Eagles Pound Dallas

McNabb threw for three touchdowns, and Correll Buckhalter ran for 99 yards and a touchdown to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 40-18 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

The NFL's MVP runner-up finished 14-of-28 for 162 yards and just 19 yards rushing on four carries. McNabb had 16 yards rushing on five carries in last week's 27-3 victory at Seattle.

"Teams have said they want us to beat them with the pass. They think it's a challenge for us. We've been able to handle it," said McNabb, who led NFL quarterbacks with 629 yards rushing last season. The Eagles (2-1) scored 26 points in the second quarter off four fumbles and a blocked punt. "Our defense dominated," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "They played tremendous, really set the tempo." Dallas (0-3) turned the ball over five times and couldn't generate anything on offense, getting just one first down and 11 yards in the first half.

It was so bad for the Cowboys that Emmitt Smith moved closer to Barry Sanders than Walter Payton on the career rushing list by halftime. Smith, who passed Sanders for second place last week, had minus-3 yards on 10 carries in the first half. He finished with 58 yards on 16 carries.

"We're averaging four, five turnovers a game. I think any one of the high schools here in Philadelphia could've beat us at that rate," Smith said.

Anthony Wright started his second straight game at quarterback in place of Quincy Carter, who has an injured thumb. He was 7-of-23 for 33 yards and one interception. "They definitely disrupted everything we wanted to do," Wright said.

Dallas led 6-0 in the first quarter on a pair of field goals by Tim Seder that were set up by two fumbles by Brian Mitchell. But McNabb connected with Chad Lewis on a 10-yard TD pass to give the Eagles a 7-6 lead. McNabb completed consecutive passes of 21 yards to James Thrash and 17 yards to Todd Pinkston during the nine-play drive.

Two plays after Mitchell returned a punt 54 yards, McNabb hit Lewis on a 17-yard TD pass to make it 14-6 early in the second.

Then Dallas really got sloppy. Damon Moore picked up a fumble by Troy Hambrick and returned it 10 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-6. A hit by linebacker Mike Caldwell forced the fumble.

McNabb threw a 10-yard TD pass to Pinkston for a 27-6 lead midway through the second after Hugh Douglas forced a fumble by sacking Wright. Michael Wiley fumbled the ensuing kick, and David Akers made it 30-6 on a 40-yard field goal. A blocked punt by N.D. Kalu set up a 19-yarder by Akers that made it 33-6 late in the first half.

The Cowboys didn't get a first down until just over four minutes remained in the first half. "It's a tough loss, but this is a young, resilient team," Cowboys coach Dave Campo said. "We're going to take a few losses like this along the way but as long as we don't quit and we keep making plays at the end, we'll learn something."

Buckhalter's 3-yard TD run gave the Eagles a 40-6 lead early in the third. A 44-yard pass from McNabb to Pinkston set up the score. "I felt myself being patient, let things happen for us," Buckhalter said. "As I grow into this offense, I'll feel more and more comfortable."

Dallas lost yards on each of its first three possessions, but still led 6-0 because of the excellent field position set up by Mitchell's fumbles.

The Cowboys got the ball at Philadelphia's 20 after Mitchell fumbled the opening kick. But three plays produced minus-4 yards, and Seder hit a 41-yarder for a 3-0 lead.

Seder kicked a 43-yarder to make it 6-0 midway through the first after Mitchell fumbled a punt at Philadelphia's 20.

Notes: Dallas backup QB Clint Stoerner's touchdown passes of 5 yards to Robert Thomas and 11 yards to Wiley were in the fourth. ... Hambrick had 107 yards rushing on 10 carries, including an 80-yard run late in the fourth. ... The Eagles were without running back Duce Staley, out with a shoulder injury, and left guard John Welbourn, who has an injured ankle. ... McNabb has thrown a TD pass in seven straight.

Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News