3 Takeaways from Cowboys' Week 8 Loss

The Dallas Cowboys were more competitive in their Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles than they were in previous games.

However, they still only managed a single-digit point total and did not rely as much on Ezekiel Elliott as they should have with a third-string quarterback on the field.

Ben DiNucci struggled to string together a consistent run of completions, which led to head coach Mike McCarthy calling a few too many trick plays in an attempt to catch the Eagles off balance.

The Dallas defense kept the team in the game for a half, as it took advantage of the turnover-prone Carson Wentz, but even if it produced a perfect second half, there was no guarantee of DiNucci leading the offense down the field on a scoring drive.

Things could get more miserable for the 2-6 Cowboys in Week 9, as they are set to host the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers before hitting a bye week.

Ben DiNucci Struggled in 1st-Career NFL Start

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

DiNucci put up a respectable stat line by going 21-of-40 for 180 yards, but that does not tell the whole story of his NFL debut.

The James Madison product was put under pressure on countless occasions by the Philadelphia front four and was taken down on four occasions. He also lost a pair of fumbles.

Since he faced so much pressure, DiNucci was unable to take some shots down the field, which resulted in Amari Cooper earning one catch for five yards. DiNucci used Michael Gallup as his safety valve and called on tight end Dalton Schultz on the final drive of the game to add to his totals.

Overall, DiNucci did not look the part of a starting NFL quarterback, and if Andy Dalton is still in concussion protocol in Week 9, life could even worse for him in the pocket against the Pittsburgh defense.

The good news for Dallas, if you can call it that, is that it found out DiNucci does not yet have what it takes to perform in the NFL. The bad news is he may have to face one of the best defenses in football if Dalton is not cleared in time for Sunday.

Ezekiel Elliott Needed More Touches

Derik Hamilton/Associated Press

The Cowboys should have centered their offensive game plan around Elliott.

Instead, DiNucci threw the ball on 40 occasions, and McCarthy dialed up a handful of trick plays that did not work.

When the Cowboys called on Elliott to move them down the field, he did in the third quarter. He gained 25 yards on four carries, and Tony Pollard added 18 yards on three touches to get the ball down the Eagles' 28-yard line.

Dallas wasted its scoring opportunity by going back to a trick play that led to a 10-yard loss from Cedrick Wilson, and after a two-yard pass from DiNucci to CeeDee Lamb, Greg Zuerlein missed a 52-yard field goal.

Had the ball remained in Elliott's hands, the Cowboys may have scored a touchdown or allowed Zuerlein to kick a shorter field goal.

Ten plays after the third-quarter miss, Travis Fulgham was celebrating a touchdown catch in the end zone and the Eagles pulled ahead for good.

Despite his struggles this season, Elliott is the best player in the offense while Dak Prescott is hurt. McCarthy needs to show more reliance on the running back in certain situations to shift the momentum in his team's favor.

Trevon Diggs' Up-and-Down Night

Derik Hamilton/Associated Press

Philadelphia had a clear directive in its passing attack to target Trevon Diggs.

The rookie out of Alabama struggled in coverage on a few occasions, but he also took advantage of Wentz's mistakes and brought in two interceptions.

Although his performance was far from perfect, Diggs never gave up and twice put his team in a situation to take advantage of turnovers.

The first interception occurred near the end of the first half, but the Cowboys could not muster anything on the offensive end. Diggs' second pick came on the first drive of the second half and set up the series in which Elliott was used the most. But Dallas' play-calling turned that into a lost opportunity.

Diggs struggled against the Eagles duo of Travis Fulgham and Jalen Reagor, but some growing pains are expected for a rookie corner in the NFL, even if he came from Alabama.

The two picks should hand Diggs some confidence moving forward, and if he continues to work on his coverage skills, he could be one of the better players in the Dallas defense by season's end.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.