Inside the Iggles
FanSided

Eagles vs. Cowboys recap: 2016 season ends with a win

By Ryan Quigley

Jan 1, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts to his touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz (not pictured) during the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts to his touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz (not pictured) during the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Eagles’ season is over.

First half review

Defense:

  • First play of the game, Darren McFadden gets the carry, but the Eagles defense swallows him up behind the line of scrimmage.
  • On 3rd and 1, Cole Beasley finds a soft spot and gets open for the first down conversion.
  • Malcolm Jenkins is pretty good at football. Jenkins shoots through the trenches and takes down McFadden behind the line for a big loss.
  • Dak Prescott drops back for the pass on 3rd and 14, but Brandon Graham flies in and forces him to throw the ball away. Cowboys punt.

Offense:

  • Carson Wentz hits Zach Ertz, who breaks a tackle (!) and picks up 14 yards and a first down.
  • After a nice run by Darren Sproles, Wentz hooks up with Ertz again for a 15-yard gain. Gorgeous throw down the middle.
  • Randy Gregory buries Sproles behind the line for a big loss, but Wentz responds by hitting Paul Turner for an 11-yard gain. Eagles are driving.
  • Darren Sproles jukes a Cowboys defender out of his shoes and runs for an 11-yard pickup. The 33-year-old’s still got it.
  • Wentz does his cool duck move and shovels one to Trey Burton in the red zone, but the play picks up only a couple inches.
  • Eagles drive stalls. Wentz looks for Ertz in the red zone, but the pass falls incomplete. Eagles settle for the field goal.

Defense:

  • Dak Prescott rolls to his left and runs for a 9-yard gain before gently sliding to the turf. Doing his best to stay healthy before the postseason.
  • Prescott hits Terrance Williams for a 15-yard gain. Rodney McLeod is there to take down Williams after a pair of missed tackles.
  • Eagles stop Cowboys on third down. Malcolm Jenkins flies past the Dallas offensive line and pops Prescott as he throws a dead duck. Cowboys settle for the field goal, tying the game at 3.

Offense:

  • Darren Sproles does his thing on the screen play. Sproles gets behind Brandon Brooks and Travis Kelce and picks up the first down.
  • Terrell Watson gets the first carry of his NFL career. It goes nowhere, but it’s a very cool story nonetheless.
  • On third down, Wentz escapes heavy pressure and heaves one downfield that falls incomplete. Bad decision from the rookie. Needs to just throw that away.

Defense:

  • Tony Romo checks in at quarterback for the Cowboys. His first attempt of the season falls incomplete, dangerously close to Leodis McKelvin.
  • Romo hits Terrance Williams for a 16-yard gain on third down. The play clock had expired, but that doesn’t matter, apparently.
  • Darren McFadden breaks loose for a 24-yard pickup. Eagles are missing a lot of tackles.
  • Nolan Carroll is called for pass interference in the end zone, putting Dallas right on the doorstep. On the very next play, Romo hits Williams for an easy touchdown. Embarrassing series for the Eagles. Cowboys lead 10-3.

Offense:

  • Questionable play call on third down. Rather than throwing to pick up the first down, Doug Pederson elects to run on third and long. Goes nowhere. Eagles go three and out.

Defense:

  • Mark Sanchez now checks in at quarterback for Dallas. His first throw is an incompletion.
  • Lance Dunbar gets open on third down and Sanchez hits him for the first down. Nigel Bradham had no chance guarding the quick running back.
  • Sanchez hits Brice Butler for a 17-yard gain, but after review it was determined that the receiver was unable to get both feet down inbounds. The play falls incomplete.
  • Interception! Jordan Hicks puts pressure on Sanchez, who tries to get rid of the ball, but Hicks picks it off. What a play.

Offense:

  • Eagles go literally nowhere after the turnover. They go for it on fourth down, but the ball sails on Wentz and falls incomplete. Turnover on downs.

Defense:

  • Eagles hold Dallas to a three and out, but Cowboys punter Chris Jones has the punt of his life, pinning the Eagles within their own 1-yard line.

Offense:

  • Once again, the Eagles go three and out. Nothing much the Eagles could do here.

Defense:

  • Another Jordan Hicks interception! Sanchez tries throwing one short, but Hicks is there to step in front and pick it off. What a day for Hicks.

