Eagles Stock Market: Gardner Minshew a Gamer but Sloppy Play Costly

The Eagles' backup QB did enough to win but four turnovers were too much to overcome in a 40-34 loss to the Cowboys

USA Today

Gardner Minshew was more than you could ask for in a backup quarterback, throwing for 355 yards and two touchdowns but four turnovers doomed the Eagles in a 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday.

The loss was just the second of the season for Philadelphia (13-2) which failed to clinch the NFC East and the No. 1 seed in the conference. 

The Cowboys (11-4) can still win the division by winning their final two games if the Eagles also lose their final two: home games against New Orleans and New York Giants.

While that seems unlikely, it’s still uncertain when starting quarterback and MVP candidate Jalen Hurts can return from an SC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder while potentially meaningful injuries were suffered by star right tackle Lane Johnson and slot cornerback Avonte Maddox.

Johnson went down in the fourth quarter with what looked like a groin injury while Maddox (toe) and rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis (head injury) were lost in the first half.

There was plenty to like offensively other than the turnovers while the secondary failed its test against Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, something exacerbated once Maddox left.

Here are some of the good and bad.

THE BULLS

MINSHEW MANIA - The Eagles value the backup QB position more than most and Minshew again validated that thesis with an excellent performance, showing off his accuracy and quick decision-making. 

His processing skills had the Dallas defense scrambling for most of the game.

He drove Philadelphia inside the Cowboys' 20 in the waning seconds with a chance to steal the game. Anytime you generate 442 yards of total offense with your backup that should be enough to win.

SHANE STEICHEN - If Steichen isn’t a head coach in this league by next season, it would be an upset. One of the best young play-callers in the game, the OC was extremely sharp, using Trevon Diggs’ aggressiveness against him on a sluggo route to A.J. Brown early and then again when he snuck Dallas Goedert underneath the line on a drag route, understanding Diggs would jump the look, allowing DeVonta Smith to slip behind him for an easy touchdown.

Steichen also utilized the Cowboys’ understanding that Minshew prefers in-breaking routes and when he saw inside leverage in the red zone, had Smith break outside for another score.

INTERMEDIATE GAME - Minshew isn’t Hurts, of course, and the intermediate game needed to be big for the Eagles and it was. As expected, Minshew was great throwing to the big bodies of Dallas Goedert and Brown.

IF YOU CAN’T BLOCK HIM, READ HIM - That was Nick Sirianni’s thought process when it came to Micah Parsons in Week 6 but without the threat of Hurts allowing the ability to put the Cowboys’ game-wrecker in conflict, this time it had to be “block him” for the most part.

Few are as well-equipped to do that as the Eagles with Johnson and Jordan Mailata. The Eagles didn’t allow a sack to Parson or Dallas in the entire game.

THE BEARS

THE TURNOVERS - The Eagles had basically gone wire-to-wire in turnover ratio this season but gave it away four times to a Cowboys team that generates the most in the league. Quez Watkins didn’t fight for the ball hard enough in two contested-catch situations that resulted in interceptions and even though Minshew took the blame for a mesh-point hiccup with Boston Scott, it was clearly the running back’s fault. 

Finally, after not fumbling in the first 13 games, Miles Sanders put it on the ground for the second consecutive week.

DARIUS SLAY - It’s rare when you have to call out the Eagles’ star cornerback but Slay played uncharacteristically poorly in Dallas with three significant miscues. 

He got undressed by veteran receiver T.Y Hilton on a key fourth down early resulting in a penalty and conversion while he was also victimized by Hilton, who was playing his first game this season, on a third-and-30 play (you read that right). 

Finally, it was Slay who was the culprit when it came to miscommunication on a cover-3 look, not rookie Reed Blankenship or Josiah Scott, on a big CeeDee Lamb TD.

INJURIES - Already dealing with the Hurts injury, the Eagles lost Avonte Maddox (toe), Jordan Davis (head injury), and Johnson (groin/abdomen) in-game. Maddox was spotted in a walking boot after the game while Johnson was wearing a warp around his midsection. Davis will also likely go into concussion protocol this week.

MILES SANDERS - With more traditional inside zones running plays without Hurts, Sanders generated just 65 yards on 21 carries, a poor 3.1 average, along with the costly fumble. When critics talk about Hurts’ ability to elevate players they should start to realize how much space he has created for Sanders in what has been a career season for him.

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen