The Philadelphia Eagles are 9-8 after losing to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday evening. Final score: 51 to 26.

This game obviously wasn’t very meaningful for the Eagles, who rested almost all of their starters. The Birds’ backups actually put forth a respectable effort against the Cowboys’ starters at first before the game really got out of hand in the second half.

Read on for some observations and stay tuned for more postgame coverage.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• The Cowboys won the coin toss and elected to defer so the Eagles’ offense was up first. The first play was a pass to DeVonta Smith, likely in an attempt to help break DeSean Jackson’s rookie record.
• Jason Kelce left the game after the first snap, as should’ve been the case. The remaining starting offensive line from left to right: Andre Dillard, Sua Opeta, Brett Toth, Jack Anderson, Le’Raven Clark.
• Gardner Minshew should’ve been picked but his pass bounced off a Cowboys defender’s hands and into Smith’s.

• Greg Ward threw a pass to Richard Rodgers on a play where Minshew was lined out wide. The Eagles then ran another shovel pass play with Minshew to Tyree Jackson, who scored his first career touchdown.
• Pretty good 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive from the Eagles’ backup offense against a number of Cowboys defensive starters.

• The Eagles’ defensive starters: Zech McPhearson, Kary Vincent Jr., Andre Chachere, K’Von Wallace, Patrick Johnson, JaCoby Stevens, Shaun Bradley, Ryan Kerrigan, Milton Williams, Hassan Ridgeway, and Raequan Williams.
• The Cowboys answered with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. The score came on what looked like an offensive pass interference penalty that went uncalled. An animated Nick Sirianni was really giving it to the refs during the commercial break after that TD.
• Raequan Williams notched a sack on Dak Prescott. Milton Williams pressured Dak into a third down incompletion that brought up a Cowboys field goal.
• Jason Huntley’s first kick return went for 35 yards. Has anyone ever mentioned he’s the team’s best KR option?
• DeVonta Smith broke Jackson’s rookie record in part thanks to an impressive leaping catch along the right sideline. He was immediately subbed for JJAW after the record was broken.

• The Eagles went on a 10-play, 44-yard drive to tie the game with a Jake Elliott field goal.
• The Cowboys seemingly fumbled in Eagles territory and Nick Sirianni challenged the ruling of no fumble but the challenge was unsuccessful. A much lower stakes “no clear recovery.”
• The Cowboys capped off another drive with a Cedrick Wilson touchdown. Wilson celebrated as if the Cowboys were in a competitive game against Philly’s starters, not their backups and practice squad players.
• Quez Watkins had a nice grab on a crosser to convert a 3rd-and-5.
• Huntley broke off a nice 18-yard run. My guy.
• Two nice runs by Kenneth Gainwell capped off a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown to tie the game at 17 points each.

• The Eagles’ defense gave up another touchdown drive, this one with the Cowboys going 75 yards on eight plays. Dallas did miss the extra point, though.
• Arryn Siposs absolutely shanked a punt for only 21 yards. Might’ve been the worst punt I’ve ever seen from an Eagles punter.
• The Cowboys took advantage of the Eagles’ shank to score another touchdown for a 30 to 17 halftime lead.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• Milton Williams had a big TFL on Zeke to bring up 3rd-and-4. Ryan Kerrigan missed a chance to sack Dak (dude is useless) but the Eagles’ defense got a stop anyway to bring up the Cowboys’ first punt.
• JJAW had a bad drop in the end zone. Would’ve been his second career TD and his first since 2019. JJAW also had an offensive pass interference penalty. Not great. The Eagles had to settle for another field goal.

• Noah Togiai had a really nice special teams tackle on old friend Corey Clement while the latter was returning a kickoff.
• Corey Clement scored a touchdown against the Eagles. He was wide open.
• Siposs shanked another punt. This one went for just 24 yards.
• The Cowboys finally pulled Dak Prescott out of the game with just under 13 minutes remaining.
• Clement broke off a big run to put the Cowboys in the red zone.
• Minshew threw high to JJAW, who couldn’t bring it in, and it weirdly landed in the hands of Leighton Vander Esch for a pick.
• Watkins caught a bubble screen and took it 36 yards to the house. Active game for Quez. The Eagles went for two but Minshew got sacked.

INJURY UPDATES

• JJAW took a visit to the medical tent in the second quarter but he returned.
• Brett Toth, who was playing at center, got hurt later in the second quarter. Jack Anderson moved from right guard to center with Kayode Awosika coming in. Toth was ruled questionable to return with a knee injury.
• Shaun Bradley looked frustrated as he headed to the Eagles’ locker room late in the second quarter. He was later ruled out with a shoulder injury.
• Kary Vincent Jr. suffered a foot injury and was ruled questionable to return.
• Marvin Wilson (Big Marv) got hurt early in the fourth quarter. He was ruled questionable to return with an eye injury.
• Tyree Jackson was down on the field for a long time after a special teams play. He required help to get to the sideline and slammed his helmet down when he got there. Jackson eventually limped to the locker room and was promptly ruled out with a knee injury. Not good.
• Andre Dillard got hurt midway through the fourth quarter. He spent some time on the ground before gingerly walking off on his own power.

UP NEXT

The regular season is over!

For the Eagles, at least.

Sunday’s action is still relevant when it comes to Philly’s playoff seeding. The Eagles will officially learn their wild card round opponent on Sunday evening.