December 29, 2024
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
DeVonta Smith scorched the Cowboys in Sunday's 41-7 Eagles win.
Nothing like a stress-free Sunday, huh?
With the NFC East right there to take, but no Jalen Hurts because of a concussion, the Eagles had little issue.
Kenny Pickett started the game at QB, made his plays, but then got a little too banged up, so third-string Tanner McKee came in to close Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field out, and the rival Dallas Cowboys never stood a chance.
The Eagles routed Dallas 41-7, DeVonta Smith scored with Pickett and McKee, Saquon Barkley put up another star showing to cross into the 2,000-yard rushing club, and with Week 17 and the Birds' jump to 13-3, the NFC East is theirs – along with the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff bracket.
The Eagles took care of business, and over a hated Dallas team that the Delaware Valley is always happy to see fall.
Here's how they did it...
Cooper Rush just didn't see him.
Faced with a 3rd and 3 in Eagles territory to open up, the Cowboys QB figured he could hit his receiver Brandin Cooks inside on a quick slant for those few extra yards, and on the snap, he picked up on Eagles corner Cooper DeJean in coverage, but never registered safety C.J.Gardner-Johnson over top.
Gardner-Johnson tracked Rush's eyes and cracked down. The throw was high, but Gardner-Johnson leaped up and grabbed it for the pick.
Then he was breaking around the corner and gone.
CJ Gardner-Johnson PICK-6!!!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
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A 70-yard pick-six for Gardner-Johnson, and after the extra point, a 7-0 Eagles lead right away in a crucial game for Philadelphia.
Rush and the Dallas offense responded with a methodical scoring drive taken for 12 plays, 70 yards, and 6:05 of game clock, tying the score 7-7 on a Rush loft to the corner of the end zone that receiver James Tolbert jumped over corner Quinyon Mitchell to grab.
Rush to Tolbert for the @dallascowboys TD!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/TnZIJ3vB0O
Pickett had yet to see the field nearly 10 minutes in, and when he finally did, the Eagles' offense stalled out of the gate.
A false start and a three-and-out did Philadelphia's first drive in, with three straight calls for passing attempts where Barkley wasn't looked at – plus two instances where Smith was shoved down well away from the ball and Kenny Gainwell appeared to have been dragged down by his facemask, though neither with a call.
Take two started feeding the ball to the Eagles' top running back, but again, they went nowhere with another three-and-out.
Dallas was locking in on Barkley, and Pickett when he was tasked to throw didn't appear to have full comfort yet. The rhythm wasn't there, but the Eagles' defense buckling down after that first Dallas touchdown held the early going together.
MORE: A record chase (likely) ends, Gardner-Johnson makes amends
The third time was the charge.
An illegal contact penalty on Dallas bought the Eagles a first down to begin drive No. 3, and with that, they started to settle in.
Barkley carried the ball 15 yards over the next three plays, then Grant Calcaterra made a one-handed grab on a Pickett rollout and a prayer for a massive 34-yard gain.
Grant Calcaterra with the sick one-handed grab!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/DeoEIyFkQZ
Pickett to DeVonta Smith!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/x0xHNHaNBv
The Eagles took the lead, 14-7, late into the first half. They were in business.
They were taking the turnover battle, too.
As soon as Dallas took the ball back, Oren Burks – in place of the injured Nakobe Dean at linebacker – stripped it out of tight end Jake Ferguson's grasp. Jordan Davis fell on the loose ball, and the Eagles flipped that into a field goal to go up 10.
Then, running a two-minute drill but at a 3rd-and-6 wall at their own 42 with the clock ticking, Rush tossed a ball up deep downfield for Cooks...into triple coverage.
It was a full-on arm punt, and Gardner-Johnson was the one to haul it in for his second pick of the day.
CJGJ's second pick of the game!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/UBtalQFncZ
The Eagles turned the ball back the other way. Smith blew by Cowboys cornerback Andrew Booth, a practice squad call-up, on a go route, and Pickett hit the star receiver again on a 49-yard completion down to the Dallas 1 with only seconds left.
PICKETT TO DEVONTA FOR A 49-YARD SHOT.
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
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Pickett took his moment with his helmet having rolled off in the pile, and with no time left, the Eagles took a commanding 24-7 lead into halftime with the ball coming back to them out of it.
Pickett push for the score!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/ZylRkWqrJ8
Pickett was taking a beating though, and with a known rib injury going in.
He took a shot immediately into the Eagles' possession coming back from the intermission, on a roughing the passer call charged to Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, then took another toward the end of it on a collision with star Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons after he got the pass away – a scenario the officials ruled clean.
He was visibly hurting on that latter one and went to the sideline hunched over. Third-stringer Tanner McKee checked in for a 3rd and goal handoff to Barkley, who brought the Eagles 9 yards forward before they settled for the field goal to make it 27-7.
The defense forced a three-and-out, but Pickett wasn't ready to return, so McKee went back under center for his first official NFL series.
Barkley broke off for a 23-yard run around the right edge and crossed the 100-yard rushing threshold once again, the Eagles marched down into the red zone, and after the initial play was called back for going out of bounds (as insane of an effort as it was), McKee dropped back and tossed one up for A.J. Brown in the end zone a second time.
Brown spun off cornerback DaRon Bland in coverage and made the catch across the goal line, turning Sunday into a blowout with McKee's first-ever NFL touchdown pass.
GO BACK TO AJ BROWN.
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
Great throw by Tanner McKee.
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
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The NFC East had been locked up, the conference's two-seed effectively as well.
The Eagles were free to start resting up and gearing up for the playoffs. McKee stayed in.
MORE: Quarterback factory leads Eagles to divisional crown
But the Eagles did knock out a couple more "to-do's" with the time left.
Barkley burst through at midfield for another 23-yard gain that brought him into the 2,000-yard club, to the sound of thunderous "M-V-P!" chants from the Lincoln Financial Field crowd, huge smiles from all of his teammates, and a roar from O-line coach Jeff Stoutland on the sideline that got captured on the FOX broadcast.
SAQUON BARKLEY. 2K RUSHING YARDS. pic.twitter.com/HDS8Jy1MRK
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
McKee to DeVonta Smith!
— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
Eagles lead 41-7 over Dallas.
📺: #DALvsPHI on FOX
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Hey, it's Dallas. Pile on. Party on now, too.
MORE: Eagles clinch NFC East title
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