Fumble-itis spreads to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, dooming the Eagles’ comeback chances at Dallas
The Eagles didn't score any points inside the red zone, and it didn't help that their usually sure-handed receivers each lost a fumble.
ARLINGTON, Texas — For the last two seasons, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have been the Eagles’ security blanket in the passing game. They’re dependable, they seldom make mistakes, and they’re seemingly incapable of causing harm.
But on Sunday night, in the Dallas Cowboys’ 33-13 walloping of the skidding Eagles, Brown and Smith not only failed to score but also each fumbled away the ball. Both fumbled when the offense was knocking on the door of the red zone, with Brown’s turnover transpiring on the opening drive of the second half and Smith’s halfway through the fourth quarter.
Shortly after the conclusion of the game, Smith was blunt in his reaction to the team’s second straight loss in which the offense didn’t score a touchdown for the first time under coach Nick Sirianni.
“Can’t feel sorry for yourself,” Smith said. “Go out there next week and play better.”
Brown and Smith weren’t alone in their costly fumbles that hindered the Eagles’ chance at a comeback after the Cowboys went up 7-0 on their opening drive. On the Eagles’ first drive of the game, Jalen Hurts had a fumble of his own on a keeper, which also occurred just outside of the red zone. Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson recovered the loose ball, eventually leading to a 60-yard field goal by kicker Brandon Aubrey.
In total, the Cowboys scored six points off turnovers. The Eagles went 0-for-1 inside the 20-yard line, marking the first time this season that they couldn’t score on a single trip to the red zone. Hurts lamented the Eagles’ missed opportunities after the game, their self-inflicted wounds too substantial to overcome.
“It’s all teachable moments,” Hurts said. “It’s a teachable moment to say that it’s not easy to do so all the time. As relentless of a team we are, I always believe that we always have an opportunity. But we have to help ourselves protecting the ball. We have to help ourselves being efficient in the red zone and taking advantage of our opportunities in all three phases.”
» READ MORE: Eagles grades: Receivers, defensive line get low marks in blowout loss to Cowboys
On a couple of occasions, both Brown and Smith had their opportunities to help turn the tide of the game with potential touchdowns, but they didn’t execute. Early in the second quarter with the Cowboys up, 10-0, the Eagles looking to convert third-and-5 from the Cowboys’ 34-yard line, Hurts stepped up and took a deep, accurate shot for Brown down the right sideline. However, the ball fell incomplete through Brown’s hands near the 5-yard line, bouncing off his left palm in the process. The Eagles settled for a field goal as a result.
Late in the third quarter on second-and-11, the Eagles down two scores, Hurts scrambled and lofted the ball deep for Smith on a post route in the end zone. Smith dove for the ball, which grazed his fingertips and bounced to the turf incomplete. After the game, Smith declined to explain what happened on the play, but Hurts seemingly shouldered at least some of the blame for the missed connection.
“Just a couple of inches off,” Hurts said. “It’s a game of inches.”
The drive ended with a turnover on downs, as Smith was tackled short of the sticks on fourth-and-8. Smith finished the game with five receptions on 10 targets for 73 yards, while Brown hauled in nine passes on 13 targets for 94 yards. After registering 100-plus receiving yards in six straight games from Sept. 25-Oct. 29, collecting five touchdowns in that span, Brown has averaged 63.8 yards in his last five. He has just two touchdown receptions.
Twelve-year veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore was a nuisance to Brown and Smith all night long. He forced Brown’s third-quarter fumble and tackled Smith short of the first-down marker on the failed fourth-and-8 attempt, helping ensure that the Eagles would never see a lead. The 33-year-old Gilmore registered a team-high nine tackles and the crucial forced fumble.
“He’s so smart and just his ability to play with leverage,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “And then, just the way he attacks the ball. I mean, he’s been doing it forever in this league and he’s got such a gift that you know, the whole package of reading the routes, playing to leverage, so obviously two huge plays for us.”
The Eagles’ Batmen, Brown and Smith have typically found ways to save the day for the offense. They fell short of that standard Sunday, but Brown refused to sulk or cast doubt on his ability to rebound.
“There’s always room to improve,” Brown said. “You always can fix anything. If you get discouraged, then you’re done. Me, personally, I’m not going to let a hard time [affect] me. Regardless if it’s two games in a row. I know who I am. I’m still confident in who I am and what I bring to the table. I’m not letting it discourage me. So if you do, it’s done.”