The Philadelphia Eagles stormed past the Dallas Cowboys during their NFC East Thanksgiving Day meeting at AT&T Stadium.
With both sides at 8-3 in the NFC East, this game was important in the race for a playoff spot.
The visitors flew into an early lead that they never looked back from, with early touchdowns from Mark Sanchez and Jordan Matthews setting them on their way before DeMarco Murray pulled a score back.
During the second half, the Eagles took full control, with their defense making a number of crucial plays to give their side the victory.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good evening, Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to live text commentary of the Philadelphia Eagles at the Dallas Cowboys here on Sports Mole.
Each season, the last Thursday in November always serves up a treat - and I don't mean the turkey - with this the second of three NFL clashes to feast on tonight!
So having seen the Detroit Lions ease past the Chicago Bears 34-17 earlier tonight in the NFC North, we now turn our attentions to this clash at the top of the NFC East.
In what has been yet another frantic and unpredictable campaign in the NFL, both the Eagles and the Cowboys have been two of the better outfits so far. These long-standing divisional rivals both have genuine shots at post-season, with the pair boasting 8-3 records through 11 games each.
Having left the New York Giants and Washington Redskins trailing in the division, a win for either of these sides tonight will give them the advantage as the regular season enters it's home stretch.
At the weekend, the Eagles raced into a first quarter 17-0 lead at home to the Tennessee Titans and never looked back, eventually easing to victory 43-24. Despite being one of the stars of the season last year, LeSean McCoy has struggled this campaign - but he was back to his best on Sunday, rushing for 130 yards and a touchdown.
The Cowboys weren't quite as comfortable in their match, requiring a last minute score from Dez Bryant to overcome the Giants at MetLife Stadium. The match will become forever famous for the amazing touchdown catch from G-Men rookie Odell Beckham Jr, bur Dallas won't care a jot as they registered a crucial win to keep pace with Chip Kelly's side.
Tonight's meeting is the first of two between the teams in the next three weeks - they'll be meeting for a Monday Night Football clash in Pennsylvania on December 15th!
That means that the last time the sides met was on the final week of last season, when the Eagles triumphed 24-22 on home turf. However, the Cowboys boast more wins between the teams historically, with 62 wins to Philly's 48.
It's the first time the teams have met on Thanksgiving in well over 20 years, when Troy Aikman was the rookie QB for the Cowboys. Aikman's men got stuffed that day, with the Eagles putting up 27 unanswered points.
Of course, Tony Romo is the signal caller these days, and his Turkey Day record is strong. The Dallas number nine has thrown for over 2000 yards and 18 touchdowns in seven matches, with his only defeat coming against the Redskins on a night when he still chucked 441 passing yards!
Cowboys Inactives: Dekoda Watson, Tony Hills, Donald Hawkins, Dustin Vaughan, Tyler Patmon.
Eagles Inactives: Nick Foles, Jaylen Watkins, Vandervelde, Kelly, Maehl and Taylor Hart
Of course, the name that stands out most from those lists is that of Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who is missing with a collarbone injury. The much-maligned Mark Sanchez has stepped in for Foles over the past three weeks, performing admirably to ensure that the Eagles' strong start has continued.
The home side are ready!
Almost GO TIME! #PHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/WBY8ALwLV7
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 27, 2014
Those Romo stats, I was talking about just now...
Tony Romo LOVES Thanksgiving -- he's 6-1 on the holiday. pic.twitter.com/a8JRzSQXhl
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 27, 2014
PREDICTION: This is a tough one to call, but I think on home soil, the Cowboys will edge this contest. Romo will be keen to keep his impressive Thanksgiving record going and I think he will tonight. It will certainly be a closer contest than the Lions Bears matchup from earlier this evening, and I have Dallas to be victorious by a margin of just a touchdown.
We're a few short seconds away here. Are you ready for seconds?
Hope you saved room for seconds!
