ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jaylen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles still control the NFC East, even after a rare back-to-back loss and a loss to the Dallas Cowboys at the top of the division.
The Eagles are far from a dominant team despite a 10-3 record after Sunday night’s 33-13 loss at Dallas.
“I think the biggest thing for this team right now is really knowing who the friends are,” veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “I’ve been on teams where the dudes in the locker room do something about it, and I’ve been on teams where it kind of falls apart. But it’s time for real leadership. Let’s see…the leaders of this team, myself included, step up and do something about it.”
Their defense has struggled in the red zone, with close scores and turnovers even in their winning games. Three of their top offensive players had setbacks — pain on their opening drive of the game, receiver A.J. Brown will start the second half and Devonta Smith in the fourth quarter.
Philadelphia lost back-to-back for the first time this season, coming a week after losing 42-19 to NFC West-leading San Francisco, which is also 10-3, and on Oct. 8. beat Dallas 42-10.
“We’ve got to internalize it and make sure that whatever adversity we’re going through right now, we’re able to get through it and make sure that we get to the top of the table,” coach Nick Sirianni said. Get better than that.”
The Eagles, who have won seven one-score games, will not play a team with a winning record in any of their last four games starting next week at Seattle (6-7).
Hurts had not lost consecutive games as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback since October 2021.
Already trailing the first time they got the ball, Hurts fumbled at the end of a run on the Cowboys 20 and immediately walked to the sideline without protest. Brown reacted similarly after being stripped around midfield after making a catch and taking a few steps on the fourth play of the second half.
“We’ve got to hold onto the ball, but we’re trying to make plays,” Brown said.
The Cowboys scored inside the 20 all three times, so opposing teams have now scored 70.4% (31 of 44) of their points in the red zone against Philadelphia. The Eagles entered the game ranked 30th in the NFL in that category.
Philadelphia was the NFL’s only 8-1 team and had a two-game division lead after a 28-23 home win over the Cowboys on Nov. 5. But Dallas nearly pulled it off, going 81 yards in the game’s final 46 seconds. The drive — helped by a 56-yard penalty — before CeeDee Lamb was tackled at the 5 as time expired after a 22-yard gain.
Dallas (10-3) has won five straight since then, but its next two games are against the top teams in the AFC East, Buffalo (7-6) and Miami (9-3). The Cowboys then host NFC North-leading Detroit (9-4) in their home finale before finishing in Washington.
After playing the Seahawks, Philadelphia has two games against the Giants (4-8) — at home and then in the regular-season finale in New York — sandwiched between the Eagles’ (3-10) home finale against Arizona in the NFC. with. Eastern Games.
“You can’t even see that far ahead,” Brown said. “We play Seattle next week. That’s all we need to worry about.”
Injuries
Eagles ace Reed Blankenship was ruled out with a concussion after leaving the game in the first half. … Cowboys DT Johnathan Hankins was helped off the field in the third quarter with an ankle injury.
Next up
Eagles: Monday, Dec. 18 at Seattle. The Seahawks’ loss in San Francisco means Philadelphia won’t face a team with a winning record in its last four games.
Cowboys: Next Sunday at Buffalo in first of back-to-back road games with AFC East playoff contenders. Second is division-leading Miami.
