Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Super Bowl champion Eagles held off the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 in a wild NFL season opener Thursday, holding firm after an ugly spitting incident and a lengthy weather delay in Philadelphia.
The Eagles had just raised their championship banner before a packed house at Lincoln Financial Field when defensive standout Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott as play was paused because of an injury to Philadelphia’s Ben VanSumeren on the opening kickoff. Prescott had stepped out of a knot of Cowboys players to exchange words with Carter, who could be seen on video spitting on the Dallas signal caller. Carter, who had 4.5 quarterback sacks and 12 tackles last season, was immediately assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and thrown out of the game.
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The Cowboys then marched 53 yards in six plays for an opening-drive touchdown, with Javonte Williams diving into the end zone for a one-yard score. It was the start of a frenetic first half. Philadelphia made it 7-7 with 5:55 left in the first on quarterback Jalen Hurts’s four-yard rushing touchdown. Williams delivered another one-yard touchdown plunge to put Dallas up 14-7 before Philadelphia responded with another scoring drive capped by Hurts’s eight-yard rush. Brandon Aubrey had connected for a 41-yard field goal for Dallas before Philadelphia took the lead for the first time, 21-17, on a 10-yard rushing touchdown from star running back Saquon Barkley. That was Philadelphia’s third TD in as many drives. Dallas narrowed the gap to 21-20 as Aubrey drilled a 53-yard field goal as time expired in the entertaining if sometimes testy first half.
Dallas managed to keep Philadelphia out of the red zone on the opening drive of the second half, but Jake Elliott booted a 58-yard field goal that stretched the Eagles’ lead to 24-20. Dallas then threatened again, with former Eagle Miles Sanders breaking loose for a 49-yard run that put them in prime position. But the Cowboys couldn’t get the ball over the line, and a Sanders fumble was recovered by Philadelphia’s Quinyon Martin — who was tackled by Prescott moments before play was suspended because of lightning in the area. They resumed after 65 minutes, with 4:44 left in the third quarter.
The Cowboys came up with a quick stop but were unable to build momentum, and, in fact, neither team scored after the delay. Dallas’ last chance at a comeback ended with receiver CeeDee Lamb’s third dropped pass of the second half, the Cowboys turning the ball over on downs with 1:54 remaining.
“They played a hell of a game,” Hurts said of the Eagles’ NFC East division rivals, Dallas. “We know how they are when Dak is back and they’ve got their crew altogether. And a lot of respect for that team on the other side. A lot to learn.”
“We’ve just got to clean up some things and play better football,” added Hurts, who completed 19 of 23 passes for 152 yards and ran for the two TDs. “I think our discipline wasn’t in it early in the game,” Hurts said after the Eagles racked up an array of penalties. “We see that in the beginning of the game and how it started,” Hurts added. “But great job by our defense and being able to battle and respond and guys stepping in to fill those roles. Be a lot to learn from … whether it’s our execution or just our overall temperament as we approach it as a team — we’ve just got to be better.”
Prescott completed 21 of 34 passes for 188 yards, and Williams ran for 54 yards. It was a feisty performance from a Dallas team playing its first game under new coach Brian Schottenheimer, despite the turmoil of deciding just last week to trade star defensive end Micah Parsons to Green Bay after failing to reach a contract deal.
© 2024 AFP
