PHILADELPHIA – You needed an updated scorecard to keep track of the Eagles’ roster in their regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night.
But with backups and deep reserves like Gardner Minshew at quarterback, Kenny Gainwell at running back and Tyree Jackson at tight end kept pace with Cowboys stars Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper – until the final few minutes of the first half.
That’s when the Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the final 1:45 and the Eagles trailed 30-17 at halftime.
The Eagles decided to rest just about all of their starters, including quarterback Jalen Hurts and the entire offensive line except for center Jason Kelce, who played the first snap to extend his consecutive games started streak to 122, the most among active NFL centers.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, had clinched the NFC East weeks ago, but decided to play their starters at least through the first half.
Other than Kelce, rookie DeVonta Smith played and broke DeSean Jackson’s record for receiving yards by an Eagles rookie in the first quarter. Jackson had 912 yards receiving in 2008.
On paper, the game resembled one of those “money games” in college football where a powerhouse like Alabama pays a hefty sum to the likes of Western Carolina. But unlike Alabama’s 66-3 win over Western Carolina, the Eagles kept pace.
In fact, they scored on their opening drive as Jackson scored on Minshew’s 3-yard shovel pass. It was Jackson’s first career reception.
The Eagles’ defense couldn’t put up much resistance against the Cowboys’ starting offense. Prescott completed 16 of 21 passes for 240 yards and 4 TDs in the first half. In all, the Cowboys had 308 yards of offense in the first half.
Minshew, starting his second game in place of Hurts, went 12 of 19 for 106 yards in the first half.
After the Cowboys went ahead 17-10 on Cedrick Wilson’s 24-yard TD catch, the Eagles tied it up on Gainwell’s 7-yard TD run with 3:40 left.
The Cowboys went ahead again as Prescott hit Dalton Schultz from 2 yards out with 1:45 left in the half. They added a touchdown at the end of the half, following a 21-yard punt by Arryn Siposs, again with Prescott hitting Schultz, this time from 9 yards out.
DeVonta sets Eagles receiving record
It didn’t take long for Smith to set the Eagles’ record for receiving yards by a rookie, breaking the mark set by DeSean Jackson when he had 912 receiving yards in 2008.
Smith came into the game needing 38 yards to break the mark. He caught a 25-yard pass from Minshew on the third play of the game, but didn’t get another catch until the final minute of the first quarter.
He caught a 12-yard pass from Minshew to the Eagles’ 48. Then Minshew came right back to him on the next play, a quick-out for 4 yards. That gave Smith 916 yards receiving this season.
Granted, Smith needed the extra 17th game to get it, but it’s still a nice accomplishment.
Kelce makes (very) brief appearance
Kelce was one of 12 players placed on the COVID-19 list last Monday. Many of them were starters.
But Kelce was the only one to come off. After all, Kelce came into the game having started 121 consecutive games, the longest among NFL centers.
Kelce extended the streak to 122. He took the first snap of the game, then came out.
As for the other 11 on the COVID list, the Eagles elevated the following players from the practice squad as COVID replacements – T Kayode Awosika, LB Christian Elliss, DB Jared Mayden, DB Mac McCain, TE Richard Rodgers, TE Noah Togiai, T Casey Tucker and DT Raequan Williams.
Tyree Jackson’s 1st catch memorable
Tight end Tyree Jackson had played in the previous eight games, but had not caught a pass in his NFL career.
That changed Saturday. With Dallas Goedert and Jack Stoll on the COVID-19 list, Jackson became the Eagles’ top tight end. They also elevated Richard Rodgers from the practice squad.
So on 3rd-and-goal from the Cowboys’ 3, Jackson got his chance when he caught a shovel pass from Minshew and scored the first touchdown of the game.
Jalen Hurts out, DeVonta Smith in
Hurts was not on the game-day roster, so Minshew was making his second start of the season.
Reid Sinnett served as the backup quarterback. He has never played in an NFL game.
Minshew started in place of Hurts against the Jets on Dec. 5, when Hurts was out with a sprained ankle suffered the week before. Minshew completed 20 of 25 passes for 242 yards and 2 TDs that day in the Eagles’ 33-18 win.
In addition, right tackle Lane Johnson (rest/knee) and left guard Landon Dickerson (thumb) were not on the game-day roster. They didn’t practice this week.
At cornerback, Darius Slay and Steve Nelson were inactive, as were defensive linemen Josh Sweat, Derek Barnett and Javon Hargrave. Fletcher Cox is on the COVID-19 list, so all four starting defensive linemen didn’t play.
At running back, Miles Sanders (hand) was also on the inactive list, and Jordan Howard and Boston Scott are on the COVID-list. That left Gainwell and practice squad elevation Jason Huntley as the only running backs.
The only position where the Eagles had all of their players was at wide receiver.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
