Schottenheimer's Cowboys run over Eagles in must-win game

Dallas came into Monday night at 2-4, with a home loss streak of 2 and an owner who sounded like he'd taken a few too many swings in the pregame hype. The Eagles were down to a backup quarterback, and Jerry made it weird right away.

Adam Schefter

@AdamSchefter

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to @PatMcAfeeShow and @JasonKelce about facing a backup quarterback tonight on Monday Night Football: “The last time we played a team that had a backup quarterback we got our ass kicked.”

Then Jerry did the thing everyone was waiting for. Asked what an 'important' Game 7 meant for his head coach's job, he didn't give the usual vote of confidence. He said Schottenheimer was part of why the game mattered. That's not a firing, but it isn't a hug either. And it landed at the end of a rough week for Shotty, who got roasted for calling himself a great coach and an elite play caller.

Clarence Hill Jr

@clarencehilljr

Jerry Jones told @DLLSCowboys before the Eagles game that this is as important a seventh game for the 2-4 Cowboys as he can remember. Asked what that meant in terms of Brian Schottenheimer's job security. He said Schottenheimer is a part of the importance of the game for the Cowboys. Jones met with Schottenheimer Saturday as he does every week.

The plan was simple: run it, and keep running it even when it wasn't working. Dallas stayed stubborn on the ground early, and Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for the first lead of the night at 10-7. The throw of the night came in the 2nd quarter, though. Prescott put one on the sideline for George Pickens, who somehow got both feet down for a 21-yard score.

Next Gen Stats

@NextGenStats

Dak Prescott's 21-yard TD to George Pickens had a 14.9% completion probability, the most improbable completion of Pickens' career and third-most improbable TD of Prescott's career. Pickens was just 0.2 yards from the sideline. #DALvsPHI | #DallasCowboys

Dallas led 20-14 at the half, and it still felt shaky. Williams already had 67 rushing yards, but Saquon Barkley was averaging 8.3 yards a carry on just 6 attempts. Philly scored to grab the lead back in the 3rd. Then Prescott hit Lamb for his 2nd touchdown and ran up the middle himself on the 2-point try to make it 28-21 with 1:30 left in the quarter.

That was the last time the Eagles scored. Donovan Ezeiruaku got his first solo sack of the year. Quinnen Williams finished with a sack and tied his career high with 3 tackles for loss. For a defense everybody has written off, the 4th quarter was the cleanest it has looked all season.

Clarence Hill Jr

@clarencehilljr

Overshown with the int... and look that bowling ball celebration by the entire defense in the end zone

DeMarvion Overshown's interception basically ended it, and the whole defense celebrated with a bowling ball bit in the end zone. Dallas scored again after that to make it a 17-point game and snap its 2-game skid. The Eagles have now lost 5 straight.

Calvin Watkins

@calvinwatkins

Cowboys 38, Eagles 21 final. Cowboys end 2-game losing streak.

The numbers show how they did it. Javonte Williams ran 25 times for a career-high 155 yards and a touchdown, the most rushing yards by a Cowboy since Ezekiel Elliott put up 159 on Tampa Bay in 2016. Dallas ran for 204 yards as a team. Prescott went 15-of-27 for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns, so he still has never thrown an interception at Lincoln Financial Field. He also passed Roger Staubach for 2nd-most regular-season wins by a Cowboys QB, with 86.

Then Schottenheimer walked into the press room and gave reporters about 4 minutes, compared with his usual 10 to 15. He said he was 'great' and 'excited for our guys,' and that was about it. Prescott called it the 'hungry, pissed off version' of his coach. You can't really blame him. He won the game a lot of people had already written as his last.

The national read is cooler, though. On the broadcast, Troy Aikman said not to get carried away and pointed out that this is a beat-up Philadelphia team. He's right about one thing in particular: Dallas has now given up 20+ points in 14 straight games.

NFL Researcher

@NFL_Researcher

The Cowboys have allowed 20+ points in 14 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL. The next closest teams are the Commanders and Chargers at 6 such games.

NFL Researcher

@NFL_Researcher

Longest active streaks of allowing 20+ points: 1. Cowboys - 13 (franchise record) 2. Chargers - 6 3. Lions - 5 3. Commanders - 5 5. Saints - 4 5. Raiders - 4

So Shotty bought himself a week, not a contract extension. At 3-4, Dallas is right back in an NFC East race where the Eagles look like they're falling apart. Aikman said it best: what matters now is whether this defense can keep holding up when the other team isn't missing its starting quarterback.