The Philadelphia Eagles need to wait just a bit longer before clinching the NFC East and the No. 1 seed in the conference.
The Dallas Cowboys were able to hold off the Eagles’ potential game-winning drive and come away with a 40-34 victory.
Trailing by six with two minutes to go, Gardner Minshew put the Eagles at the opposing 19-yard line, but after he spiked the ball on first down, the Cowboys stepped up and got three straight stops to clinch the win.
The Cowboys were able to fight back from two separate 10-point deficits – Philly opened up the game with a 10-0 lead, and the Cowboys answered with two touchdowns to lead by four.
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Michael Gallup #13 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown with CeeDee Lamb #88 during the third quarter in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas.
(Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
In the Eagles’ first drive of the second half, leading by three, they went on a 10-play drive that finished with a 14-yard touchdown by DeVonta Smith on a 4th and 3 to take a 27-17 lead.
After Dallas kicked a field goal, they recovered a Minshew fumble and turned it into a Michael Gallup touchdown to tie the game. Smith scored again, though, after a 13-play drive, but Dallas answered right back with CeeDee Lamb’s second touchdown of the game, knotting the match at 34 apiece with 5:49 to go.
In the midst of another good drive, Minshew then threw a costly pick, which Dallas turned into a field goal. On the Eagles’ first play of their next drive, Miles Sanders lost a fumble, and the Cowboys again turned it into three points with 2:07 to go.
The Eagles got into the red zone quickly, but were unable to get any closer.
The Dallas Cowboys defense celebrates after an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas.
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
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Minshew was more than serviceable in replace of possible MVP Jalen Hurts, who is out with a sprained shoulder – he finished with 355 yards through the air on 24-of-40 passing while rushing for a touchdown. Smith finished with eight catches for 113 yards and two scores. A.J. Brown added 103 receiving yards on six catches.
Meanwhile, Dak Prescott was 27-for-35 for 347 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. Lamb caught 10 passes, two for scores, for 120 yards. Ezekiel Elliott also ran one in for a touchdown, finished with 55 rushing yards on 18 carries.
The Eagles are still just one win away from clinching the division and the top seed in the conference, which will result in a first-round bye. They host the New Orleans Saints next week before taking the New Jersey Turnpike north to fake the New York Giants.
Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas.
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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The Eagles (12-3) would have to lose both of those games, and the 10-5 Cowboys would have to beat the 7-8 Titans in Tennessee plus the 7-6-1 Washington Commanders in D.C. in order to snatch the division.
