Game (and Pain) of Inches: Dallas Cowboys Suffer Excruciating Loss to Philadelphia Eagles - 10 Observations

Dak Prescott's sparkling performance in Philadelphia marred by late step out of bounds in Dallas Cowboys' 28-23 loss to Eagles.

Luke Schoonmaker's knee. Tyler Steen's elbow. Dak Prescott's foot. CeeDee Lamb's catch.

In an excruciating game of inches, the Dallas Cowboys found themselves on the wrong side of several close plays - down to the bitter end - in Sunday's 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

10. OUT OF BOUNDS - This was Prescott's best game of the season. And also his biggest gaffe. The Cowboys' quarterback kept plays alive with his legs and used his arm to throw for 374 yards and three touchdowns. But on one of the game's most important plays, he inexcusably stepped out of bounds before diving into the end zone on a two-point conversion down five points with 6:23 remaining. Because of that mistake, on their final two drives the Cowboys needed a touchdown to win instead of only a field goal to tie. Those drives got as far as Philly's 29- and 6-yard line.

9. DIGGIN' IT - Against the Eagles' bevy of receivers, Cowboys' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn chose to pressure quarterback Jalen Hurts and try to get away with one-on-one coverage. Nope. If the Cowboys weren't being flagged for illegal contact or pass interference, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown were torching their single coverage for big gains and/or touchdowns. It's the first time since his Week 3 injury that Dallas has visibly missed the size and skill of cornerback Trevon Diggs.

8. ROAD WORRIERS - The Texas Rangers won the World Series by going 11-0 on the road in the postseason. In their last 11 games away from Arlington, the Cowboys are 5-6.

7. TERENCE TURNSTILE - Both of Dallas' last two potential game-winning drives were thwarted by sacks allowed by right tackle Terence Steele. He surrendered two to Brandon Graham to stop one possession. Then after the Cowboys amazingly - with the help of three Eagles penalties for 56 yards - moved inside Philly's 10 in the final seconds, Steele was beaten by Josh Sweat for an 11-yard sack that transformed their final two plays into desperation heaves. On 3rd-and-26 with :05 remaining, Prescott hit Lamb inside the 5-yard line but he was swarmed well short of a first down and the goal line.

6. (UN)LUCK OF THE BOUNCE - The Cowboys almost started their final possession inside Eagles' territory after Philly inexplicably fumbled a hand-off. The ball fell to the turf and a mass of bodies - including Micah Parsons - attempted to pounce on it. Somehow, Eagles' rookie offensive lineman Tyler Steen found his elbow on the ball and made the recovery at Philly's 31. The Eagles retained possession, and punted Dallas back to its own 14.

5. ROUGH REVIEW - Two questions about the Cowboys' key, failed 4th-and-goal trailing by 11 early in the fourth quarter: 1. With all your options, Schoonmaker is the choice? 2. How does the line judge - who is paid to spot the football for a living - miss that call with a clear view of a play that is 10 feet in front of him?

Jake Ferguson kept the Cowboys in the game early against the Eagles Sunday / DallasCowboys.com

4. DAN BAILEY 2.0 - Once upon a time (last July) I offered that the New England Patriots were foolish to draft a kicker because – if you shake hard enough – they grow on trees. Furthermore, I predicted Brandon Aubrey had similar DNA to grow into Dan Bailey. Presto, after excitedly overcooking his first PAT of the season, Aubrey’s now made 38 consecutive kicks including 19 field goals and 19 extra points. He also got a little luck Sunday, banking in an extra point off the left upright.

3. ALLEY-OOPS - With some serious help from penalties, the Eagles took control in a third quarter in which they outscored Dallas, 14-0. Philly's only flaw came after Brown's 4-yard touchdown catch to make the score 28-17. After juking his way into the end zone, Brown handed the ball to co-receiver Smith. He ran toward the goal posts and lofted a basketball-style pass to the trailing Brown who - we think? - was supposed to spike it over the crossbar. Instead, he fumbled the "pass" and wound up flailing and awkwardly shoving the ball well under the crossbar. Pretty touchdown. Hideous celebration.

2. MORAL VICTORY? - The Cowboys weren't perfect by any means, but they had several chances to tap out of this slugfest and refused to wilt. Despite the gut-punch overturned touchdown and Dak's misstep, they still had multiple chances to beat the NFL's best team in its home stadium. No such thing as moral victories in the NFL. But the Cowboys made a much better showing in this loss than the one against the NFC's other elite team - the 49ers - a month ago.

1. NOW WHAT? - Before the game Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his team would be in some "serious (bleep)" in Philly. Whatever that was, now it's worse. The 5-3 Cowboys trail the 8-1 Eagles by two games - plus the tiebreaker - in the NFC East. No team has repeated as division champs since 2004, but ...

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