“When Philly beat us, they wanted it more than we did. Tonight we wanted it more than they did. And that was the difference.” – Cowboys WR Dez Bryant after scoring three touchdowns in Dallas’ 38-27 win over the Eagles. Photo by Todd Bauders / contrastphotography.com

It is now or never for the 2014 Eagles. They must win out, get a little help from other NFC teams or face the possibility of winning 11 games and being out of the playoffs.

“I’m not looking at the standings,” center Jason Kelce said after the Eagles lost a crucial NFC East game to the Cowboys at the Lin. “I’m just frustrated we let a game get away from us. We knew going into the week this was really important and we didn’t get it done.”

The lead the NFL with turnover with 34. Kelce was asked how much turnovers are hurting the team.

“Turnovers kill any team,” Kelce said. “But you know obviously we’ve done a poor job this year in that aspect. But as an offensive lineman I just worry about blocking and getting the job done up front and we didn’t get it done up front today. If you look at the last game, the reason we won that game is because up front we got it done and that starts with me. I take full responsibility and we have to be able to put our offense and our skilled players in better positions. That’s something we pride ourselves on and I’m not getting it done right now for us.”

The Eagles (9-5) gave the Cowboys (10-4) an early Christmas present to start the game when rookie kick returner Josh Huff misjudged the kickoff and allowed Dallas safety CJ Spillman to recover the ball on the Eagles 18-yard line. Five plays later it was 7-0 Dallas on a one-yard touchdown run by DeMarco Murray.

With their up-tempo offense, when the Eagles go three-and-out it seems like they were never on the field.

The Birds first play was at the 12:41 mark of the first quarter, the Cowboys took over for their second drive at 11:20 mark.

The Cowboys gave no gifts on that drive marching 88 yards on 16-plays that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Dez Bryant.

The Cowboys now had the Linc as quiet as a confessional on a slow day. The Eagles time of possession in the first quarter was 2:52 making their appearance on the field somewhat a rumor.

Cary Williams was a penalty machine Sunday night and it was not just when he was covering Bryant.

On three occasions the Eagles had the Cowboys in trouble only to have Williams bail them out with a flag.

To be fair the penalty called on Williams at the start of the second quarter was a horrible call.

But the Eagles had sacked Romo for an eight-yard loss on the play and it hurt as the Cowboys drive stayed alive and ended with a 26-yard strike to Bryant from Romo and gave the visitors a 21-0 lead.

The Birds did bounce back to make it 21-10 at the half on a five-yard run by Chris Polk and a 47-yard field goal by Cody Parkey.

Williams was able to draw an offensive pass interference on Terrence Williams that ended a Cowboys drive.

The Birds made it 21-17 on their next drive when March Sanchez connected with Jeremy Maclin connected on a 72-yard play that put the Eagles on the Dallas one-yard line.

It was Polk again from the one and the Birds will rolling.

On the Cowboys next drive Vinny Curry sacked Romo, who fumbled to Curry at the Dallas 18. Three plays later, Darren Sproles sprinted to the corner of the end zone from the one and the Eagles had a 24-21 lead.

The Cowboys though on this day would not be denied. Dallas scored 14 straight points on a two-yard run by DeMarco Murray to give the Cowboys the lead at 28-24 and a brilliant 25-yard touchdown pass from Romo to Bryant to make it 35-24.

The Eagles did not have another run in them…at least on this day.

“When Philly beat us, they wanted it more than we did,” Bryant said at his
locker. “Tonight we wanted it more than they did. And that was the difference.”

Every player in the locker room this week said they expected a different Cowboys team and the did. The Birds dominated Dallas on Thanksgiving Day, 33-10 and the Cowboys returned the favor outscoring the Birds 38-27 the Linc
The Eagles defense was outstanding in the first game holding DeMarco Murray, the NFL’s leading rusher to 73 yards on 20 carries (3.7) and the one Cowboys touchdown but in last week’s game, while the Eagles defensive line, led by Fletcher Cox held Murray to just 81 yards on 31 carries, The Dallas runner scored two touchdowns in Philadelphia last week and helped set up their passing game.

Romo finished 22 of 31 for 265 yards and three TD passes. he was sacked three times, fumbled once (lost) but did not throw an interception.

Sanchez was 17 of 28 for 252 yards and no TD passes. He threw two interceptions and was sacked four times.

LeSean McCoy ran 16 times for 64 yards and TDs.

Almost every Eagle expected the Cowboys to be physical and they were, rushing 42 times for a total 115 yards and a measly 2.7 yards per carry, but their commitment to the run set up the Tony Romo to Dez Bryant (six catches 114 yds, 3 TDs) and Jason Witten (seven catches, 69 yard) show.

“Yeah we have given up way too many long pass plays throughout the year,” defensive end Connor Barwin said after the Dallas loss. “Those guys on the outside have made some great plays all year. We need to do our job up front and not let him make that clean pass. I have to take my hat off to Dez Bryant. He made some great plays tonight.”

Rookie Beau Allen said teams will try and impose their will every week.

“We have a feeling going into every game that they are going to try and run the ball,” Allen said. “It would not surprise us at all if they came out and really tried to pound the ball with their offensive line, their run game, running back and all that. But you never know.”

The NFL season is long an unforgiving.

The league switched the schedule around to make division games more intense by scheduling the second half of division play at end of the season.
Playing Dallas – of all teams– almost back-to-back is a twist that has worked to get fans locked in on the race. The Eagles must win out on the road against NFC East rivals Washington and New York and hope for some help if they want to make the postseason.

“You don’t have time to dwell on any single game,” Allen said. “Once you’ve played a game, you’ve got to just move on whether it’s a win or a loss, start prepping and get to practice.”

Defensive end Cedric Thornton said the key to playing well the last three games which also includes road trips to Washington and the Giants is to focus on the game in front of you and not past results, good or bad.

“We have to have a short term memory,” said Thornton, who has 38 combined tackles after 14 games. “We had a lot of success last game. We can’t live off of it. Just like if we had a whole bunch of failures…you just have to have a short term memory. We have to come out and try and dominate and execute out own game plan like we did last time.”

After the Dallas loss, coach Kelly was asked about no longer having control in terms of playoffs and this is the first time he’s faced this. What did he tell his players?

“The only thing that matters is just our next game,” Kelly said. “We can’t think anything long term. We don’t worry about who does what and who does anything. If we don’t go out and beat Washington, then it’s kind of a moot point, anyway. Only thing we can control is our preparation for Washington. Let’s worry about what we can do, and what we can do is get ready to play Washington and get to 10 [wins].”