Arlington, TX – With a Giants victory over the Jets earlier Saturday, Philadelphia's playoff hopes were dashed, but it didn't stop the Eagles from putting on another dominant display against the Dallas Cowboys.
Michael Vick threw for 293 yards and two scores on 18-of-32 passing as Philadelphia took apart Dallas in a 20-7 win.
Jeremy Maclin caught five balls for 72 yards and a touchdown and DeSean Jackson had 90 yards on five receptions for the Eagles (7-8), who have outscored their opponents 91-36 during their three-game winning streak.
Tony Romo left the game on Dallas' opening series with a right-hand contusion. Romo suffered the injury as his follow-through of an attempted pass slammed into the helmet of Philadelphia's Jason Babin. He did not return and third- year pro Stephen McGee took over under center. McGee finished the game with 182 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-38 passing.
Dez Bryant had 62 yards on five receptions and Miles Austin added 40 yards receiving and a touchdown for the Cowboys (8-7), who have a winner-take-all showdown on the road against the Giants for the NFC East crown next Sunday.
The Eagles took their opening possession of the game 80 yards in11 eight plays before Brent Celek capped it off with a 13-yard score over the middle. Riley Cooper's 28-yard reception highlighted the drive. On the play, Vick was seemingly trapped on the left sideline as Anthony Spencer appeared to have an easy sack. But Vick was able to escape, even with Spencer grabbing his facemask, as he flipped a pass off his back foot to Cooper, who came down with the jump ball.
It appeared that Jason Avant gave the Eagles a 14-0 lead late in the second quarter after he took a short pass from Vick for a nine-yard TD reception. But after review, it was ruled a touchback as Avant lost the football prior to it crossing the plane as he attempted to dive into the end zone.
On consecutive plays, Maclin hauled in a 22-yard pass, Jackson had a 33-yard reception down the right sideline and Avant caught a 27-yard pass to set up the Eagles at Dallas five. Vick found Maclin in the back of the end zone three plays later for a five-yard score, giving the Eagles a 14-0 lead with five seconds left in the first half.
Celek rumbled for a 39-yard gain down to Dallas' 20-yard line on a tight end screen and Alex Henery concluded the quick five-play, 34-yard drive by splitting the uprights from 43 yards out to make it a 17-0 game late in the third quarter.
Henery booted through his second field goal on Philadelphia's next offensive series, this one from 51 yards out early in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys faced a 4th-and-8 with 2:22 left at Philadelphia's 16-yard line. McGee's pass for Martellus Bennett fell incomplete, but the Cowboys got the ball back at Philadelphia's 25-yard line after an Eagles' three-and-out and a blocked punt by Bruce Carter.
Austin hauled in a four-yard TD pass with seven seconds left to prevent the shutout. The Cowboys haven't been shut out at home since September 15, 1991 when they fell to the Eagles, 24-0. That game also marked the last time the Eagles recorded a road shutout.
Game Notes
Philadelphia defeated Dallas 34-7 in Week 8...With Dallas' loss, the NFC East will be won by a team with less than 10 wins for the first time...The Eagles outgained the Cowboys 386-238...LeSean McCoy finished with 35 yards on 13 carries...Celek had two receptions for 52 yards.
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