ARLINGTON, Texas — Jalen Hurts delivered an impressive performance, throwing two touchdown passes and adding two rushing touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys 34-6. This game marked the first after Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a hamstring tear.
Hurts managed to bounce back from two sacks delivered by Micah Parsons, who was back in action after being sidelined due to injury. One of Hurts’ touchdown passes was to tight end Dallas Goedert, who returned to the field after missing three games because of his own hamstring issues.
With this victory, the Eagles improved to 7-2, taking the lead in the NFC East by securing their fifth consecutive win. Conversely, the defending division champions, the Cowboys, fell to a disappointing 3-6 record, remaining winless at home at 0-4 and experiencing their fourth consecutive loss overall.
In contrast to his previous performance as a stand-in quarterback, Cooper Rush struggled significantly, completing just 13 of 23 passes for a mere 45 yards. Rush had shown promise when he filled in for Prescott two years ago, winning his first four games before faltering against the Eagles.
This time, however, turnovers plagued the Cowboys, as Rush lost two fumbles amidst a total of five turnovers. He was briefly replaced by Trey Lance at the beginning of the second half and ultimately remained on the sidelines in the fourth quarter as discontented fans voiced their displeasure. Lance’s introduction didn’t help much either, as he threw an interception shortly after entering the game.
As for Prescott, he is unlikely to return this season, as he is seeking additional medical advice regarding potential season-ending surgery for his hamstring injury sustained during last week’s match against Atlanta.
Hurts did face some challenges, including an interception thrown in the end zone, and he also fumbled when hit by Parsons, handing the Cowboys the ball at the Eagles’ 6-yard line. Despite being placed in a favorable position, the Dallas offense failed to capitalize on that chance to score. Instead, Hurts solidified the Eagles’ lead, completing 14 of 20 pass attempts for 202 yards, in addition to rushing for 56 yards before being substituted by Kenny Pickett once the Eagles had a comfortable 31-6 advantage in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles took an early lead when Hurts scored on a quarterback sneak following a mishap by Rush, who dropped a snap and fumbled at the Cowboys’ 17-yard line. Hurts added an 8-yard rushing touchdown, a 14-yard completion to Goedert, and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Wilson.
Among the various issues for the Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott fumbled just as the team had the opportunity to seize the lead in the second quarter. Elliott made his return after being absent in Atlanta due to tardiness for meetings.
Injury updates from the game include Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, who hurt his ankle in the first half, while Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown departed with a knee injury during the second half. Additionally, rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton was inactive due to a neck problem.
Looking ahead, the Eagles are set to face Washington at home on Thursday night, while the Cowboys will host Houston next Monday night.