
This week, the NFL world really has been waiting all day for Sunday night, with the Dallas Cowboys set to host the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium in a primetime matchup with a ton of postseason implications.
This is the second matchup this season between the two NFC East foes, with the Eagles having defeated the Cowboys 28-23 back in early November. If Philadelphia (10-2) is victorious in Week 14, they will essentially have a three-game lead in the NFC East over Dallas (9-3), considering they'll be two games ahead record wise and own the tiebreaker. A victory by the Cowboys, however, would pull the two teams even in the NFC East with a month remaining in the regular season.
The Eagles are aiming to become the first team in a generation to win the NFC East in back-to-back seasons. Since the Eagles won four consecutive NFC East titles from 2001-2004, there hasn't been a repeat winner in the division. Philadelphia won the NFC East a year ago with a 14-3 record, and currently leads the division again this season.
Of course, both teams have their eyes on a bigger prize -- the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which comes with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. For the Cowboys, a team that's undefeated at home this season, they need to leapfrog the Eagles to have a chance at the top spot in the conference. The Eagles need a win to hang onto the top spot in the NFC, as the San Francisco 49ers improved to 10-3 with a victory over the Seattle Seahawks this afternoon. The 49ers, by virtue of their throttling of the Eagles a week ago, would own the tiebreaker.
Follow along for live updates and highlights throughout the Sunday Night Football tilt between the Eagles and Cowboys.
First Quarter
Defensive Drive 1
The Eagles won the coin toss and deferred. Quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys proceeded to go on a 10-play, 75-yard drive, with receiver CeeDee Lamb catching a 13-yard touchdown pass.
Offensive Drive 1
Quarterback Jalen Hurts fumbled the ball on a designed quarterback run, with safety Donovan Wilson recovering it at the Dallas 21-yard line.
Defensive Drive 2
The Eagles defense was able to bend but not break on their second defensive drive, but Dallas' excellent rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey nailed a 60-yard field goal to extend the Cowboys lead to 10-0.
Second Quarter
Offensive Drive 2
Hurts threw to receiver DeVonta Smith on an RPO on third-and-two, but the pair weren't able to connect. However, punter Braden Mann pulled off a successful fake, connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus for a 28-yard gain to extend the drive.
Philadelphia would ultimately have to settle for a 52-yard field goal from Jake Elliott after A.J. Brown wasn't able to haul in a perfect pass from Hurts on third-and-five.
Defensive Drive 3
Running back Rico Dowdle extended Dallas' lead to two touchdowns with a one-yard rushing score. While he was initially ruled short on the field, coach Mike McCarthy successfully challenged the call and it was ruled a touchdown rush for Dowdle.
Offensive Drive 3
After consecutive plays were muddled by Dallas' pass rush, the Eagles again had to settle for a field goal, a 44-yarder from Elliott. It's better to come up with points than not, but the Eagles aren't going to get back into this game settling for field goals.
Defensive Drive 4
Dallas added another touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half, with Prescott connecting with receiver Michael Gallup for a one-yard touchdown after a well-executed pick play.
Third Quarter
Offensive Drive 5 (Offensive Drive 4 was a three-play drive before the end of the first half)
Former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore forced a fumble from receiver A.J. Brown, an abrupt ending to the opening drive of the second half.
Defensive Drive 5
To their credit, the Eagles forced a three-and-out after the fumble, with Lamb dropping what may have been a nail in the coffin of Philadelphia.
Offensive Drive 6
Hurts failed to connect with Smith on two of three plays on this drive, and the Eagles quickly had to punt the ball back to the Cowboys.
Defensive Drive 6
Fletcher Cox stripped the ball from Prescott, and his fellow defensive linemen Jalen Carter scooped it up and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Perhaps this will be a turning point for the Eagles, who have felt lifeless for much of the night.
Defensive Drive 7
Dallas had to settle for another long field goal attempt, but it was the star rookie Aubrey who once again added points for the Cowboys on a 59-yard field goal. According to the NBC telecast, he's the first player in NFL history with two field goals 59 yards or longer in the same game.
Offensive Drive 7
Two plays after Smith got his fingers on a Hurts pass in the end zone, Hurts again threw the ball to Smith on fourth-and-eight. Smith was only able to gain a yard before being tackled by Gilmore, turning the ball over on downs.
Fourth Quarter
Defensive Drive 8
Stop us if you've heard this before -- Aubrey connected on a field goal, this one a mere 45-yarder, extending the Dallas lead to 30-13.
Offensive Drive 8
A difficult night for Eagles receivers continued on this drive, with Smith fumbling the ball, and Dallas recovering.