More football. Right now. #DALvsPHI pic.twitter.com/OAUwdPjpbL
— NFL (@nfl) November 27, 2014
Kick off: Dallas kick the ball to their opponents and Sanchez will start on the Eagles 20.
McCoy goes nowhere on first down, before Sanchez's pass to Cooper on second goes for nine yards. On 3rd&1, Darren Sproles goes for 12 and secure an easy first down and more.
Running back misdirection has McCoy eat up the ground and get inside the Cowboys 20. Too easy, and Philly look dangerous already.
The Eagles gain five on first down via a pass play. On 2nd down, Sanchez looks for Jordan Matthews in the end zone, but the pass is just out of reach. Sproles then carries on 3rd down and gives the visitors a 1st&goal.
TOUCHDOWN EAGLES - Sanchez
What a start from Philly, and it's quarterback Mark Sanchez who bursts into the end zone to open the scoring. It was an excellent drive from the away side, who made plays both through the air and on the ground. Once they had a 1st&goal, Cooper took in another reception just shy of scoring, before Sanchez snuck in when the Cowboys were clearly expecting McCoy to carry.
Dallas start on the 20 and DeMarco Murray goes along the ground for four. On 2nd down, Romo dumps a pass to the same player and leaves himself with little to do to move the chains. Nice start.
The Cowboys gain four yards on 1st down but when Romo looks long for Dez Bryant, they're left with a 3rd&6. With the next pass the QB finds Cole Beasley who just sneaks over for a 1st down.
Murray only gains two on his next carry but a lovely screen pass to him on the following play picks up a nice first down.
Two plays to Joseph Randle go for 3 and then -1 yards. On 3rd&8, Bryant is the target again but Bradley Fletcher makes a great play on defense to ensure the receiver doesn't haul in. Jones punts away and Philly call a fair catch near the 20.
McCoy gains 19 to start this second drive and the hosts are really struggling against the run.
Ok, it's not just on the ground! Sanchez finds Matthews and then Jeremy Maclin and the Eagles are already into Dallas territory.
On their next 1st down, Sanchez throws away before finding Cooper for seven who hauls in after a bit of a bobble. The same player then gains seven more to secure a first down.
TOUCHDOWN EAGLES - Sanchez to Matthews
This is incredible! Once Cooper had his first down, the Eagles got to the line of scrimmage quickly and, without wasting any time, Sanchez finds Matthews, who coasts into the end zone to increase the lead. Two drives, two touchdowns. Too good so far.
88 yards that drive, and Philly didn't even seem to have it for long.
Poor kick from the Eagles and Lance Dunbar carries for 32 yards. Romo to start on the Dallas 33.
Murray gains five on 1st down and then three on 2nd. On 3rd&2, Romo finds Beasley for 16 yards and over midfield.
The Cowboys run it on first down once more, but Murray isn't having the kind of joy McCoy and Sproles have had so far! On 2nd&8, Romo goes long and finally connects with Bryant, gaining 38 yards. 1st&goal Dallas.
Murray tries to run in a score but the clock runs down.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: Eagles 14-0 Cowboys
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS - Murray
The second quarter begins with a Cowboys 2nd down, but the Eagles are punished for encroachment against Trent Cole. With the ball half a yard away, Murray bursts in with consummate ease. Dan Bailey adds the PAT.
Bailey boots into the end zone, Huff takes a knee and Sanchez will begin his third drive on the 20.
Finally McCoy rushes for hardly anything, as Dallas struggled to contain him during the first quarter. On 2nd down, he made amends, rushing for 10 more.
FUMBLE! The Cowboys finally get to Sanchez, who goes down but the Eagles recover.
Sanchez immediately makes amends, throwing to Maclin who travels after the catch. It went for 59 yards this time, and again the Eagles are in scoring territory.
Sanchez overthrows on 1st down, before McCoy goes for seven on the ground on the next play. On 3rd&3, the QB looks for Zach Ertz on a corner route. Barry Church breaks it up and it's a crucial red zone stop this time. They'll have to settle for three.
