PHILADELPHIA — Jerry Jones faced not only another disappointing defeat for his Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles, but also endured the raucous celebration of Eagles fans during the game that further dashed hopes for a playoff run this season.
Despite being in his suite, Jones was clearly in the line of fire as enthusiastic Philadelphia supporters aimed their jibes and cheers at him every time the Eagles found the end zone. The final score was a staggering 41-7 in favor of Philadelphia, securing the NFC East title for the home team.
Eagles fans were relentless, chanting phrases like “Dallas sucks!” as they made it a point to harass Jones throughout the match. Wearing sunglasses, Jones seemed to take it all in stride during the pregame warmups, with one fan shouting, “Jerry, you’re doing a great job this year, man. Keep it going,” while others offered sarcastic applause and encouragement.
The Cowboys came into the game having won four out of their previous five matchups but found themselves at a disadvantage right from the opening drive, when Cooper Rush had a pass intercepted by C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. Rush concluded the game with 147 passing yards and two interceptions, both at the hands of Gardner-Johnson.
Adding to the Cowboys’ struggles, they played without wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who was sidelined with a sprained right shoulder and deemed unavailable for the remainder of the season. This setback dropped Dallas’s record to 7-9 under head coach Mike McCarthy, whose future remains uncertain as his contract nears expiration.
Rico Dowdle stood out as a bright spot in an otherwise grim performance, rushing for 104 yards to surpass 1,000 yards for the season, making him the first undrafted free agent in franchise history to achieve this milestone. However, beyond that, the rest of the game was largely disappointing for the Cowboys.
McCarthy lamented the team’s self-inflicted mistakes, stating, “Those giveaways were avoidable. It’s just like every positive play, every negative play. You evaluate it, because that’s the only way you truly have a true evaluation.” He pointed out that while some plays can be chalked up to the opponent’s efforts, the crucial turnovers were largely self-inflicted errors.
Rush, a free agent at the end of the season, acknowledged it was one of his poorer performances after stepping in for Dak Prescott, who is out with a torn hamstring. “For whatever reason this stadium… it’s frustrating, especially when we’ve been playing well. We haven’t been turning it over, giving our defense what they need,” Rush explained, noting how tough it is to perform against a strong team when committed mistakes.
With their playoff chances extinguished, the Cowboys are left facing one final game against Washington following three consecutive seasons of postseason appearances. This marks the earliest the team has been knocked out since 2015, leaving them with little to play for but pride.
Prescott observed from the sidelines, having undergone surgery and unable to contribute on the field. “I’m supporting the teammates, obviously seeing the game from a different view up there in the booth,” he remarked, relaying how he was still able to gather insights from coaches during the game.
This season has proven challenging for Prescott, who has faced injuries twice in five years, previously suffering an ankle fracture in 2020 when the team finished with a 6-10 record. He mentioned that he’s gradually regaining strength in his injured leg and is beginning to make progress. “I’m probably a few weeks, maybe a month away from really running-running,” he stated while heading to the team bus.
Before his injury, Prescott’s performance was subpar, with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Cowboys’ offense fell to middle-tier status after being among the best in the league during the previous seasons that McCarthy and Prescott led their team to three straight 12-5 records. “Nobody plays to have a losing season, to be in this position. You expect playoffs every year,” Prescott concluded, highlighting the team’s high expectations and aspirations.
