Carson Wentz keeps turning the ball over, but Eagles pull away late to beat QB-challenged Cowboys

PHILADELPHIA – There was very little appealing other than the final result for the Eagles.

That was especially true of quarterback Carson Wentz's play.

Wentz turned the ball over four times – two interceptions, two lost fumbles – and the Eagles needed Rodney McLeod's 53-yard fumble return with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter to put away the Dallas Cowboys 23-9 on Sunday night.

The Cowboys were playing with third-string quarterback Ben DiNucci, a rookie making his first NFL start.

Yet at times, it was Wentz who played like a third-string rookie quarterback rather than a franchise quarterback in his fifth NFL season.

"I'm not good enough," Wentz said. "I’m pumped we got the win, but I’m going to have to watch the tape. I’m a little frustrated just with how I played, and how we left some plays out there, left some points out there and missed some big opportunities.

"I can be better. I know I will be." 

For the Eagles (3-4-1), it was enough to stretch their hold of first place to one game over idle Washington (2-5) in the NFC East. The Cowboys (2-6) fell 1 1/2 games back.

But that won't work against the better teams in the NFL.

It worked against Dallas because in addition to having a third-string QB, the Cowboys came into the game with the worst defense in the NFL, allowing 34.7 points per game and 408 yards per game.

The Eagles' offense managed just 15 points and 222 yards.

Dallas had allowed their previous six opponents to get at least 20 points in the first half, an NFL record. The Eagles had just 7 points at halftime.

"We understand and we can’t turn the ball over," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. "Bottom line ... We can’t do the things that we’re doing to survive in this league. We’ve gotta get better, fix it, and fix it in a hurry."

Pederson was then asked if he considered pulling Wentz from the game.

"No, there was never any of that conversation to pull him," Pederson replied.

The Eagles' defense put the pressure on DiNucci, as would be expected. Brandon Graham had a strip-sack in the first quarter and recovered the fumble at the Eagles 25 with the Cowboys looking to extend their early 3-0 lead.

Then in the fourth quarter, linebacker T.J. Edwards' sack and forced fumble led to McLeod touchdown near the end. 

In between was a lot of frustration for the Eagles' offense.

DiNucci completed 21 of 40 passes for 180 yards in his first NFL start. The Eagles sacked him 4 times. And Edwards, in his first game back after a stint on injured reserve, had 12 tackles.

But the Eagles certainly gave DiNucci plenty of opportunities. Wentz completed 15 of 27 passes for 123 yards and 2 TDs and 2 INTs.

Wentz's four total turnovers gave him 16 for the season (12 interceptions, four lost fumbles), the most in the NFL.

"I didn’t look pretty," Graham said. "We knew it was going to be a battle for us. We held strong."

It certainly wasn't pretty.

The Cowboys led 9-7 late in the third quarter when Wentz hit wide receiver Travis Fulgham for a touchdown from 9 yards out. The two-point conversion gave the Eagles a 15-9 lead.

The Cowboys then reached the Eagles' 35 before turning it over on downs. The Eagles, however, went 3-and-out and gave the ball back to the Cowboys. This time, the Cowboys faced a 3rd-and-6 from the Eagles' 21 when Edwards blitzed up the middle, leveled DiNucci and knocked the ball out of his hands.

Defensive end Vinny Curry tried falling on the ball, but it squirted free and McLeod picked it up and scored.

"It was just, secure the bag, you know what I’m saying?" McLeod said. "Pick it up, make sure you get possession, and after that, get to the end zone."

The Eagles then added a safety when the Cowboys snapped the ball over the head of punter Chris Jones out of the end zone.

Finally, the Eagles could exhale after Wentz's turnovers and some questionable play calling from head coach Doug Pederson.

This coming against a Cowboys team that came into the game that had forced only 3 turnovers all season. Dallas matched that total in the first half, and the Eagles trailed 9-7 on Greg Zuerlein's 59-yard field goal with 6 seconds left.

The socially-distanced crowd booed the Eagles off the field.

It was understandable.

The Eagles' had just one scoring drive in the first half. That was highlighted by a 32-yard pass from Wentz to Fulgham to get to the Cowboys' 3. Soon after, rookie Jalen Reagor had his first career NFL touchdown on a 2-yard pass from Wentz.

The Eagles faced a fourth-and-4 from the Cowboys' 45 when Wentz dropped back to pass. He was hit before he could throw, fumbled again and the Cowboys recovered at the Eagles' 46.

That resulted in the Cowboys' second field goal, cutting the Eagles' lead to 7-6.

The Eagles got to the Cowboys' 34 later in the first half. Wentz tried a pass into the end zone for Reagor, but Trevon Diggs made a diving interception. 

It continued into the third quarter as Wentz was intercepted by Diggs again trying for John Hightower deep down the middle. 

"Too many turnovers. I gotta be better," Wentz said. 

What happened to the run game?

The Cowboys came into the game giving up a league-high 178.3 yards rushing per game.

Sure, the Eagles didn't have Miles Sanders, missing his second straight game with a knee injury. But Boston Scott had 45 yards on his first three carries in the first quarter. He got his career-high of 59 yards by halftime.

But Scott finished with 70 yards on 15 carries.

Hurts throws another pass

Rookie Jalen Hurts continued to get some snaps. He also threw his second career pass, completing it to Travis Fulgham for 9 yards. Hurts has completed both passes. The other was an 18-yard completion to Richard Rodgers against the Steelers on Oct. 11.

Slay, Malik Jackson leave with injuries

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay left the game with an ankle injury in the first half and didn't return. Defensive tackle Malik Jackson left in the third quarter with a quad injury.

Jackson was making his return after missing the game against the Giants with the same injury.

Lane Johnson a late scratch

Jordan Mailata got his chance to play after all, but at right tackle, after right tackle Lane Johnson was ruled out before the game Sunday night with knee and ankle injuries.

Mailata had played left tackle the last four games in place of Jason Peters, who had been on injured reserve with a toe injury.

Peters was one of five players activated off IR on Saturday. Eagles coach Doug Pederson hinted on Friday that Peters would replace Mailata at left tackle.

Mailata had never played right tackle in an NFL game before. That was evident as DeMarcus Lawrence blew past him to sack Wentz on the second play of the game.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter@Mfranknfl