FIELD GOAL IS GOOD - Parkey
It's another long kick, all the way into the Cowboys end zone. Romo will begin on the 20.
It's been hard to keep up so far to be honest...
The @Eagles already have 245 total yards on offense in 3 drives.
WOW! pic.twitter.com/drO6aGFseV
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 27, 2014
Murray goes for four on 1st down before taking in a play action pass on 2nd&6. He's stopped short, and despite great protection, Romo can't find a target. Three and out.
Sproles returns the punt for 18 yards and Sanchez will resume once again.
Mincey gets to McCoy on 1st down and brings him down for a loss of five. They then gain two via Maclin but the 3rd&13 has them come up short despite Sproles taking in a pass and gaining yardage. The punt flies for 57 yards after a mistake on special teams, so Romo will begin from inside his own 5.
Romo hands it off to Murray, who gains seven on 1st down. They repeat the process and this time he picks up six. Easy first down.
SACK! Ground again, Murray gains four. On 2nd&6, Randle carries for almost two but Fletcher Cox decides he's not going to get the first down. On 3rd down, the snap takes Romo by surprise and he's taken down. Dallas punt for 58 yards.
So after all the early scoring, that's three "three and outs" in three drives, allowing us to take a breath. It's been brilliant so far though, played at such an excellent pace.
After Sproles returns the punt for 12 yards, Sanchez starts on his own 39. Brent Celek takes in a short pass for seven on 1st down, before McCoy goes down behind the line to lose two. This time on 3rd down, Sanchez passes out left to Sproles, who is able to gain a first down.
Maclin gains 12 on the next first down, before Matthews takes in a pass for four yards. On 2nd&6, the same player goes for three before a flag is thrown for holding on Cooper. Automatic first down.
McCoy is brought down for one, before Sanchez's wayward pass is too high for Celek. On 3rd down, Sanchez targets Ertz, who looks for a flag. The call goes against Dallas again, this time JJ Wilcox the offender.
McCoy goes out of bounds after carrying the ball for nine yards, and Philly have the ball on the Dallas 8-yard line. The game will resume after the two minute warning.
Timeout called following a short rush from McCoy that leads to a 1st&goal.
The Eagles look to their running back again, but he only gains one yard and Dallas use their second timeout.
Another failed rush from McCoy, who only needs four yards. This stop brings up a 3rd down and the Cowboys use their last timeout.
On 3rd down, Sterling Moore tips the ball away from Cooper to avoid a third touchdown. Parkey will attempt a field goal again, this time from 22 yards.
FIELD GOAL IS GOOD - Parkey
FUMBLE! Philly turn the ball over straight away, with Boykin forcing a drop from Beasley on 1st down. Allen scoops the ball up and travels, and Sanchez will take over again in the Dallas half.
The play has gone to a booth review, due to some doubt as to whether Allen and Boykin were both in bounds. The call stands and Philly will have possession.
McCoy rushes on 1st down but not for many. On 2nd down, Sanchez slides down and the Eagles use their first time out. Will they kick for three, or will they try to inflict further punishment?
Sanchez attempts to find a touchdown but he's pressured and forced to drop back. He gets a throw away but Cooper can't be found, and Parkey will score another field goal.
FIELD GOAL IS GOOD - Parkey
Romo takes a knee on his 24 yard line and that's the half.
HALF TIME: Eagles 23-7 Cowboys
The interval, and finally a chance to take stock of that half. The first quarter went by at an electrifying pace, with the Eagles offence beginning like men on a mission. Unsurprisingly, they slowed down. But even though they couldn't add to their two early touchdowns, they did manage to keep the score moving via the boot of Cody Parkey.
Philly have racked up 292 yards of total offense in that half, with the hosts unable to find an answer to some of their ground game plays. The only positive that Dallas can take from this so far is their red zone defense has been strong, and it's probably the only thing keeping them in the contest right now.
The Eagles hurry-up offense had 42 total plays during that half, with 14.19 of the clock used. The Cowboys took more of the clock to complete 14 less plays! It's madness from Philly, but it's working.
