Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

For second straight game, second half a disaster for Cowboys

ARLINGTON, Texas -- At halftime Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys held a 9-7 lead against the Philadelphia Eagles. At halftime of the previous game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys trailed just 10-7.

In the second half of the past two games, they have been outscored 47-0.

What in the name of second-half adjustments has gone on with the Cowboys?

Jerry Jones would like to know, too.

"I thought our defense was playing good. I thought our offense missed a couple of opportunities in the first half," the owner and general manager said. "But I'm certainly looking at what we didn't do in the second half, and I know the entire team is."

It seems to be more than just not having Ezekiel Elliott, Tyron Smith and Sean Lee. The Cowboys also did not have safety Jeff Heath because of a concussion and lost starting linebacker Anthony Hitchens to a groin injury.

"I don't think you can allow yourself to go there," tight end Jason Witten said, specifically to the absences of Elliott and Smith. "Certainly they're really good football players, some of the best at their positions. But it happens in this league all the time. When guys go down, our mentality has been that when guys have had the opportunity, they've stepped up and we've been able to keep the train moving. And be successful. We pride ourselves in that as an organization. We just all have to do better. You can't allow that to creep in or get in the way to what the ultimate goal is. As I said, we've got to have better performances across the board. We all have to do better."

In the second half of the past two games, the Cowboys haven't gotten any stops defensively and the offense hasn't stayed on the field.

In the second half of the past two games, the Cowboys have converted 2 of 10 third-down opportunities. Their opponents have converted 8 of 16.

Atlanta had 212 total yards, 91 yards rushing, 11 first downs and 17 points in the second half of its 27-7 win. Philadelphia had 268 total yards, 180 rushing, 10 first downs and 30 points in the second half of its 37-9 win.

"I ain't got answers, bro," defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said. "Ask the coaches."

They don't seem to have the answers, either -- other than saying they need to play better and play harder.

The Cowboys' success in 2016 was tied to the offense protecting the defense and the defense coming up with timely plays.

Philadelphia opened the second half with touchdown drives of 75, 90 and 85 yards. This came after the defense allowed just 45 yards on six drives after the Eagles sliced through them for 75 yards and a touchdown on their first possession.

The Cowboys' offensive output in the second half consisted of three punts, a sack/fumble that was returned for a touchdown and an interception.

"They continued to do what they'd done earlier in the game and what they'd done for most of the year," coach Jason Garrett said of the Eagles. "That's a good football team. They've won a lot of games this year. We know that. You have to be on the screws in all phases of your team for 60 minutes. For the first 30 minutes we did some good things to give us a chance to be in the ballgame and lead the ballgame. But obviously we didn't play well enough in the last half of the game."

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