Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Full Report Card Grades for Dallas
In a game that had huge implications, the Dallas Cowboys (10-4) beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-27 to improve their road record to 7-0.
The Cowboys had trouble getting the running game going, but Dez Bryant had a huge game to carry the offense to 38 points and the victory. The offensive line had a much better performance than it did in the first meeting, and it showed, as Romo had an easier time finding his targets throughout the game.
The Cowboys defense had some rough patches, but the unit tightened up when it mattered most. Jeremy Mincey and Bruce Carter made some huge plays to ice the game for Dallas late.
The team got some crucial turnovers to stop the Eagles' momentum in the third quarter, and it was all Cowboys after that.
The Cowboys special teams did a great job once again to limit the effectiveness of the Eagles' vaunted special teams units.
Now, the Cowboys look forward to another crucial game against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.
Let’s take a look at how each position graded out in this Week 15 matchup.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Tony Romo had a rough outing in the first meeting between these two teams, but he bounced back to put together a fantastic performance this time around. Romo went 22-of-31 for 265 yards and three touchdowns, and he looked comfortable in the pocket throughout.
He had a rough stretch through the second and third quarters, but he finished the game very well, continually finding Dez Bryant to keep the offense going.
As is the case with any other game, Romo does a great job when he is able to set his feet and make good throws with excellent timing and mechanics. With his back troubles, he cannot make the same throws that he used to be able to make, but he is still an incredible quarterback when he doesn't have to compromise his mechanics.
The Cowboys need Romo to continue this type of play through the stretch run for the Cowboys to make the playoffs.
Grade: A
Running Back
2 of 10
While it wasn't pretty, DeMarco Murray did what was necessary for the Cowboys to win the game. He didn't have many great carriers, but he did a good job of taking care of the ball and helping the Cowboys take precious time off the clock.
He finished with 81 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, as he didn't have many running lanes throughout the game.
Lance Dunbar had one of his biggest workloads of the season, getting a lot of playing time on third downs. He made some important plays that led to Dallas scoring points on a couple of occasions. He finished with five carries for 22 yards, and he fought hard for every single inch.
The Cowboys running game wasn't as effective as usual, but its presence allowed Romo and Co. to take advantage in the passing game.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
In a game where the Cowboys needed their wide receivers to win their one-on-one matchups, Dez Bryant answered the bell.
The Eagles had no answer for Bryant, as he abused Bradley Fletcher throughout the game. He finished with six catches for 114 yards and three touchdowns. Whenever the Cowboys needed a big play, it was Bryant who got open and made a crucial catch. This game further cemented him as one of the two or three best receivers in the NFL.
Jason Witten had one of his best games of the season, with seven catches for 69 yards. He was Romo's security blanket on third down, as he made some important catches to extend drives.
Meanwhile, Terrance Williams continued to struggle, as he had a hard time getting open throughout the game.
As teams continue to key on the Cowboys running game, it will be up to the passing attack to take advantage like it did Sunday night.
Grade: A
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The Cowboys offensive line didn't have one of its best games, but it did just enough to help the team get a victory.
The Cowboys ran for only 115 yards, and Romo was sacked three times, but the line did an adequate job against the very active front seven on the Eagles.
Tyron Smith appeared to have a great game, as he locked down Romo's blind side throughout the night. Smith struggled some in the middle of the season, but he has appeared to revert back to his old self, doing an impressive job of late.
Ronald Leary struggled mightily once again, as Fletcher Cox beat him throughout the game. The Cowboys need Leary to play like he did earlier in the year when he did an incredible job slowing down JJ Watt.
Overall, the Cowboys offensive line got the job done, and that is all that matters.
Grade: B
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The Eagles beat down the Cowboys defensive line at times, but when it mattered most, the defensive line made some huge plays.
Mincey made the two biggest plays for the defensive line, as he had two clutch sacks, which caused the Eagles to punt late in the game. The Cowboys have been in desperate need of a decent pass rush, and Mincey helped provide it late in the game.
Another defensive lineman who had a great game was Tyrone Crawford, who also finished with two sacks. Crawford has been the Cowboys' best defender throughout the season, and he further cemented that Sunday. He struggled at times in the running game, but he got pressure when the Cowboys needed him to.
Henry Melton had a bad night, as he was pushed around all game. Dallas brought Melton in to be disruptive, but he has failed to do that in the last few games.
The Cowboys don't have a great defensive line, but it did a great job Sunday when the game was on the line.
Grade: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
The team's linebackers had an average night in totality against the Eagles.
Rolando McClain started the game off well, but he struggled to stay with the Eagles' speedy running backs, missing a couple of tackles as he was shooting his gap.
Anthony Hitchens got fooled by the Eagles' misdirection on a few occasions and overran a few plays as well. Hitchens has struggled some since McClain has been back, and the Cowboys need him to play at a higher level down the stretch.
Carter had another up-and-down game. He had some plays that made you scratch your head as to why he was out there, but he also had some huge plays, like his interception that sealed the game in the Cowboys favor.
Overall, the Cowboys have sustained a bunch of injuries to their linebacker unit, and they have done an adequate job in that context.
Grade: C+
Secondary
7 of 10
The Cowboys secondary put together one of its better performances Sunday night against the Eagles.
Orlando Scandrick had another good game in coverage, and he proved again that he is the leader of the secondary.
Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox had one of their better games as a tandem, as they made good plays in coverage and were sound with their tackling for the most part. Wilcox also had a crucial interception and a forced fumble that swung the momentum in Dallas' favor.
Brandon Carr is the highest-paid player in the secondary, but he was awful Sunday. He struggled to stay with Eagles receivers throughout, and he took unnecessary gambles that resulted in huge plays for the Eagles.
Sterling Moore further cemented himself as the second-best cornerback on the Cowboys, as he did a good job of playing the ball in the air throughout the game.
Grade: B+
Special Teams
8 of 10
The Cowboys special teams put together another solid performance, limiting the Eagles throughout the game.
The unit started the game on a high note, as it recovered the first kickoff after the Eagles had a miscommunication on the return.
Dwayne Harris didn't do a great job in the return game, but he was very active in kick coverage throughout the matchup.
Outside of one errant punt, Chris Jones did a good job of punting the ball with enough hang time so that the Eagles couldn't get a good return.
Dan Bailey was perfect again, as he made all of his extra-point attempts and made his lone field-goal attempt.
Grade: A-
Coaching
9 of 10
The Cowboys were thoroughly outcoached in the first meeting, but Jason Garrett and Co. did a great job getting the Cowboys prepared this time around. Garrett did a great job with time management, and he also did a great job of challenging the Eagles' fumble, as he had less than 20 seconds to make a decision.
Play-caller Scott Linehan had a simple game plan, but it worked, as the Cowboys held the ball for over 41 minutes.
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli coached a great game, as the Cowboys defense started and finished the matchup playing at an extremely high level.
Grade: A
Final Grade
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | A |
| RB | B |
| WR | A |
| OL | B |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | C+ |
| Secondary | B+ |
| Special Teams | A- |
| Coaching | A |
| Cumulative Grade | B+ |
The Cowboys weren't perfect, but they put together a great team win, as evidenced by their cumulative grade. Romo and Bryant carried the team to the victory, but Dallas was also helped out by the opportunistic defense. Mincey and Carter closed the game for the Cowboys in a way that the defense had yet to do this season.
The Cowboys will now look ahead to another tough challenge against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.
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