wentz completed 32-of-43 passes for ONLY 202 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Matthews caught 11 balls for ONLY 65 yards and score. When it’s 2-and-1 or 2nd-and-2, you have to take shots down the field. Instead, Pederson called one screen pass after another.

And when he did elect to throw the ball down the field …

It’s now 3rd-and-8 two plays later and it’s a swing pass to Darren Sproles in the right flat. This was one of a plethora of head-scratching play calls. And to put the cherry on top of the sundae, let’s not trot Caleb Sturgis out for a 53-yard field goal when he’s 17/18 on the year and split the uprights from 55 yards out right before halftime.

“Field position at that time is critical,” Pederson said. “(Sturgis) did kick the one before half, which was an excellent kick with no time left on the clock. Had we executed on the third-down play, we would have been in a little better position to kick the field goal at that time and we just didn’t execute on the play before.”

And what about the play call?

“Third and 8, play designed to get Sproles the ball out in space and the linebacker actually made a play on it,” Pederson said. “Designed actually for that look, for that coverage. Give them credit.”

But why not throw the ball beyond the sticks?

No, the Eagles don’t have a big-play threat and I understand being more conservative with Halapoulivaati Vaitai being thrust in at right tackle — he played well by the way. But if the Eagles continue to dink and dunk their way down the field and not do anything to keep the defense honest, Pederson’s offense will become beyond predictable.

It’s already becoming that way.

There were still plenty of bright spots on Sunday. Brandon Graham was a monster again, harassing Prescott for most of the contest. Jordan Hicks had an interception and he and Rodney McLeod continue to time their blitzes well and slice into the backfield playing the run. Sproles led the team in carries with 15, the fourth most of his career, and finished with 86 yards. He also added five receptions for 17 yards.

The Eagles held Ezekiel Elliott somewhat in check, he didn’t go over 100 yards rushing, tallying 96 on 22 carries. They were able to penetrate through the Cowboys’ outstanding offensive line and pressure Prescott, who was 19-of-39 for 287 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Philadelphia should’ve won the game, it was in a favorable position to win the game, but Pederson let the Cowboys off the hook.

RIP Dennis Green.

The Eagles opened up a 20-10 third quarter advantage when Sproles fought for 13 yards on a screen play and Wentz found Matthews for a 5-yard score one snap later to finish off the 12-play, 69-yard march a little past the midway point of the fourth.

Dan Bailey and Sturgis traded field goals on the next two possessions and it was 23-13 Philly early in the fourth. After the Eagles forced a three-and-out, a cold off the bench Smallwood received his one and only carry of the game and did this. The Cowboys’ Tyrone Crawford made mincemeat of Vaitai on the play.

“It was a safe play, safe run. We had a couple of assignment issues up front. But, you know, just have to learn to hang onto the ball in those situations,” Pederson said.

The turnover led to a Dan Bailey 49-yard field goal and trim the gap to 23-16. Then came the series where Pederson didn’t kick the field goal. Dallas regained possession with 6:26 left and easily went right down the field before Dez Bryant hauled in a 22-yard touchdown for the game-tying score with 3:11 to play. The catch came right after Leodis McKelvin nearly came up with a great diving interception.

Neither team was able to do anything on offense over their last two drives before the Cowboys marched right down the field in overtime.

Earlier, after Sturgis knocked through a 30-yard field goal for the game’s first points, Dallas scored the next 10. Prescott took it in himself from seven yards out and Bailey’s 38-yard field goal on the second play of the second quarter gave the Cowboys a seven-point margin.

Ryan Mathews, limited to four carries after fumbling against last Sunday, scored from a yard out late in the second quarter to even things up at 10-10.

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