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The Philadelphia Eagles were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday by a final score of 20 to 10.
The game got off to a slow start for both sides. The Cowboys scored the first points of the game on a long drive that was just inches away from being called a touchdown. Gavin Escobar's diving attempt was ruled short of the goal line and it paid off for Philadelphia. After majorly struggling in both coverage and run support, DeMeco Ryans made a heroic play to knock down Tony Romo's fade pass into the end zone.
But for as much as Philadelphia's defense did their part early on, the Eagles' offense wasn't holding up their end of the bargain at all. They couldn't do anything against a Dallas defense missing some of its best pass rushers. One of the most promising plays of the entire first half was a Miles Austin pass that would have gone for a first down ... he had not dropped it. Once again, the Eagles completely failed to get the run game going.
The Eagles' defense took a few big hits in the second quarter when Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks both left the game with injuries. Alonso, who hurt his knee, was immediately ruled out. Kendricks went to the locker room with a hamstring injury and didn't return.
Philadelphia picked up their first non-penalty assisted first down early in the second half. Their offensive "success" was short-lived after DeMarco Murray was stuffed in the backfield on consecutive plays. To make matters worse for the Eagles, Donnie Jones had his punt blocked and returned for a Cowboys touchdown. Jones got absolutely laid out on the play and came up hurting.
Things started to turn around in the third quarter when Jordan Hicks forced a fumble on Tony Romo. The Eagles' defense had really good coverage to force the strip sack. Romo came up seriously hurting after the play and left the game. Brandon Weeden came in to replace him.
The Eagles responded to the Dallas turnover with a first down. And then another! And then soon enough the Eagles were actually in scoring position. Who would have thought that was even possible? Just when things looked too good to be true, they were. Sam Bradford threw an interception directly to Sean Lee in the end zone. Awful throw.
Philadelphia's first points of the day came early in the fourth quarter on a Cody Parkey field from 46 yards out. Bradford had Nelson Agholor open for a first down in the red zone but the quarterback's pass was off target.
It looked like the Eagles might have life after Maxwell forced a fumble on the Cowboys and Malcolm Jenkins returned it to put the Eagles in good field posiiton. But then even more disaster struck: Jason Kelce snapped the ball faster than Bradford was expecting and the Cowboys immediately recovered. Hilariously pathetic.
Bradford was picked off for the second time in the game after a catchable ball bounced off Ertz's hands and into the air. For as much as the quarterback struggled, he certainly wasn't getting much help from his pass catchers.
Maxwell got burned by Terrance Williams to seal the game late in the fourth quarter, as if there was any doubt. Williams taunted the fans after scoring but there were barely any Eagles fans left to be taunted.
The Eagles scored a garbage touchdown late. Bradford to Matthews.
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The Eagles are now 0-2 on the 2015 NFL season.
Stay tuned for much more Eagles-Cowboys post-game coverage.