Mark Sanchez’ performance gave Eagles’ fans lots to smile about.
By Art Beitchman
In a game that was billed as a Thanksgiving Day white knuckler, take no prisoners grudge match — which it was before the first snap — the Eagles turned it into a 33-10 rout as they grabbed hold of the NFC East division lead by the throat and squeezed the stuffing of their most despised rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
The fact that the blowout was played in Jerry Jones’s $1.5 billion playpen was the dessert with the blowout win as the main course as the Birds took control of the NFC East with four games left.
The party got started on the opening kick, as the Eagles went on a high-precision, nine-play drive that took 3:05 on the clock and ended with a Mark Sanchez’ QB sneak, putting the Birds up 7-0.
Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray was the Boys’ focal point, getting the ball early and often, but the Eagles’ front seven never really let the NFL rushing leader break off a big one, holding Murray to 73 yards on 20 carries, a season low.
Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox took umbrage of all the praise the Cowboys O line was getting, making it clear it would be no duck walk on this Turkey Day game, which it wasn’t.
For the first time all season, the Birds had all three phases, offense, defense, and special teams operating at top tier level, making it very difficult for the home team Cowboys. More than once the cameras showed TE Jason Whitten screaming at the coaches on the sideline; also diva WR Dez Bryant went off on his teammates, frustrated with the whipping the Eagles were administering to them, with no answers in sight.
Sanchez had a clean game, throwing for 217 yards, a TD and no picks. LeSean McCoy rushed for 159 yards on 25 carries and a TD, reminding all naysayers he’s still one of the NFL’s most dangerous offensive weapons with plenty still left in the tank.
The Eagles raised their record to an NFC East 9-3, and next in line are the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks who will visit Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday December 7, @ 4:25pm/Fox-29.
