Positive Cowboys Report Card As Dallas Hands Eagles 38-21 Loss

The Dallas Cowboys secured a vital 38-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football at Lincoln Financial Field.

Dak Prescott and the offense put up over 400 total yards to go with 38 points; Javonte Williams had a career night (more on him later); and the defense recorded sacks and a turnover.

The Cowboys made tough work of it in the first half, and found themselves down after the first drive of the third quarter, but then the offense got rolling, and the defense stiffened.

Prior to the game, we highlighted five things the Cowboys needed to do to get a much-needed win.

How did they do?

1 - Get after Tanner McKee: Grade C

It didn't start well for the defense, as McKee had his way early, with 5 of 7 passing for 66 yards and a 100.9 rating on the first two drives. He also got Quinnen Williams and Elijah Garcia to jump offsides with a hard count.

McKee only had 68 passing yards in the first half, but came out in the third quarter and led a 17-play, 84-yard touchdown drive to give the Eagles the lead. Yuck.

But after that, the Dallas defense stiffened as it didn't allow anything more of substance.

Williams and Donovan Ezeiruaku both had a sack, while Overshown grabbed an interception.

There were patches of bad, and some patches of decent enough work from the defense.

2 - Cowboys handle the blitz: Grade A 

Dak was kept clean for most of the night, as the offensive line didn't give up a sack, and that is a big tick.

In the past two weeks, the blitz had gotten home on Dak, but we knew Vic Fangio wasn't a big blitzer, and Prescott had time to throw.

Knowing that the blitz was likely to come, and didn't, will please No. 4.

But bigger tests await.

3 - Get Javonte and the run game going: Grade A

The Cowboys knew they needed to get the run game going, and man, did they.

Javonte set the tone on the first drive with a 15-yard run, and he ended up having a career night.

Williams posted 165 yards on the ground from 24 carries as the Eagles' defensive line had no answer to the Cowboys' run game.

What is even better is that Williams averaged 6.2 yards per carry, and Tyler Goodson also got some burn, totaling 38 yards on 10 carries.

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4 - No turnovers/create them: Grade A

DeMarvion Overshown grabbed just his second career interception with an athletic play in the fourth quarter, and on the Eagles' next possession, the defense got a turnover on downs.

Dak and the offense had a turnover-free game, its first in two weeks, and the Cowboys would win the turnover battle for the first time since Week 2.

On the road, against a division rival, the Cowboys finally played a clean game.

5 - Start fast: Grade A     

The Cowboys got the ball to start and walked down the field to score a field goal. That was a good start.

Dallas then went touchdown, touchdown, punt and field goal in the first half. That's ideal.

They weren't playing from behind for long, and when they were, the offense answered in the best way possible, but they sustained drives, which ended in touchdowns.