Cowboys Beat Eagles 38-21 as Javonte Williams Sets Career Rushing High

The Dallas Cowboys won on the road at Philadelphia, beating the Eagles 38-21 on "Monday Night Football" behind a dominant ground game and a turnover-free offensive performance. It was Dallas' first victory at Lincoln Financial Field since 2021.

Running back Javonte Williams led the way with a career-high 155 rushing yards and scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the season, which ties him for the NFL lead. Dallas finished with 204 rushing yards, its best output of the year. The offense had managed a combined 29 points over its previous two games.

Quarterback Dak Prescott went 15-of-27 for 212 yards and three touchdowns, two to CeeDee Lamb and one to George Pickens. Prescott had thrown four interceptions in the two prior games while under heavy pressure from Tampa Bay and Green Bay. Philadelphia pressured him on only 15% of his dropbacks through three quarters. It was his ninth multiple-touchdown passing game against the Eagles, behind only Eli Manning (15) and Sonny Jurgensen (10) among players facing Philadelphia. Prescott is now 39-11 against NFC East opponents.

Dallas also used Pickens differently, lining him up in the slot nine times after he had done so just seven times in the first half alone, matching his slot total for any single game over the first six weeks. His second catch, a 21-yard touchdown on a wheel route, came with safety Andrew Mukuba defending him.

The Cowboys defense remained inconsistent. For the fifth time this season and the fourth straight game, it allowed a touchdown on the opponent's opening possession, this time an 8-yard run by a hobbled Saquon Barkley to finish a four-play, 75-yard drive. Dallas has allowed five opening-drive touchdowns, tied with Cleveland and Miami for the most in the league. Still, the unit made plays against backup quarterback Tanner McKee that it failed to make against Tampa Bay's Jalon Daniels two games earlier.

The result lifts Dallas to 3-4 and into second place in the NFC East behind the New York Giants (4-2-1). ESPN Analytics gives the Cowboys a 57% chance of winning the division. They host the Arizona Cardinals at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

For Philadelphia, now 2-5, it was a fifth straight loss. The offense started well, scoring 10 points and gaining 124 yards in the first quarter, both season highs, after averaging 0.5 points and 56.7 yards in opening quarters. But the defense gave up 416 yards, including 330 before Dallas even had the ball in the fourth quarter. The performance was described as one of the worst of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's two-plus years with the team.

Barkley played through a hamstring injury and finished with seven carries for 62 yards and a touchdown, plus two catches for nine yards. He was listed as questionable with a back injury in the fourth quarter and did not return. He became the first starter in the past 20 seasons to play at least nine offensive snaps and touch the ball on every one. Rookie receiver Makai Lemon scored his first career touchdown, and McKee, starting in place of Jalen Hurts for the second time, completed 23 of 35 passes for 211 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Eagles visit the Washington Commanders at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday.