Every thing Cowboys need to be was on show in Eagles’ Tremendous Bowl win

Poetic justice. This isn’t simply the identify of a tune by Tremendous Bowl LIX halftime performer Kendrick Lamar. It’s also one strategy to describe the ending of the 2024 season from the angle of a Dallas Cowboys fan. The crew that reclaimed the NFC East division title over the Cowboys was hardly content material with simply their fourth straight playoff look, taking all of it the best way to the Tremendous Bowl for the second time in three years, and hoisting the Lombardi trophy by toppling the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 40-22. The Philadelphia Eagles put a stamp on the season by being the very best crew when it mattered essentially the most, beating one other division rival within the Washington Commanders to get there, and leaving the Cowboys’ “all in” effort that noticed them on the sofa for the whole thing of the postseason at 7-10 as one thing of a brand new low for America’s Group.

The cherry on prime is that in a number of methods, the Eagles gained their second ever championship by being nice at a number of issues the Cowboys have both prided themselves on prior to now (with out comparable outcomes in fact), or wish to be nice at underneath Brian Schottenheimer, or each. This was the final sport for former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the identical position for the Eagles. He leaves as a Tremendous Bowl champion to pursue his first head teaching gig with the New Orleans Saints, after additionally interviewing for the Cowboys opening that went to Schottenheimer.

Moore’s offense was a masterclass in being easy however executing at an elite stage all season and trusting Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Saquon Barkley to win their particular person matchups. This alone doesn’t assure the very fact the Cowboys missed out on hiring their very own homegrown expertise as their subsequent head coach, however the total excellence from Nick Sirianni as head coach, Moore as OC, and Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator that steered the Eagles to a Tremendous Bowl by being ready between the traces, and enjoying to this benefit on gamedays, actually leaves the Cowboys behind in yet one more method.

Let’s check out a number of different methods the Eagles beat the Cowboys at their very own sport to knock off the two-time defending champion Chiefs in New Orleans.

Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photos

Stress with out blitzing

The Eagles protection sacked Patrick Mahomes six instances and didn’t enable a play of greater than 11 yards till the third quarter with a 34-0 lead already in hand. Kansas Metropolis solely crossed midfield twice on this sport, each within the second half whereas trailing huge.

Vic Fangio’s protection did all of this with out blitzing a single time, a magnus opus efficiency for the 66-year outdated NFL-lifer to get his first Tremendous Bowl ring. The Eagles have been capable of win the road of scrimmage with simply 4 all night time, permitting them to drop into protection and frustrate the Chiefs passing offense. They intercepted two passes and ran one again for a rating to show a 10-0 sport nonetheless in query right into a 17-0 commanding lead within the blink of a watch.

The Cowboys protection was as its greatest this previous season underneath Mike Zimmer when blitzing, however that total method is predicted to alter underneath new DC Matt Eberflus. Like Fangio, Eberflus believes in successful with 4 up entrance and including linebackers and safeties to protection. Dallas might have the personnel to attain this in the event that they re-sign Osa Odighizuwa and/or Chauncey Golston, edge rusher Carl Lawson, and add to the place group in each free company and the draft.

Even nonetheless, it’s arduous to see virtually any protection replicating what the Eagles achieved this season, with their turnaround on that aspect of the ball going a bit deeper than simply executing a robust scheme. Philadelphia completely collapsed down the stretch of final season to squander a 10-1 begin. One of many greatest culprits amongst many was a whole lack of cohesion on protection. Calls weren’t being executed, the entrance seven was not in sync with the backend, they usually gave up a slew of massive performs due to all of it.

Having the mindset to handle this failure head on, admit it wanted to be fastened, and usher in yet one more former head coach as a coordinator to work with Sirianni as the answer is a formidable little bit of soccer operations from GM Howie Roseman. Sirianni allowed each Fangio and Moore to be themselves and train what they do greatest. The consequence was an Eagles protection that picked up increasingly of the nuances of Fangio’s distinctive coverage-based scheme each single week, and by the point the playoffs got here round, have been prepared for the ultimate examination.

The Eagles beat Jordan Love, Matt Stafford, Jayden Daniels, and Patrick Mahomes to win the Tremendous Bowl. Fangio additionally beat the Cowboys twice within the common season, extending his private win streak in opposition to America’s Group to 4 video games. Fangio was the top coach in Denver for a 30-16 win in Dallas in Week 9 of 2021, then the defensive coordinator for final yr’s Miami win 22-20 at house over the Cowboys, after which beat them twice this previous season permitting a mixed 13 factors in two video games.