There'll be a short pause before the game resumes, as we're being 'treated' to the stylings of your favourite rapper and mine, Pitbull, during the break. It's like the Super Bowl Lite in Texas right now.
Here's a stat Romo will want to continue once Pitbull has finished his set.
Tony Romo with zero TD passes in the first half.
He's thrown a TD pass in 38 consecutive games. pic.twitter.com/bkEuginALF
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 27, 2014
Meanwhile the Eagles are quoting the star performer. I think it's time we got back to the game. Please?
"Give me everything tonight." pic.twitter.com/wVrJaeeIzJ
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 27, 2014
The Cowboys receive the kick and run it back to about the 25. Romo's up.
Murray travels for nine on 1st down before Romo goes play action on the next play and finds Jason Witten for the first time tonight. Chains moved.
Another run on 1st down and Murray rushes for seven more. On 2nd&3, the running back is stopped instantly by Cole so Romo tries a toss to Dunbar on the next play. Wilcox stops him and the Cowboys end the drive with a punt. Fair catch called by Sproles.
FUMBLE! Sanchez's first pass of the half is incomplete to Maclin. But 2nd down has McCoy's run for two yards slip from his grasp and Dallas have it. Finally, they have something to build on.
Huge turnover for Dallas, who run with Murray on 1st down. He gains a 2nd&1 after rushing for nine.
Murray fails to score on 2nd down, losing a yard. On 3rd down, Romo looks to pass but can't get away and drops to the ground, avoiding a sack. Bailey will come on to kick for three, but it's poor not to score a touchdown considering their field position.
Philly call a fair catch in their end zone, as TV replays show a number of Cowboys players unhappy on the sidelines. They're clearly frustrated at their failure to take advantage following McCoy's fumble.
Maclin hauls in a pass to make it 100 yards receiving on the night. On 2nd down, Sanchez rushes for a first.
McCoy gains seven on the run on 1st down, before a hand to Sanchez's face on 2nd&3 means Dallas concede a penalty. 15 yard gain for Philly, 1st down.
TOUCHDOWN EAGLES - McCoy
After Sanchez dives for four yards on the next 1st down, McCoy takes advantage of some excellent work by the O-line. In the open field and away, the running back scores a 38 yard TD. Simple stuff.
Harris returns the kick into good position for Dallas, so Romo will have the ball on his 35 yard line.
SACK... INTERCEPTION Romo hits the deck on 1st down, leaving the Cowboys with a 2nd&15. Bryant gains one on second down, before Dallas go three and out when the next pass is picked off!
OVERTURNED! Holding against the Eagles defense, and instead of having the ball back, Dallas have a first down on the Philly 36!
Dunbar runs for 14 on 1st&10, giving the crowd something to shout about.
Excellent play by Murray, who stiff-arm's his way past three Eagles men.
SACK! A 2nd&1 turns into a 3rd&8, as Cox takes Romo down once more. Fortunately for Dallas, Romo hits Bryant and they move the chains.
A flag is thrown for illegal formation by Dallas on 1st down, meaning they restart with a 1st&15. Romo looks long for Devon Street, but he's nowhere near.
INTERCEPTION! Pass protection is faltering with each passing play for Romo and on 2nd&15, Beasley is the missed target. On third down, he forces a shot off to Terrence Williams and Kerry Williams claims the ball. It's going to be a very long way back for the Cowboys now.
With the ball back in Eagles hands, McCoy rushes for seven and then two yards. On 3rd down, he crosses the line with ease for a fresh set.
McCoy sits out the next 1st down, allowing Polk to gain 11. On the next 1st&10, he rushes for four more and then just one. A fight breaks out as the clock ticks down.
END OF THIRD QUARTER: EAGLES 30-10 COWBOYS
The final quarter begins with a 3rd&4 on the Dallas 46. Sanchez finds Maclin on the play, who gains a big first down.
