PHILADELPHIA -- A healthy Carson Wentz in December, turns out, is a pretty dangerous thing.
Wentz, who was sidelined down the stretch each of the past two seasons because of injuries, outdueled an ailing Dak Prescott, finishing 31-of-40 for 319 yards and a touchdown to lead a 17-9 win against the Dallas Cowboys. The victory puts the Philadelphia Eagles in command of the NFC East. A win at the New York Giants next Sunday, or a Dallas loss to the Washington Redskins, cements the division title for Philadelphia.
It was former Eagles QB Nick Foles delivering the late-season heroics over the past two years, including in 2017 when he took over after Wentz's near-MVP campaign was cut short because of an ACL injury and helped the Eagles to their first Super Bowl championship. Questions about whether Wentz was capable of rallying his team late in the year, as Foles did last season, have been answered emphatically, as Wentz sparked a pair of comeback wins against the Giants and Redskins before showing up big-time Sunday in what he acknowledged was probably the most important start of his career.
The common denominator in each of the past three seasons has been coach Doug Pederson, who is proving once again he can get his players to respond when it matters most, even as injuries continue to pound his roster. He lost starting cornerbacks Jalen Mills (ankle) and Ronald Darby (hip flexor) for a spell -- Mills returned -- and tight end Zach Ertz (ribs) and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (arm) were banged up, but the Eagles fought through it, as their tendency has been under Pederson.
Pivotal plays: Dallas was knocking on the door in the third quarter and faced a third-and-1 from the Eagles' 25-yard line. Cox knocked the ball loose from Dallas running back Tony Pollard and Malcolm Jenkins recovered, as the Cowboys came away from a prime scoring opportunity empty-handed. It was an example of two of the Eagles' best veteran players showing up in a big moment.
Corner Sidney Jones, playing for the injured Darby, came up with a pass breakup in the end zone on fourth down late in the game against Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup to seal the win. Jones has made multiple big plays down the stretch in limited snaps after struggling earlier in the season.
Selling a breakout performance: With Ertz hampered, tight end Dallas Goedert emerged as Wentz's primary target and finished with 9 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. Not only did Ertz get hurt in this game, so did receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Wentz is thin on options, making Goedert's emergence all the more important heading into the regular-season finale and beyond.
Eye-popping stat: After his touchdown to Goedert, Wentz has 38 pass touchdowns to tight ends since entering the league in 2016, tied with Russell Wilson for the most in the NFL in that span.