There have been issues to love as a Cowboys fan in Zimmer’s one season as defensive coordinator, however on reflection with the coach popping out of professional soccer retirement for only one shot at it, the rent felt extra like a courtesy in the direction of a well-recognized coach for the entrance workplace in an effort to pair Mike McCarthy with a robust DC following Dan Quinn. Even having a brand new DC in Eberflus who shares some philosophies with Fangio is just not sufficient to totally bridge the hole, because the Eagles additionally drafted nicely, and gave Fangio instruments to work with in methods the Cowboys haven’t confirmed able to within the participant acquisition course of.

Dominant Offensive Line

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On the opposite aspect of the ball within the trenches, the Eagles offensive line was nothing in need of dominant all season. They have been shades of the “great wall of Dallas” years which might be nothing however a distant reminiscence for the Cowboys now, after which some. The typical beginning peak and weight of this unit was the tallest and largest in Tremendous Bowl historical past, they usually imposed their will on Steve Spagnuolo’s protection all sport to disclaim the four-time Tremendous Bowl-winning coordinator his fifth ring.

The Eagles did it with out Saquon Barkley even having a press release sport. Barkley had the second lowest yard output of his season with simply 57, and a future of 10 yards after going 78 yards for a landing in opposition to the Rams within the Divisional spherical and 60 in opposition to the Commanders within the Championship. Barkley scored 5 touchdowns in these two video games mixed, however none within the Tremendous Bowl.

The Chiefs have been left utterly misplaced when it got here to deciding when to get aggressive and attempt to carry strain in opposition to this line, which dealt with their entrance with ease. The Eagles leaned on their offensive line to remain in favorable down and distances, management the sport with almost a full quarter extra possession time than Kansas Metropolis, and permit Jalen Hurts to finish 77% of his passes with simply over 10 yards an try. The one different sport this season the place Hurts checked each containers was a 37-17 blowout over the Bengals the place he accomplished 80% of passes with 11.8 yards per try and was not sacked as soon as.

The Cowboys have made a training dedication to getting higher on the offensive line in assist of Dak Prescott coming off yet one more season-ending damage, however once more the personnel aspect of it should comply with. Retaining Lunda Wells as tight ends coach, hiring former Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator, hiring Kansas State’s Conor Riley as OL coach, and even including QB coach Steve Shimko with previous expertise as a TE coach exhibits Dallas is valuing the significance of successful the road of scrimmage on offense once more. Sadly, they’d 5 seasons of Mike McCarthy preaching this similar significance with out the outcomes to comply with or many non-first spherical draft decisions up entrance growing, leaving this space firmly in “wait and see” mode.

As if it wants repeating, at any of the factors the place the Cowboys did have an offensive line that stacked up with the group the Eagles fielded this season, they by no means rode it previous the Divisional Spherical of the playoffs. The Eagles smashed groups within the trenches all the best way to their second Tremendous Bowl ever for the reason that Cowboys have even appeared within the NFC Championship. Sigh.

Simplicity However Effectivity on Offense

Lots of us would like to personally ask Jerry Jones the way it feels that Kellen Moore is a Tremendous Bowl champion… for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jones’ loyalty to coaches he sees because the underdog, and even simply an unlikely story as a possible title winner in Dallas is unmatched. Jason Garrett had a decade as a former participant and all the time heir-apparent to Wade Phillips to make good on Jerry’s loyalty and failed. Mike McCarthy got here in with a previous Tremendous Bowl win in Jerry’s personal stadium, maybe rushing up the clock on how lengthy he would get to make Dallas a contender, and produced only one Wild Card win. Now it’s as much as Schottenheimer to select up the items, after apparently interesting so strongly to the entrance workplace within the interview course of they moved on from bringing again Kellen Moore, interviewed Schottenheimer a second time at size, and employed him.

The probabilities Schottenheimer has had to date to publicly focus on his imaginative and prescient for a brand new look Cowboys offense could be summed up by an amazing tune lyric everybody ought to know. Even the title of the tune is becoming in the direction of how Cowboys followers really feel about the whole route of the group proper now.

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Schottenheimer and the Cowboys brass from prime to backside appear satisfied the one path to contending with Dak Prescott because the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past now’s turning again the clock for him and refocusing on a number of the issues he did nicely early in his profession. An necessary stretch of this time got here when Moore was Prescott’s play caller, and it got here with loads of highs in addition to lows corresponding to an absence of variety within the offense inflicting the manufacturing on that aspect of the ball to fade dramatically because the season progressed. The Cowboys turned straightforward to scout, too straightforward to play in opposition to, and easily didn’t borrow sufficient of what’s been working for contemporary offenses across the league in their very own method to be an actual Tremendous Bowl offense regardless of all of the yards and numbers and flashy performs.

