This article is part of our NFL Observations series.
Normally, I watch the edited version of the game in the morning and write the Observations piece right away, but today I procrastinated. The game was so bad, so unwatchable even in edited form I couldn't bring myself to get started. Maybe it was having the Eagles +3.5 in the SuperContest, or having Miles Sanders on three teams. But I also had Ezekiel Elliott who won me two close matchups, so I think it was more the low quality of the game, the constant penalties and the implosion of the Eagles offense and coaching staff.
- Nick Siriani punted twice on 4th-and-5 from midfield in the first half even though his team was trailing, and his defense was hung out to dry for long drives while the offense sputtered. There's a time and a place for playing it safe, but their only hope to get back into the game was to engineer a drive of their own and give the defense a rest.
- The Eagles were already down two starting offensive linemen, Brandon Brooks and Jordan Mailata, but they also lost starting guard Isaac Seumalo during the game. As a result, the team looked a lot like the 2020 Eagles who led the league in fumbles, picks and sacks when they replaced Carson Wentz late in the year.
- Jalen Hurts was under constant pressure even with DeMarcus Lawrence out. He made a terrible short throw on his first pick and didn't see the corner on the pick six. He made some nice throws on the run in the second half, but looked more like Mitchell Trubisky than Deshaun Watson. He did deliver fantasy-wise in garbage time, though.
- The Cowboys defense gave up eight plays of 15-plus yards. They were all-in, attacking the Eagles, but vulnerable if the rush didn't get home, or they didn't catch the runner in the backfield.
- Zach Ertz (7-4-53-1) and Jalen Reagor (8-5-53) led the team in targets, but DeVonta Smith (6-3-28) and Dallas Goedert (4-2-66) were also involved. The problem for the Eagles is they ran only 53 plays including garbage time.
- The Eagles barely used Miles Sanders and only turned to Kenneth Gainwell in garbage time, even though both were effective. They should have mixed up the play calling better with more runs and screens.
- Dak Prescott took four sacks and doesn't look especially mobile. That said, he was accurate and didn't make any mistakes.
- Ezekiel Elliott (17-95-2, 3-3-21-0) ran hard and broke tackles, while Tony Pollard (11-60-0, 1-1-5-0) looked like he was shot out of a cannon at times.
- Dalton Schultz (7-6-80-2) was the leader in targets and production while CeeDee Lamb (aside from a near-TD on the opening drive) and Amari Cooper were quiet.
- I overestimated the Eagles and underestimated the Cowboys defense.