Sanchez then shows off his ground game, rushing in open field for 13 - a season long.
FUMBLE! McCoy rushes for 9 on the next 1st down. Sanchez hands it off to him again on the next play, but he's dragged down behind the line. On 3rd down, the running back goes again but it's popped out of his hands by Church and Dallas recover. McCoy's had a good game, but two fumbles puts a blemish on it.
CALL REVERSED! Huge call from the officials, who say McCoy was down by contact before the ball came out. Eagles have it on the Dallas 13.
Polk goes nowhere when play resumes, but gains six on 2nd down. Sanchez, Celek and Cooper exchange words, with the QB calling a timeout.
Following their mini-argument, Cooper is the target but doesn't seem ready and can't make the catch. Parkey steps up and splits the uprights.
FIELD GOAL IS GOOD - Parkey
Harris decides he's going to try and gain good field position for the home side but fails miserably. The unit will begin on the 14.
Nice catch by Williams on 1st down for 20 yards but Murray takes a catch and run out of bounds for another set.
Romo goes long for Bryant but he runs into double coverage and Fletcher is the man to usher the ball away. 2nd&10 has the QB overthrowing with Beasley the target, before a similar play results in him going out of bounds for a gain of nine. Dallas have to go for it on fourth down, but Philly halt the run with aplomb and it's a turnover on downs.
McCoy picks up two on 1st down before the Eagles decide to kill some clock and huddle. It's taken all night, but they're seemingly slowing down.
Philly go three and out but are happy to waste some clock time. Jones will punt back to the home side.
With Dallas having to start their latest drive from way back in their territory, Romo finds Murray, but he's dropped in his own end zone. They get themselves into a 3rd&13 situation from their own one and the rusher is short of another set of downs. This is as bad as it gets for the Cowboys.
The punt only reaches midfield, such is it's deep starting position. Sproles gains about 15 yards but a flag is thrown against the Eagles so it's a ten yard penalty from the spot of the foul. 1st&10 on the Eagles 44.
Dallas call their first timeout after Polk gains five. When he's dropped behind the line on 2nd down, they use another.
Polk gains another first down, breaking two tackles to force Dallas to use up their last timeout.
The officials state that Polk didn't quite gain a first so Philadelphia are forced to punt. Harris, realising he won't be returning the kick, smashes into Carroll unnecessarily and a flag is thrown for a personal foul. The Dallas man has lost his head, but he can have few complaints.
Following that penalty, the ball is spotted on the 10 and Romo gets an instant 1st down, finding Williams. He then gets another, with Bryant hauling in a 20-yarder.
Beasley is the target on the next first down, but it falls short. The same man then gains nine on the next play and a flag is thrown against the away side for holding. First down.
INTERCEPTION! Romo goes for Street but it's severely overthrown. Allen picks it off with ease and this is just depressing for Dallas now.
With McCoy seemingly done for the day after 159 yards and a touchdown, Polk gains 12 on his next carry.
Polk goes for two short rushes, leaving a 3rd&5 as the two minute warning approaches.
Huff takes a carry and goes for six yards; another Philly first down.
The Eagles take a knee, and Chip Kelly's team move to 9-3. An relatively straightforward night's work.
FULL TIME: EAGLES 33-10 COWBOYS
So there we have it, a pretty routine for the Eagles this Thanksgiving Day. Their flying start - which saw them score 14 unanswered points during the first quarter - gave them the cushion they needed to build on, and Dallas couldn't catch up.
Tony Romo and his offense just didn't click the way we've seen this season, unlike Mark Sanchez, who led his team excellently.
LeSean McCoy was the star of the show for the Eagles, who now take sole control of the NFC East. They welcome the Cowboys in less than three weeks time, with a win there surely sealing the division and a playoff spot for them.
Thanks for joining us here on Sports Mole tonight. Stick around for play-by-play coverage of the NFC West battle between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, kicking off in around 30 minutes.
Written by
Joe McPhee
Joe McPhee
