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Just a few days ago, in fact, the Eagles' quarterback tried very hard to put their 40-17 knockout of the Giants in perspective. He expressed concern about heads getting too big. He reminded everyone just what a marathon the NFL season is, and how first-half flashes often fall short of the playoffs.
He may want to repeat that sermon again in the near future, now that Sunday night's street fight with the Dallas Cowboys is behind them — and they have slipped to 5-3 after a 20-16 loss, their first in the NFC East.
It was far from a technical masterpiece, but it had all the crackling intensity expected of a battle for the NFC East lead. It had all the other earmarks as well — injuries, questionable calls, challenges denied, you name it.
In the end, it turned on a Dallas defensive stand, as the Cowboys (6-2) stoned three straight Eagles runs at their own 45, the last a McNabb sneak with 10:49 to go. When Andy Reid's challenge of the spot was denied — his second such futile challenge of the night — Dallas took over. Five plays later, Tony Romo (21-of-34 passing for 307 yards) hit Miles Austin for a 49-yard touchdown pass and a 20-13 lead with 8:04 left.
David Akers' third field goal of the night, a 52-yarder, kept the Eagles alive with 4:27 to go. But Dallas killed the clock, the Eagles helpless to stop it in the wake of Reid's rejected challenges.
The game also marked another week on the sideline for Brian Westbrook, who was held out of practice Friday and deactivated for the second straight game since his concussion at Washington Oct. 26.
"On Friday afternoon Brian began experiencing symptoms of a mild headache," Eagles head trainer Rick Burkholder said in a news release. "From that point forward, we had Brian re-evaluated by (team internist) Dr. Gary Dorshimer and we put him through extensive testing. Even though those tests were determined to be negative, we all thought it would be in the best interests of Brian and the team that he should be deactivated for tonight's game. We will continue to evaluate Brian this week."
McNabb's midweek warnings soon proved prophetic, as he and the Eagles spent the first quarter not only spinning their wheels, but also opening the door for Dallas to grab a 7-0 lead.
When Jeremy Maclin couldn't hang onto a McNabb throw over the middle, it wound up in the hands of Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who dove for the pick at the Eagle 37. From there the Cowboys needed eight plays, the last a two-yard Wildcat run by Tashard Choice for the touchdown with 7:54 left in the quarter.
Meanwhile, the Eagles news seemingly went from bad to worse. Left tackle Jason Peters had to be helped off the field with an ankle injury four minutes later. Todd Herremans moved out from left guard to replace Peters, with Nick Cole moving over from right guard into Herremans' slot and Stacy Andrews in at right guard.
The changes did nothing to slow Wade Phillips' pass rushers, particularly DeMarcus Ware, who spent much of the night in the Eagles' backfield. But the offense showed signs of life.
Jason Avant provided the spark, with a huge third-down catch for 23 yards as the second quarter began. McNabb (16-of-30 passing for 227 yards) then found Brent Celek for another 20 and LeSean McCoy bounced outside for 17 on a 10-play, 54-yard drive that ended in Akers' 45-yard field goal.
Perhaps seeing Ware pound McNabb one time too many, Reid actually went to the ground on the Eagles' next series: a 12-play, 54-yard grinder leading to another Akers field goal, this one from 48 yards. McCoy (13-54 rushing, 5-61 receiving) and fullback Leonard Weaver combined for seven carries and 37 yards in the drive, but an interference call on Alan Ball kept it alive after a third-down incompletion.
Dallas answered with the night's longest play, a 64-yard catch-and-run by Patrick Crayton to the Eagle 17, where Tracy White made a touchdown-saving tackle. White's play proved to be worth four points as the Cowboys were forced to settle for Nick Folk's 22-yard field goal and a 10-6 halftime lead.
The Eagles erased that lead in the third quarter, but not without considerable anguish.
It came first from a holding call on rookie linebacker Moise Fokou, wiping out Ellis Hobbs' 96-yard return of the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. But the Eagles overcame that gaffe, as McCoy motored 45 yards to the Dallas 15 with a dump pass, and McNabb hit Brent Celek for an 11-yard TD two plays later.
Fokou stubbed his toe again in the third, when Sheldon Brown swiped a Romo overthrow for Jason Witten deep in Eagle territory and returned it 54 yards to the Dallas 35. Instead, the Birds started on their own 12 because Fokou was flagged for a low block. They wound up punting from their own 37.
Dallas tied the game at 13-13 early in the fourth, after Mike Jenkins outdueled Maclin for McNabb's second interception of the night. Maclin was flagged for a facemask on the play, and Romo's 22-yard hookup with Roy Williams (5-75) set up Folk's 33-yard field goal.
Notes: Fokou started at strongside linebacker for the Eagles in place of Chris Gocong (quad). ... The Eagles fully activated all three quarterbacks. ... Asante Samuel celebrated a rare open-field tackle on Marion Barber in the third quarter and was promptly slapped with a 15-yard taunting foul. ... Samuel left the game with a neck injury late in the third quarter, but returned. Peters also returned to the Eagles' offensive line.
