Open Thread: Eagles vs. Cowboys


Photo Credit: Jeff Fusco

Photo Credit: Jeff Fusco

The Birds are back, and they’re facing the ‘Boys. It’s time for another prime time showdown for the Eagles. We’ll pop in with some updates and thoughts from time to time. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.

11:57 – Eagles 33, Cowboys 27. Jordan Matthews catches a crossing route and runs 41 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles move to 4-4 on the season.

11:54 – Chip Kelly goes for it on fourth down from the Dallas 43-yard line, and Ryan Mathews picks it up.

The call on the play is a fumble after Mathews picks it up, but the play is overturned as Mathews’ knee was down before the ball came out.

The Eagles have the ball and a first down on the Dallas 41-yard line.

11:45 – OVERTIME! The Eagles call for tails, and they get tails. They will receive the ball first.

11:41 – Eagles 27, Cowboys 27. A string of questionable defensive pass interference penalty calls, and then an obvious one, moves the Cowboys to the Eagles’ side of the field, where Dan Bailey barely squeaks a 44-yard field goal through the uprights after it clanks off the left upright.

11:34 – Jordan Hicks seems to be injured after tackling Cole Beasley.

11:28 – Eagles 27, Cowboys 24. Caleb Sturgis nails a 53-yard field goal after the Eagles can’t keep their momentum rolling from a few big passes. The Cowboys get the ball back with 1:46 to play, on their own 20-yard line, with two timeouts. 11:25 – Sean Lee injury update.

11:20 – Eagles 24, Cowboys 24. E.J. Biggers breaks up a third-down Matt Cassel pass intended for Cole Beasley and forces a 41-yard field goal instead of allowing Dallas to keep winding the clock and inch near the end zone.

The Eagles have 2:53 to score, or overtime will be upon us.

11:12 – Eagles 24, Cowboys 21. Caleb Sturgis buries a 31-yard field goal after the Eagles’ drive is halted. The Birds lead by three with just under seven and a half minutes to play.

11:00 – The Eagles’ defense hasn’t looked too sharp this half.

10:59 – Eagles 21, Cowboys 21. What momentum? Dez Bryant catches a hail mary-esque bomb of a touchdown pass in the end zone, an 18-yard haul after Matt Cassel avoids plenty of pressure in the pocket. 10:56 – Context and numbers for the Jordan Hicks interception.

10:53 – Eagles 21, Cowboys 14. Jordan Hicks undercuts an out-route and takes it 64 yards to the house.

10:50 – A little context from Reuben Frank for this final quarter.

10:47 – At the end of three quarters, the game is all tied up, 14-14. Sam Bradford is 15-of-23 for 148 yards. Matt Cassel is 13-of-19 for 166 yards and two touchdowns. 10:45 – The Eagles go three-and-out after the Cowboys’ second touchdown of the evening. Sam Bradford is sacked on a pass play on third down and two with about a minute left in the third quarter. 10:40 – Matt Cassel, who didn’t throw for 100 yards last week, is working through the Eagles’ secondary with minimal resistance.

10:39 – Here’s what Jimmy Kempski saw from Billy Davis’s unit on that second Dallas touchdown.

10:37 – Eagles 14, Cowboys 14. Dallas punches back with another touchdown from Cole Beasley, this time a 17-yard strike on a quick slant. 10:24 – Eagles 14, Cowboys 7. A couple of huge plays, including a 44-yard pass to DeMarco Murray, lead to a 6-yard touchdown run by Ryan Mathews. The Birds go 95 yards in seven plays on the drive. Murray and Mathews have combined for 18 carries, 92 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. 10:17 – A potentially costly injury for the Cowboys early in the third quarter.

10:14 – Mychal Kendricks sacks Matt Cassel and the Birds force a punt on the Cowboys’ first drive of the second half.

9:55 – Halftime. Eagles 7, Cowboys 7.

Sam Bradford is 10-for-17 for 74 yards in the first half. The Eagles have 21 carries for 98 yards on the ground.

9:50 – Lane Johnson went down late in the second quarter, but it looks like he’s going to be okay for now.

9:43 – The Birds’ defense has looked much better since allowing the Cowboys’ opening-drive touchdown.

9:41 – A disjointed drive from the Cowboys ends with a Brandon Graham, which knocks Dallas out of field goal range. The Eagles get the ball on their own 6-yard line with 2:15 left in the first half.

9:28 – The reviews are in, and people were impressed with the Eagles’ fourth drive.

9:27 – Eagles 7, Cowboys 7. The Birds ride DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews for a combined 63 yards on the ground, and Murray punches it in from one yard out for the tying score. 9:17 – Nolan Carroll breaks up a deep pass to Terrance Williams on third down, and Dallas has to punt it away early in the second quarter. The Eagles begin their fourth drive of the game on their own 20-yard line. 9:11 – Here’s where the Eagles’ offense stands at the end of one quarter, trailing Dallas 7-0.

9:09 – More updates on Riley Cooper’s status.

9:07 – Yet another possession ends in a Donnie Jones punt for the Eagles. Sam Bradford is averaging 4.2 yards per attempt through three drives. 9:05 – Injury update on the Eagles’ third drive.

9:01 – Dez Bryant drops what would have been a first down and the Cowboys punt the ball away on their second drive of the game.

8:58 – The Eagles pick up one first down on a 27-yard toss to Miles Austin, but get stopped just shy of a second first down and Donnie Jones punts the ball away once again.

Sam Bradford and the Eagles’ offense have run 12 plays for 45 yards through two drives.

8:57 – Chip Kelly looking a little impatient with the NBC camera crew tonight.

8:50 – Matt Cassel had an uncharacteristically impressive first drive.

8:47 – Cowboys 7, Eagles 0. A 51-yard catch by Dez Bryant and a fourth-down conversion set up five-yard touchdown pass to Cole Beasley. Dallas marches 93 yards on its opening offensive drive for the score.

8:37 – Jeff McLane noticing a pattern after a pair of failed third-down passes on the Eagles’ first drive.

8:36 – Despite a running into the punter penalty extending the first drive, the Eagles go three and out on their second series and punt the ball away. It marks the sixth time this season the Birds’ first possession has ended in a punt.

8:25 – The Cowboys win the toss and defer until the second half. Sam Bradford and the Eagles will get the ball to start the game.