3 Dallas Cowboys to blame after losing critical NFC East game to Eagles
By Kristen Wong
Defensive penalties
We hate to blame the Cowboys' defense because the officiating crew made quite a few questionable calls this game.
The defense also made key stops in the fourth quarter, forcing the Eagles to go three-and-out on their last three drives.
At the start of the second half, though, one ugly defensive performance may have defined the game.
When the Eagles were up 21-17, the Cowboys committed three defensive penalties to extend Philly's drive and dig the team into a two-score hole. First, Jonathan Hankins committed a defensive offside -- five extra yards for Philly. Then, Stephon Gilmore got called for pass interference -- this penalty was very suspect and is more on the officials than on Gilmore. The third penalty came near the Cowboys' end zone when Donovan Wilson was penalized for defensive holding.
All those calls added up, helping an already well-oiled Eagles offense take control of the game. Again, that was a very weak DPI on Gilmore; however, one would expect a little bit more "oomph" from the Cowboys' supposed Doomsday Defense to make a big play when the team needs it most.