Eagles Stun Cowboys 29–16 Behind Hurts’ Balanced Attack in Arlington

ARLINGTON, TX - In a highly anticipated NFC East showdown, the Philadelphia Eagles walked into AT&T Stadium at 5-5 and walked out with their biggest win of the season, handing the 9-1 Dallas Cowboys a 29-16 loss. Jalen Hurts led a balanced and methodical performance, and Philadelphia's defense delivered one of its most complete outings of the year, holding Dak Prescott and the league's hottest offense to just one touchdown.

Cowboys strike first, but Eagles take control

Dallas opened the game with a sharp, scripted drive capped by a 22-yard touchdown from Dak Prescott to Jalen Tolbert midway through the first quarter, giving the Cowboys a 7-0 lead. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

From there, Philadelphia slowly seized control. Early in the second quarter, Saquon Barkley jump-started the Eagles with a 25-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7. After Brandon Aubrey answered with a 30-yard field goal to put Dallas back on top, Hurts engineered a late-half march, finishing it with a 1-yard touchdown plunge that sent the Eagles to the locker room up 14-10.

"We knew they'd come out fast in their building," Hurts said. "Once we matched that energy and got the run game going, we felt the momentum swing."

Hurts, Barkley and Brown punish Dallas in the third

The Eagles came out of halftime intent on imposing their will. Hurts continued to carve up the Cowboys on short and intermediate throws and kept drives alive with timely scrambles. Midway through the third quarter, he found A.J. Brown on a 15-yard strike in the back of the end zone, extending the lead to 21-10.

Brown finished the night with 7 catches for 67 yards and that touchdown, while Barkley delivered a classic workhorse effort: 12 carries for 80 yards and a score, plus 2 receptions for 12 yards. Hurts added 33 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 7 carries, giving Dallas fits on zone reads and red-zone keepers.

Dallas did manage a rare defensive highlight on the ensuing conversion attempt after Brown's touchdown, turning a busted extra point into a team safety to cut the deficit to 21-12. But that quirky play ended up being the Cowboys' final points until deep into the fourth quarter.

Tolbert's costly drop seals Dallas' fate

Trailing 28-12 early in the fourth after another 1-yard Hurts rushing touchdown, the Cowboys tried to rally behind Javonte Williams and the quick passing game. Williams ran hard, finishing with 13 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown, plus a reception for 11 yards, and George Pickens chipped in 3 catches for 56 yards as Prescott pushed the ball downfield.

Prescott's numbers told the story of a frustrating night: 18-of-34 passing for 197 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Every time Dallas appeared ready to make it interesting, something went wrong - a penalty, a sack, or a missed opportunity. The defining moment came on the Cowboys' final meaningful drive. Facing 3rd-and-21 with time slipping away, Prescott uncorked a deep ball to Tolbert that had just enough space to move the chains. Instead, the ball went through the receiver's hands and fell incomplete, as noted on the 1:03 mark of the fourth-quarter play-by-play.

"That's a play we have to finish," Cowboys head coach Andres Perez said. "We put ourselves in a tough spot with penalties, but we still had a chance there. You can't let those slip."

Dallas would settle for a late safety to make it 29-16, but never seriously threatened again. Philadelphia's defense closed things out with tight coverage and disciplined tackling, forcing Prescott into checkdowns and contested throws as the final seconds ticked away.

Hurts outduels Prescott as Eagles climb above .500

Hurts was steady and efficient from start to finish, completing 27 of 33 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, good for a passer rating just over 104. He spread the ball around to A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith (6 catches for 27 yards), Dallas Goedert (4 for 42), and Jahan Dotson (6 for 58), keeping Dallas guessing on every key down.

"We played our brand of football," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. "Run the ball, take what's there in the passing game, and finish in the red zone. Against a team like the Dallas Cowboys, that's the formula."

With the win, the Eagles climb to 6-5 and inject serious life into their playoff hopes. The Cowboys fall to 9-2, taking their first major stumble since early in the season.

Up Next

The Philadelphia Eagles return home in Week 13 for a matchup against the Chicago Bears at Lincoln Financial Field. The Dallas Cowboys stay at AT&T Stadium for another primetime-style test in Week 13 when they host the Kansas City Chiefs.