Quick ahead to Sunday night time’s end result of the Eagles and Moore successful a championship, and the Cowboys are as soon as once more made to look a bit silly. The identical simplicity and trusting the reads in entrance of the quarterback was on show yet one more time for the Eagles offense on the grandest stage, and it was objectively a factor of magnificence regardless of the place one’s rooting curiosity lies. When defenses stacked the field in opposition to the Eagles, they threw it outdoors into single protection. Once they performed protection, they ran it with Saquon Barkley. Once they tried to disguise one or the opposite till publish snap, they trusted Jalen Hurts to increase performs, take off himself and be unaccounted for as a runner, or discover dependable tight finish Dallas Goedert as simply among the a number of methods the Eagles have been environment friendly.

Whereas phrases like “simplicity” and “unimaginative” have been utilized in very adverse methods in the direction of the tip of Moore’s tenure with Dallas to explain his offensive method, they caught with him and have become staples in new methods in Philadelphia. Any coach at any stage will let you know if a crew takes care of the ball, stays forward of the chains, and runs it nicely, they’ll have an opportunity to win, however no person ate, breathed, and slept this stuff just like the Eagles on offense with Moore in 2024. He’ll eternally be capable of name himself a Tremendous Bowl champion due to the Eagles excessive stage execution in taking the straightforward and easily being higher at it than the protection.

Regardless of the Cowboys offense goes to appear like underneath Schottenheimer and OC Klayton Adams, they will solely hope for the extent of buy-in, consideration to element, and total success the Eagles discovered within the blink of a watch with their former OC, whereas it’s managed to flee Dallas on offense (significantly within the greatest video games) for many years. This isn’t to say that making the offense extra Prescott-friendly once more and resetting how opposing groups will view their matchup in opposition to the Cowboys can’t be an excellent factor, however adequate to get anyplace near a Tremendous Bowl feels extra like Madden speak than actuality. Moore and the Eagles virtually made it look too straightforward. On this case, the grass (or Superdome turf) was actually greener on the opposite aspect outdoors of Dallas.

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Run The Rattling Ball

This has been touched on in each potential method all through any and all discussions of this Eagles Tremendous Bowl successful season, however they have been arguably essentially the most dominant speeding crew of all time. Saquon Barkley broke the single-season file for yards when together with his run within the playoffs. The Eagles swung huge in free company with Barkley, and confirmed how only one outdoors signing paired with repeatedly robust drafting can propel a crew to greatness. There was no single repair to all the points that plagued the Eagles a yr in the past, and plenty of thought that’s what they have been searching for when signing Barkley as one thing of an enormous band-aid to cowl this stuff up. Boy have been all of these individuals fallacious. Barkley was wonderful briefly yardage, ran powerful between the tackles, stood up in go safety, and to prime all of it off was a house run risk from the backfield with nothing in need of mind-blowing consistency. Week after week, opposing defenses knew their whole sport plan needed to hinge on having a plan to not less than not enable Barkley to race via the secondary and rating touchdowns from distance, and week after week they failed.

The wedding between the Eagles huge and proficient offensive line and the pure ability and skill to maximise every run from Barkley was actually unstoppable this season. The Cowboys meddled round with having an identical method early in Ezekiel Elliott’s profession, nevertheless it was by no means fairly sustainable sufficient to win in January and February. Now, they’ve once more talked a giant discuss eager to get again to some semblance of being a bodily run crew, however have essentially the most work out of any place group on the roster in making operating again gameday prepared proper now. Solely Deuce Vaughn is underneath contract for 2025, and whereas his scheme match with Adams’ affect as OC is intriguing, not even the Jones’ could possibly be fooled into pondering he’s a featured again (proper?).

When Mike McCarthy took over play-calling duties from Kellen Moore, he talked about wanting a extra balanced operating method to permit for complementary soccer with a rested protection. Now, Moore simply helped orchestrate a literal run via the competitors to a Tremendous Bowl title, and parlayed it into claiming the final head teaching job out there for the Saints whereas McCarthy will sit subsequent season out. McCarthy’s offensive coordinator over his last two seasons with the Cowboys will function their subsequent head coach as an alternative of Moore.

The Cowboys have to get on the identical web page in terms of how being an amazing run crew once more is definitely attainable, and the hires underneath Schottenheimer to date offensively are not less than a really optimistic step in the precise route.

Whether or not it’s Ashton Jeanty within the first spherical, a redone tandem involving upcoming free agent Rico Dowdle and a later draft decide, or a free agent splash, the Cowboys had among the finest seats in the home to see how Saquon Barkley singlehandedly turned fortunes for the Eagles. In their very own method, they need to be seeking to do the identical.

All phases of participant acquisition matter. Having an offensive participant higher than anybody else on the sector issues. The possibility for the Cowboys to study this stuff, assist the present expertise on huge contracts they have already got on offense, and get again to being a successful crew is correct in entrance of them, but feels to date contemplating the best way the Eagles accomplished their victory lap in opposition to the Chiefs.