Harshest Critic

PHILADELPHIA – The energy building inside Lincoln Financial Field hours before kickoff between the Eagles and Cowboys was palpable, though it proved to have a limited shelf life.

Parsing through the buzz that naturally comes when these two rivals battle, a portion of it – if one were to estimate – could have been attributed to the return of three-time Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson.

Dickerson, activated from injured reserve ahead of Monday night’s game, reclaimed his place in the starting lineup following a five-game absence due to a bone bruise in his right knee.

Dickerson’s return not only gave the Eagles a boost at the line of scrimmage, where his power and mauling tendencies help reset the line of scrimmage, but also acted as a shot in the arm for an offense that needed a jolt.

His voice is among the team’s most prominent, and Dickerson’s longstanding track record of elite play when healthy gives the Eagles a discernible edge.

Philosophically, the Eagles strive to assert dominance in the run game, leaning into foundational pillars in the trenches and at running back. Reestablishing their roots has proven to be a considerable challenge this season, as evidenced in recent weeks, with the Eagles averaging 1.7 and 2.7 yards per carry against the Jaguars and Panthers, respectively.

Eagles LG Landon Dickerson was his harshest critic following his return from a 5-game absence.

For a moment, early in the contest with optimism seemingly growing, the ground game showed signs of life. Dickerson, of course, played a factor in that. On the Eagles’ second play from scrimmage, quarterback Tanner McKee handed off to running back Saquon Barkley, who surged through a crease to his left. Dickerson plastered Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, while left tackle Jordan Mailata sealed off rookie outside linebacker Malachi Lawrence, springing Barkley for a 29-yard gain.

Two plays later, Barkley punched it in from eight yards out for his first touchdown of the season. The crowd was juiced as the Eagles had seemingly set the tone for the evening.

As the game began to unfold the success up front would even out, though Barkley averaged 8.9 yards over his seven carries before a newly acquired back injury ultimately forced him out of action. There was even a point in the game in which Barkley’s backup, Dameon Pierce, was averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

While having an explosive threat in the backfield like Barkley certainly raised the offense’s ceiling considerably and opened things up for everyone, also not lost was just how Dickerson’s reinsertion at left guard breathed some life into a stagnant running game.

But after a masterful 17-play, 84-yard scoring drive to open the third quarter, the offensive production evaporated. For perspective, the ensuing drives went as followed: punt, interception, turnover on downs, end of game. The Cowboys adjusted and the Eagles spent the remainder of the second half searching for a counter.

The ground game, which was eventually bottled up, lost Barkley and Pierce in a critical point in the game.

In reality, though, the Eagles’ offense performed well enough. For the first time this season, the defense relied on the offense to do the heavy lifting in what was the most troubling outing from a Vic Fangio defense since he took over as defensive coordinator in 2024.

Still, Dickerson, always accountable, first assessed his own role in the Eagles’ 38-21 loss when he spoke postgame at his locker.

“I didn’t play good enough,” he said, flatly. “These guys work their ass off to come in here and compete every day, and I wasn’t good enough.”

Sure, it’s hard to comprehend exactly why the Eagles’ second half woes persist through seven games. Sustaining drives somehow becomes an even greater challenge and the execution hasn’t met their standard.

But putting everything into perspective, the offensive line, on the heels of a challenging stretch of weeks, for the most part answered the bell. The pass protection was sound and, for a while, they were back to moving people at the line of scrimmage. And while not exactly vintage Dickerson, his presence, and his toughness, made an impact.

Still, Dickerson looked inward.

So, why does he feel like he didn’t play “good enough”?

“The two plays at the end there f-cking lose the game,” he said.

One of the plays Dickerson was referring two came with 5:48 remaining in the game. Down 10, the Eagles faced a 2nd-and-9 from their own 17. McKee, operating from shotgun, was dropped for a 9-yard loss by Williams, who bested Dickerson on the play.

Two plays later, the Eagles committed a turnover on downs. For all intents and purposes, that sequence slammed the door shut on any potential Eagles comeback, but in fairness, the offense hadn’t exhibited any signs of promise to that point to suggest a galvanizing final push.

On a night in which the offense offered promising glimpses, Dickerson wasn’t looking to assign blame other than review his own contributions to the loss. The 28-year-old has experienced every emotion possible during his six-year run with the team, reaching the pinnacle in winning a Super Bowl while also navigating patches of turbulence and a list of injuries, most of which he’s battled through, that read like a CVS receipt.

So, seven weeks into his sixth NFL season, it was notable to see such a despondent Dickerson, seemingly at a loss for words.

The Eagles will need to lean on veteran leaders like Dickerson, Mailata and Barkley to steward these unfamiliarly choppy waters. In the meantime, if only for 24 hours, Dickerson will process the loss in his own way before a new week of preparation begins at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

“I’ll f-cking hate myself for the next 24 hours,” he said, “and get over it, get back to practice.”

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com