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If there was any hope, even the slightest sliver of hope that bubbled to the surface as the Giants played a turd of a game in Cincinnati, it disappeared in the 2:25 of game time when the Cowboys scored 21 points on Sunday afternoon. Dallas' 38-23 victory at Lincoln Financial Field was the final stake in the heart of the Eagles season.
Over. Done. No mas. No chance for recussitation. It's time to look toward Nick Foles, 2013 and beyond.
With that, here's the studs and duds from the last meaningful Eagles game this season. Again, thanks for your votes.
People's Dud
King Dunlap - The 6-foot-9 tackle moved to the right side against the Cowboys. That's where Dunlap fell apart trying to block DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer in the second half. He was flagged for three penalties and even tackled his own running back on a red zone possession he single-handedly derailed in the third quarter. Bottom line: It was a disastrous second half for the King, after a pretty decent first half too.
Raanan's Dud
Nate Allen - I could have gone so many ways in this spot. There were enough missed tackles to fill my notebook, including Allen's on Felix Jones' 11-yard touchdown reception in the first half. Of course, Allen had company. Three other Eagles (Brandon Graham, Nnamdi Asomugha and Kurt Colemen) missed tackles on that cringe-worthy play. But it wasn't Allen's only missed tackle. By my count, he had at least three in the game, maybe more. Aside from that, he was invisible.
People's Stud
Jeremy Maclin - He caught eight passes on 12 targets for 93 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown. He took several tough hits, including one where he was flipped in midair and landed on his back. Maclin was in serious pain following the game. He even needed help lifting his hands over his head and removing his pads. Yet he played hard (minus that one instance where he stopped prior to taking a big hit on a slant) until the final whistle. It was a commendable effort for the fourth-year wideout.
Raanan's Stud
Fletcher Cox - In my estimation, this was Cox's best performance since Week 4 against the Giants. The rookie first-round pick had a sack, tackle for a loss and two quarterback hurries. He was constantly in the Cowboys backfield and pushing the pocket. The only knock on his game was the whiff he had on the game-changing Tony Romo scramble and throw to Miles Austin for 25 yards late in the third quarter. Cox's miss wouldn't have been a big deal if Jason Babin or Mike Patterson didn't follow with their own misses on Romo. Still, individually, it was still a strong game in the trenches for Cox.
Honorable Mention: Dallas Reynolds
Jordan Raanan has covered the NFL since 2005. Follow him on Twitter @JordanRaanan, on Facebook or email him at jraanan@hotmail.com.