Jalen Hurts had just lost a fumble that might have given Dallas the lead in the first half. However, the Cowboys’ offense, which was missing quarterback Dak Prescott, couldn’t capitalize on the mistake. Hurts quickly bounced back, not making another big error the rest of the game.
Hurts threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more, leading the Eagles to a dominant 34-6 win over the struggling Cowboys on Sunday. This game was the first since Prescott tore his hamstring. “Momentum is an illusion in a sense,” Hurts said. “Just treat every play like it’s its own.”
Hurts was sacked twice by Micah Parsons, who was returning from a four-game injury absence. The second sack caused the fumble that gave Dallas the ball on the Philadelphia 6-yard line, with the Cowboys trailing 7-3.
But the Eagles’ defense held the Cowboys to just a field goal. Then, Hurts led an 84-yard drive in the final two minutes, finishing it with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert, who had missed the last three games with a hamstring injury.
The Eagles, now 7-2, took over first place in the NFC East with their fifth straight win. Meanwhile, Dallas dropped to 3-6 and fell to 0-4 at home, losing their fourth game in a row.
Earlier in the game, Hurts had thrown an interception in the end zone when the Eagles had a chance to go up 14-3.
“Obviously didn’t start the way we wanted it to start,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “But there’s something to be said for guys that can rebound and play a really good game after things don’t go right early on.”
Cooper Rush, filling in for Prescott, did not play well. He completed just 13 of 23 passes for only 45 yards. Rush had gone 4-1 as a starter in Prescott’s absence two years ago, but this time, the Cowboys’ offense struggled across the board.
Rush also lost two fumbles, and the Cowboys had five total turnovers. He was briefly replaced by Trey Lance in the second half, and then for good in the fourth quarter, as fans began booing. Lance threw an interception in his short time on the field.
Prescott is expected to be out for a while, possibly the rest of the season. He plans to seek another medical opinion about whether he will need surgery on his torn hamstring.
“Understand that you know our quarterback’s out,” Parsons said. “Things ain’t always going to be how you expect it. And it kind of just got to be the light. It’s one of them years where, like I say, it’s challenging, but we’ve got to be the light for everybody.”
The Cowboys’ offense, which gained just 146 yards—its worst showing at home since AT&T Stadium opened in 2009—has put more pressure on head coach Mike McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract.
“Yes, I believe that,” said team owner Jerry Jones when asked if McCarthy would stay for the rest of the season. “I don’t believe we’ll make a coaching change during the season.”
The Cowboys’ poor offense gave Hurts plenty of time to find his rhythm after a rough start. He finished 14 of 20 passing for 202 yards and ran for 56 yards before being replaced by Kenny Pickett with the Eagles leading 31-6 in the fourth quarter.
Hurts posted a passer rating of 115 and became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown, run for a touchdown, and have a 100-plus passer rating in four straight games. He is also the first QB to have at least 10 rushing touchdowns in four consecutive seasons.
“He didn’t let one play affect the rest of his game,” Sirianni said. “That’s what winners do. That’s what Jalen Hurts does, and I’m so accustomed to him doing that because when he makes a mistake, he’s able to put it in the past. That’s not as easy as it sounds.”
Hurts scored the game’s first touchdown after Rush dropped a snap and fumbled at the Dallas 17-yard line. Hurts ran for 8 yards and threw touchdowns to Goedert (14 yards) and Johnny Wilson (5 yards).
One of Dallas’ fumbles came in the Philadelphia end zone by Ezekiel Elliott, who was back in the lineup after missing the previous game because he was late for meetings. Dallas had a chance to take the lead, but the turnover ended that hope.
The Eagles’ defense forced five turnovers, including two fumbles forced and recovered by linebacker Zack Baun, marking their most takeaways in two years.
“I just thought that they played fast, they started fast,” Sirianni said. “They played great throughout the entire game. I love when we tackle well.”
