What to make of the QB efficiency: Tremendous Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts picked up the place he left off, profiting from giant lanes to attain a pair of dashing touchdowns and propel the Eagles offense. He now has 16 video games with a number of dashing touchdowns, extending his NFL document for a QB (Buffalo's Josh Allen is second with 12).
Turning level: The Cowboys seemed to be heading in for the go-ahead rating late within the third quarter when the Eagles got here up with a key takeaway. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell scooped up a Miles Sanders fumble deep in Philadelphia territory to thwart the drive and hold the Eagles up 4. He celebrated together with his defensive teammates by simulating a tush push into the tip zone.
Stat to know: Carter's ejection acquired the headlines, however lack of self-discipline was a theme for the Eagles, particularly early. They'd 93 penalty yards on the break — essentially the most in a primary half by any group for the reason that Cowboys had 107 in Week 13 of 2023. The Eagles' excessive for penalty yards in a sport final season was 91 (Week 16 on the Commanders). — Tim McManus
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys did not have a big margin for error going into Thursday's opener in opposition to the Eagles, particularly with out edge rusher Micah Parsons, who was traded per week in the past to the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
For a lot of the sport, the Cowboys have been proper there, however the margins got here into play.
A 51-yard Hurts go to receiver Jahan Dotson within the second quarter arrange Philadelphia's go-ahead rating and a lead they'd not relinquish. It was the longest play allowed by the Cowboys.
Because the Cowboys seemed to reply within the subsequent sequence, working again Miles Sanders fumbled on the Eagles' 10 after his 49-yard run put Dallas in scoring place. It was the one turnover for the Cowboys.
CeeDee Lamb had a fourth quarter to neglect. On the potential go-ahead drive, the receiver dropped a deep ball that will have had the Cowboys deep in scoring territory. On fourth-and-3, he couldn't come down with a diving catch. And to begin the quarter, he dropped a positive first-down catch.
These performs have been big — and led to the Cowboys' fourth loss to the Eagles of their previous 5 conferences. It meant Brian Schottenheimer misplaced his first sport as Cowboys coach, identical to Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Dave Campo, Invoice Parcells, Jason Garrett and Mike McCarthy.
It is a painful lesson of how shut and the way distant the Cowboys are.
What to make of the QB efficiency: Overlook about Prescott's last numbers. It was his means to make use of his legs that mattered a ton. He did not do it a lot final season, and when he did in Week 9, he tore a hamstring that ended his season. On the second drive Thursday, he was flushed to his left, evaded a defender and located receiver CeeDee Lamb for an 18-yard acquire. On the third drive, he was in a position to wiggle free from a Jordan Davis sack and scramble for 3 yards. Prescot is 32 and has had two main surgical procedures on his legs since 2020. He confirmed Thursday he can nonetheless transfer round.
Development to look at: Do the Cowboys need to worry working quarterbacks? Jalen Hurts had two dashing touchdowns within the first half and picked up 48 yards on the bottom, most of them on scrambles. The Cowboys have video games in opposition to Russell Wilson (twice, if he stays the Giants' starter), Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, Justin Fields, Jayden Daniels (twice) and Kyler Murray, plus the rematch with Hurts. The Cowboys' rush-lane self-discipline must enhance enormously from Week 1, as will working to the soccer.
Stat to know: Javonte Williams had a good debut. The truth is, it was the primary time a working again had a number of dashing touchdowns in his first sport for the Cowboys since earlier than Jerry Jones purchased the group in 1989. Herschel Walker did it in his NFL debut in 1986 with Tom Landry as coach. The Cowboys had solely six dashing touchdowns all of final season. They'd two on their first two possessions Thursday. In keeping with ESPN Analysis, the final working again with a number of dashing touchdowns in opposition to the Eagles was Saquon Barkley in his last sport with the New York Giants in 2023, previous to becoming a member of Philadelphia as a free agent. —Todd Archer
Subsequent sport: vs. New York Giants (1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 14.)
