Given his previous performance to this point in the season, this was as much a make-or-break game for Sam Bradford as it was the Eagles as a whole.
Bradford, who is riding a one-year contract with the hopes of revitalizing his NFL career, had struggled through the first seven games of the season.
With the game and his team’s season riding on two fourth-quarter drives and another in overtime, Bradford delivered.
It’s not just Bradford’s past performance that created skepticism. Give the performance of the wide receivers, the inconsistency of the offense as a whole, it wouldn’t have been shocking at all if something had gone horribly wrong for the Eagles in the final 15-plus minutes of Sunday night’s game.
You could sense the game slipping away. The calls by the officials. The constant discussion about how Dallas had struggled to create turnovers all season. Bradford's imminent doom was approaching.
And then it happened. Ryan Mathews trudged forward for a first down on 4th and 1 only to lose the ball. The Cowboys pounced on it. After a huddle, the officials ruled fumble. Mathews knee was down prior to the ball coming loose on replay. The Eagles kept the ball.
On the next play, Bradford finished off a gem of a game, completing a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews.
There were no interceptions. There were very few drops. And while the Eagles still have things to clean up on the offensive side of the ball, it may have been their best effort on the season.
For Bradford, it was certainly the best results – 25-for-36 passing for 295 yards and one touchdown.
It was as much as turning point for Bradford as it was for the Eagles as a whole. The Eagles quarterback has so much riding on this year that this kind of a game was absolutely necessary after his previous seven. A loss likely ended all chances that he had at being an Eagle next season.
Instead, at 4-4, he's got a chance to prove that the first seven weeks of struggle don't define him or the Eagles.
Happy birthday, Mr. Bradford – the Eagles quarterback turned 28 on Sunday.
So today, give Bradford credit. He stood tall, made the plays and gave the Eagles a chance to win. It was the product many thought we would see week after week based on his final preseason start.
It took nine weeks, but Bradford finally lived up to the hype and delivered his biggest moment in an Eagles uniform.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
