Ben DiNucci struggled in his first start
If you expected Ben DiNucci to do his best Tony Romo impersonation against the Philadelphia Eagles, you were probably disappointed. The Dallas Cowboys played hard and competed but struggled to score the ball and ultimately fell short in Sunday’s 23-9 loss. The Eagles defense was able to swarm to the football. Eagles DC Jim Schwartz dialed up pressure on big third downs and DiNucci wasn’t able to get the ball out quick enough. This resulted in multiple sacks and fumbles throughout the game. When DiNucci had enough time to throw the ball, receivers were well covered and DiNucci wasn’t super accurate. He attempted to use his athleticism and legs at times but the Eagles consistently beat him to the sidelines.
To begin the second half, the Cowboys were finally able to establish a dominant run game. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard managed to run behind Zack Martin and were moving the chains. Kellen Moore tried to get a little too creative and multiple drives were stalled due to Fletcher Cox reading the wildcat formation flawlessly. Ultimately, Ben DiNucci and the Cowboys failed to put the ball in the end zone.
Mike Nolan deserves credit
The one positive takeaway from this game is the Dallas Cowboys defense was only responsible for two touchdowns from the 23-9 loss. Cowboys DC Mike Nolan has drawn criticism throughout his first season with the team and deserves credit for the defensive showing on Sunday. Not only did the Cowboys receive a dominant effort from DeMarcus Lawrence, but Carson Wentz was shut down for much of the game. Wentz was intercepted twice by rookie Trevon Diggs. Sacks from Lawrence and Leighton Vander Esch resulted in fumbles and turnovers.
On the flip side, the Eagles were still able to run the ball at will during portions of the game. Trevon Diggs played his best game as a pro but did get beat by Travis Fulgham multiple times. The Cowboys defense will have to continue to make strides if they plan on being competitive against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For More Content:
