The division crown and a playoff berth were on the line as the Eagles visited the Cowboys in the final game of the regular season. Dallas entered the final week with a playoff berth on the line for the third year in a row, and for the third year in a row they fell short, as the Eagles sealed the game on a late interception to win 24-22.
Both defense and offense did their part in the victory for the Eagles, as they squeaked one out to earn a trip to the playoffs, their first in since 2010.
On the opening drive, Dallas took the ball to the Philadelphia 28 yard line and the defense looked helpless. But a forced fumble on 1st and 10 would put an end to the Cowboys' drive, as Bradley Fletcher recovered the ball for the Eagles on their own 23 yard line.
The Eagles would make the Cowboys pay for the mistake, driving down field for a 47-yard field goal to grab an early 3-0 lead.
Neither team would score again in the first quarter, but just 47 seconds into the second quarter the Eagles would find the end zone, as Nick Foles connected with LeSean McCoy on a 3-yard touchdown pass to move the Birds' lead to 10-0.
Dallas would cut the Philadelphia lead to 3, but the Eagles would make the Cowboys pay yet again on a turnover, as Mychal Kendricks picked off Kyle Orton, returning the ball 5 yards to the Dallas 49. Foles would connect with Brent Celek on two consecutive plays, the second for a 14-yard score to put the Eagles up 17-7.
Dallas would kick a field goal with 18 seconds remaining in the half to make it a one score game, but the Eagles defense had made the Cowboys pay for their mistakes.
Two Dallas field goals in the third quarter would pull the Cowboys within one, at 17-16 heading into the final quarter of the regular season.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles would drive 60 yards down field on the back of McCoy, and Bryce Brown would punch it home for a 6-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia a 24-16 lead. Dallas would respond with a touchdown of their own on the ensuing drive, but a failed two-point conversion would leave them trailing 24-22 with 3:50 to play.
Philadelphia would fail to drain the clock on the next drive, being forced to give the ball back to Dallas with just under two minutes remaining, but the defense would come up huge again, as Brandon Boykin intercepted Orton on the Cowboys' first play, sealing the win and the NFC East title for the Eagles.
McCoy came up big for the Eagles on offense, rushing for 131 yards on 27 carries to finish the regular season with 1,607 rushing yards and become the first Philadelphia running back to win the rushing title since Steve Van Buren in 1949.
Foles finished the game 17 of 26 passing for 263 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 27 touchdowns on the season, while throwing just two interceptions all year.
The deciding factor in the game proved the be the Philadelphia defense. Bending, but not breaking, the Eagles defense was able to come up huge yet again in the victory, winning the turnover battle 3 to 1 and making Dallas pay for their mistakes.
The win gives the Eagles the NFC East title, their first since 2010, and marks a remarkable turnaround after going 4-12 just a season ago. Under first-year coach Chip Kelly, the offense has thrived, and now the 10-6 Eagles find themselves playoff bound, as they face the New Orleans Saints at home Saturday night.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
On the opening drive, Dallas took the ball to the Philadelphia 28 yard line and the defense looked helpless. But a forced fumble on 1st and 10 would put an end to the Cowboys' drive, as Bradley Fletcher recovered the ball for the Eagles on their own 23 yard line.
The Eagles would make the Cowboys pay for the mistake, driving down field for a 47-yard field goal to grab an early 3-0 lead.
Neither team would score again in the first quarter, but just 47 seconds into the second quarter the Eagles would find the end zone, as Nick Foles connected with LeSean McCoy on a 3-yard touchdown pass to move the Birds' lead to 10-0.
Dallas would cut the Philadelphia lead to 3, but the Eagles would make the Cowboys pay yet again on a turnover, as Mychal Kendricks picked off Kyle Orton, returning the ball 5 yards to the Dallas 49. Foles would connect with Brent Celek on two consecutive plays, the second for a 14-yard score to put the Eagles up 17-7.
Dallas would kick a field goal with 18 seconds remaining in the half to make it a one score game, but the Eagles defense had made the Cowboys pay for their mistakes.
Two Dallas field goals in the third quarter would pull the Cowboys within one, at 17-16 heading into the final quarter of the regular season.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles would drive 60 yards down field on the back of McCoy, and Bryce Brown would punch it home for a 6-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia a 24-16 lead. Dallas would respond with a touchdown of their own on the ensuing drive, but a failed two-point conversion would leave them trailing 24-22 with 3:50 to play.
Philadelphia would fail to drain the clock on the next drive, being forced to give the ball back to Dallas with just under two minutes remaining, but the defense would come up huge again, as Brandon Boykin intercepted Orton on the Cowboys' first play, sealing the win and the NFC East title for the Eagles.
McCoy came up big for the Eagles on offense, rushing for 131 yards on 27 carries to finish the regular season with 1,607 rushing yards and become the first Philadelphia running back to win the rushing title since Steve Van Buren in 1949.
Foles finished the game 17 of 26 passing for 263 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 27 touchdowns on the season, while throwing just two interceptions all year.
The deciding factor in the game proved the be the Philadelphia defense. Bending, but not breaking, the Eagles defense was able to come up huge yet again in the victory, winning the turnover battle 3 to 1 and making Dallas pay for their mistakes.
The win gives the Eagles the NFC East title, their first since 2010, and marks a remarkable turnaround after going 4-12 just a season ago. Under first-year coach Chip Kelly, the offense has thrived, and now the 10-6 Eagles find themselves playoff bound, as they face the New Orleans Saints at home Saturday night.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
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