Getty Cowboys QB Dak Prescott
In the end, the Dallas Cowboys scored the last laugh — and a resounding dub.
Which the team celebrated on its official Twitter account by clowning the Philadelphia Eagles following Monday night’s home-opening 41-21 victory at AT&T Stadium.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This, a direct response to rookie Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who grabbed headlines after unabashedly sporting a “Beat Dallas” shirt ahead of his first divisional grudge match.
“I really love the fact that I’m able to partake in this rivalry and it means a lot to the city, to our team; it means a lot to this building,” Sirianni proclaimed last Thursday, via Tim McManus of ESPN.com.
“I’ll be wearing this all week. My kids got it, my wife has one. And, yeah, we’ll be wearing them.”
Nick Sirianni comes out with the “Beat Dallas” shirt. Said this rivalry reminds him the most of an old college rivalry.
Sirianni’s tactic backfired in epic fashion as Dallas dominated the tilt essentially from the opening whistle, building a 14-7 first-quarter lead they would never relinquish. The NFC East frontrunners piled up 380 total yards, including 160 yards on the ground, while twice turning over Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts, who tossed a pick-six amid the double-digit defeat.
“To get a statement win like this I feel was important for the team,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said in his postgame press conference, per USA Today. “Defense played a hell of a game and went out there and got themselves a touchdown. Take away the touchdown that we gave (by fumbling), the score is different. That was a complete game.”
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Jerry Lauds MNF Performance
Uncharacteristically, Dallas took the high road in response to Siranni’s psychological warfare. Counterpart Mike McCarthy didn’t don a “Beat Philadelphia” shirt nor did his players engage in public spats with their arch nemesis. The Cowboys’ talking was done on the field, and the proverbial conversation was blatantly one-sided.
“Well, that was physical. Physical,” owner/general manager Jerry Jones said after the game, via the Dallas Morning News. “Mike had told me that he was timing the way they get out of the huddle and to the line in practice. He said that’s the fastest I’ve ever been around a team this week, so these guys want it. It was good stuff.”
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Dak Playing ‘The Best I’ve Ever Played’
Although the Cowboys handled Philly on the strength of their defense and rushing attack, Prescott was highly efficient in the nationally-televised contest, completing 21 of 26 passes for 238 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions — good for a 143.3 QB rating.
Through three weeks, Prescott has logged 878 passing yards, six TDs, and two INTs on 86 completions. They’re not gaudy numbers, especially compared to his 2020 pre-injury output, but the sixth-year pro believes he’s showing the best version of himself to date.
“I think just getting hurt last year and having to sit back and watch football, a different perspective and just different ways people play this game,” Prescott said in his postgame press conference, via Pro Football Talk. “Going back, the experience obviously has helped, but just studying and preparing myself and then all the work that I’ve put in just to get back healthy, not only the leg but the shoulder and just this playbook. Obviously, the continuity and having Kellen (Moore as offensive coordinator) so many years, I’m just comfortable in this system and everything that is going on around me and having playmakers. That’s a credit to guys around me. The offensive line and the receivers, they make my job a whole lot easier. Yeah, I feel like I’m playing the best I’ve ever played.”
READ NEXT: Ezekiel Elliott Responds to Eagles HC Wearing ‘Beat Dallas’ Shirt
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL