The four-game losing streak is a thing of the past. The signs asking the Eagles to fire Andy Reid are back in storage.
The Philadelphia Eagles are in second place in the NFC East, and no other team in the division is capable of winning a game like Sunday night’s 34-7 beatdown of the Cowboys.
This was the Eagles team Philly fans dreamt about in August. They actually ran the ball non-stop in the second half with a big lead. And it worked. Crazy strategy, right?
The first half was flawless. The second half helped showed how much the offensive line has improved over the course of Philly’s seven games. This can be a group that is bruising and athletic at the same time.
The Eagles had the top-ranked rushing attack in the league heading into the game. They rushed for 239 yards -- with 185 from LeSean McCoy -- against a Dallas unit that used to rank first in the league against the run.
In essence, the Eagles’ strength dominated the Cowboys’ strength. After this game, it’s hard not to think the Eagles are the best team in the division when they play their best.
Michael Vick was accurate, explosive, and efficient at the same time throwing only 28 passes for 279 yards and two scores.
The Eagles had a different look with tackle Jason Peters and defensive end Trent Cole back in the lineup. The secondary blanked Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, with Nnamdi Asomugha having his best game in Philly. Tony Romo was held to 5.8 yards-per-attempt and was sacked four times.
The Giants still lead the division by two games at 5-2, but they face the Patriots and the 49ers on the road over the next two weeks before hosting Philly on Sunday Night Football. The Redskins are fading fast, and the Eagles now have the early tiebreaker edge over a Cowboys team that should be better than they showed Sunday night. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Eagles and Giants tied for first place at 5-4 when they face off.
Philadelphia still has a very long way to go. Their margin for error is small, but this was a win they needed badly.
It was a win that reminded the Eagles how good they can be. It reminded us that Andy Reid’s Eagles teams usually look a lot better down the stretch than they do early in the season.