Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles: Halftime Updates
The Dallas Cowboys are playing the Philadelphia Eagles today at the Linc. Here is a brief synopsis of the first half:
November 11, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper (14) reacts with tight end Brent Celek (87) after catching a touchdown pass against Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE
Possession 1, Philadelphia Eagles:
The Eagles received the opening kickoff. The Cowboys defense committed 2 penalties to extend the Eagles drive. The Eagles had a 2nd and 12 at the Cowboys 40; the Eagles threw a screen to WR DeSean Jackson who broke two tackles and ran all the way inside the Cowboys 10. On 1st down from the Cowboys’ 7, the Cowboys stopped the Eagles ball carrier for a short gain on 1st down. On 2nd down, QB Michael Vick ran for a short gain forcing 3nd and goal. On 3rd down, Riley Cooper made a spectacular catch for the TD on CB Morris Claiborne. It is week 10; this was the first time the Eagles scored a TD on their opening possession this season.
Dallas Cowboys 0 – Philadelphia Eagles 7
Possession 2, Dallas Cowboys:
The Cowboys began their first possession on their own 20 after a touchback. They started with a run to Felix Jones for 4 yards. On second down, QB Tony Romo hit TE Jason Witten for a short gain to bring up 3rd and 1. Romo hit WR Miles Austin for the first down. On the ensuing first down, LT Doug Free committed his 7th false start penalty of the year. On 1st and 15, Felix Jones made a nice run, showing some patience, up the middle for 13 yards. A carry by FB Lawrence Vickers set the Cowboys up with 1st and 10 on the Eagles 43. Garrett decided to stick with the run on 1st down’ Romo pitched the ball to RB Lance Dunbar for a 5 yard gain on the right side. Another run by Dunbar brought up 3rd and 2 at the Philly 38. Out of the shotgun, Tony Romo hit WR Cole Beasley for the 1st down. Romo then hit Jason Witten on an out for 8 yards. Felix Jones then carried the ball through the middle for another first down. On a delayed draw, Jones evaded a tackler in the backfield and then broke a run for 9 yards, setting the Cowboys up with a easily converted 2nd and 1. On 1st and 10 from the 10, Romo hit Felix Jones on a screen; Jones made several tacklers miss abnd eventually powered the ball into the endzone.
November 11, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones (28) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE
Romo was 5 out of 5 for 34 yards on the drive. The Cowboys running game look surprisingly effective.
Dallas Cowboys 7 – Philadelphia Eagles 7
Possession 3, Philadelphia Eagles:
The Eagles started on their own 20. Vick started in the shotgun on 1st down, but ran a draw to LeSean McCoy for 6 yards. On the next play, Vick hit Jeremy Maclin in the hands, but Maclin dropped the ball after safety Charlie Peprah delivered a nice hit. Maclin was shaken up on the play. On 3rd and 4, Vick looked like he was trying to run a called sweep, but he was quickly tackled by OLB Anthony Spencer to force a punt.
Possession 4, Dallas Cowboys:
Dwayne Harris returned the punt 4 yards to set the Cowboys up with 1st and 10 on the Cowboys 35. After an effective play-action fake, Romo missed an open WR Miles Austin on 1st down. On 2nd down, RB Lance Dunbar ran for 5 yards to set up 3rd and 5.
END OF 1st QUARTER
On 3rd and 5, Romo, apparently not seeing that Cole Beasley was locked in single coverage with the entire middle of the field to work with, zeroed in on Dez Bryant and then overthrew him to force a punt.
Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE
Possession 5, Philadelphia Eagles:
After a fair catch, the Eagles began on their 18. On first down, ILB Bruce Carter made a great play to drop the runner for a 1 yard loss. On 2nd down, the Eagles ran a screen to McCoy for a 1st down. With the play-clock running down, the Eagles used their first timeout. On a designed QB draw, the Eagles gained 3 yards. On 2nd down, Carter made another tackle in the flat after a short pass to bring up 3rd and 7. On 3rd down, after stopping Vick short of the 1st down, the Cowboys were called for offside giving the Eagles a new2 shot at 3rd and 2. The Cowboys blitzed Ernie Sims up the middle, he went untouched and forced Vick to throw the ball away.
Possession 6, Dallas Cowboys:
Eagles punter Matt McBriar (former Cowboy) launched a booming punt. The Cowboys accepted the touchback and began on their own 20. Garrett continued to stick with the run; Jones gained 2 yards on 1st down. (Michael Vick left the field with some kind of injury(. oN 2nd down, Romo shovelled the ball to Jones for a short gain. On 3rd down, Romo bought some time with his feet and waited for Lawrence Vickers to leave the backfield abd then catch the pass for a first down. The Cowboys then threw a screen to Felix Jones for 7 yards. RB Lance Dunbar then ran for 4 yards and another 1st down. Inside Eagles territory, Romothrew an incomplete on 1st down. On 2nd down, QB Tony Romo was sacked. Brandon Graham blew by Doug Free and the pocket collapsed. On 3rd down, Nate LIvings was beat and Romo was sacked again.
Possession 7, Philadelphia Eagles:
After the Cowboys punt, the Eagles took over on their own with a new QB in place of Michael Vick. Nick Foles started by handing off to McCoy for no gain. He then threw a screen to McCoy for 5. On 3rd and 5, the Cowboys got no pressure on Foles; Foles hit Avant in the hands for a first down, but Avant dropped it to force a punt.
Possession 8, Dallas Cowboys:
Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE
After a 8 yard punt return by Dwayne Harris, Romo and the Cowboys began their possession on their own 32 with 6 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. Romo, after evading a rusher, hit Dez Bryant, who beat the defender on a double move, for 49 yards. On 1st and 10 from Eagles 19, the Cowboys ran Lance Dunbar right for 3 yards. On 2nd down, the Cowboys ran an odd looking TE screen to Jason Witten to bring up 3rd and 3. On 3rd down, Witten made an excellent effort to control the ball before going out of bounds, but could not haul it in. Dan Bailey then kicked a FG.
Dallas Cowboys 10 – Philadelphia Eagles 7
Possession 9, Philadelphia Eagles:
The Eagles returned the kickoff to the 23. On 1st down, OLB DeMarcus Ware got a nice hit on QB Foles, but the pass was completed for 6 yards. On 2nd down, the Eagles were called for holding and left the Eagles with 2nd and 13. Scandrick jumped a Foles pass for a pick 6, but he dropped the ball. On 3rd down, the Eagles stayed conservative by calling a screen which was stopped well short of the first down. The Cowboys called a timeout before the punt with 2:31 left in the half.
Possession 10, Dallas Cowboys:
Nov 11, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) passes the ball during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE
After a short return, the Cowboys took over with 1st and 10 from their own 35. On a delayed draw, Felix Jones took the first down carry for 15 yards. After the 2-minute-warning, the Cowboys had 1st and 10 at the 50. Romo hit TE Jason Witten for 9 yards over hte middle; the Cowboys went no huddle, but the Eagles got pressure on Romo who had to throw the ball away. On 3rd and 1, Romo went to the shotgun, threw a complete pass to Jason Witten for no gain. On 4th and 1, the Cowboys punted. Another great punt by Mormon left the Eagles pinned inside their own 10.
Possession 11, Philadelphia Eagles:
Anthony Spencer was called for offside; the Cowboys defense committed 4 offside penalties on the 1st half. The Eagles seemed content to run out the clock, but Garrett called a timeout with 34 seconds left in the half as the Eagles faced 2nd and 5. After a short pass, CB Brandon Carr came up and put a nice hit on the receiver to force 3rd and 2. Kenyon Coleman made a huge stop on 3rd down to force a punt.
Possession 12, Dallas Cowboys:
The Cowboys took over with only 9 seconds left in the half. Romo took a knee.
END OF 1st HALF
EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was published minutes after the first half ended and therefore is essentially unedited.