Offense:

  • Wentz hits Trey Burton for a 12-yard gain. Finally, the Eagles are moving the ball.
  • Carson Vick strikes! Wentz dodges several Cowboys pursuers and runs for a 13-yard gain.
  • Touchdown! Wentz finds Zach Ertz in the end zone with seconds on the clock for the score. Eagles tie the game at 10.

Not a bad first half for the Eagles. Despite a couple bad plays by the defense and some inefficient drives by the offense, the Eagles were opportunistic and able to tie the game just before halftime. Things could have been worse.

Second half review

Offense:

  • Wentz is sacked. Cowboys swarm the rookie and a pair of Dallas players split the sack. Jason Peters was injured on the play, but walked off under his own power.
  • Eagles elect to run the ball on third and long. Donnie Jones punts the ball away.

Defense:

  • Cole Beasley gets past Jalen Mills and Malcolm Jenkins and reels in a perfect throw from Sanchez for a 33-yard gain.
  • Pass interference on Nolan Carroll again. Cowboys will continue the drive in the red zone.
  • Sanchez somehow avoids a Brandon Graham sack and lobs one towards the end zone, but it falls incomplete. Cowboys settle for the field goal, taking the 13-10 lead.

Offense:

  • Wentz hits Dorial Green-Beckham for a 15-yard gain. On the very next play, DGB drops one in the middle of the field with green ahead of him.
  • Eagles drive stalls after Wentz is forced to throw the ball away, but a very late flag comes in for roughing the passer. Eagles are gifted a first down.
  • Wentz uses Ertz and Trey Burton heavily on the drive, hitting them on three straight plays. Eagles are moving the ball nicely.
  • Touchdown! Wentz lobs one to Ertz who makes the diving catch in the end zone for the score. Eagles take the 17-13 lead.

Defense:

  • Cole Beasley picks up another nice gain. Such a hard player to stop.
  • Sack! Vinny Curry takes down Sanchez, giving him 2.5 sacks on the season. Marcus Smith also has 2.5 sacks this season. Cowboys punt.

Offense:

  • Crazy play. Wentz throws a ball downfield that gets tipped high into the air and back towards the line of scrimmage. Brent Celek is in the right spot at the right time and catches the ball, picking up nine yards after the catch. Wild.
  • Wentz gets crushed, but finds Ertz on a screen play for a 13-yard gain.
  • Byron Marshall runs for a nice gain, but the call is negated by a hold on Dorial Green-Beckham. Randy Gregory starts a scrum after the play, but nothing is called.
  • Zach Ertz is on fire. Wentz hits the tight end on a short throw and Ertz takes it for a 17-yard gain.
  • On 3rd and 7, Wentz throws another ball for Ertz, but it goes through his hands. Eagles kick the field goal, but it goes wide left. Eagles still lead 17-13.

Defense:

  • Brandon Graham takes down Alfred Morris behind the line. Cowboys can’t contain him.
  • Three and out. Cowboys punt after a short completion to Lance Dunbar.

Offense:

  • Zach Ertz gets his 12th catch of the day. Cowboys seem totally disinterested in covering him.
  • Randy Gregory takes down Wentz for the sack. Jason Peters went for the cut block, but didn’t get enough of Gregory.
  • Another completion for Ertz. That’s 13.
  • Paul Turner, the greatest Eagle of all time, gets his second reception of the day for a 19-yard gain.
  • Eagles are running all over Dallas. Byron Marshall picks up eight yards and a first down, putting the Eagles just outside of the red zone.
  • On third down, Marshall was wide open on a wheel route, but Wentz put too much heat on the ball. Eagles settle for the field goal and extend their lead to seven points.

Defense:

  • Brandon Graham gets to Sanchez once again, but he’s able to get the ball out in time. Graham has been unstoppable all day.
  • Just about every Eagles defender on the field congregates in the Cowboys backfield to take down Sanchez, who somehow escapes the scrum. Sanchez runs backwards, looks downfield holding onto the ball and finally gets sacked by Connor Barwin for a 19-yard loss. Textbook Mark Sanchez.
  • Eagles force a Dallas punt, which is blocked by Steven Means! Eagles start the drive in the red zone!

Offense:

  • Terrell Watson scores his first career touchdown in his first career game. What an incredible story. Eagles take a 27-13 lead and go on to win by that same score.

Overview

What a fun game. Carson Wentz had a good day, Zach Ertz played out of his mind and even though the Cowboys started their backups, the Eagles played well and ended the season on a high note. Not much more you can ask for than that for a team that won’t be participating in the playoffs.

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