Sports

After Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Cowboys, during which the Eagles blew a 21-0 lead, Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley said of the opponents, "They wanted it a little more."

Meeting with reporters on Monday, Coach Nick Sirianni was asked about Barkley's perception.

"Obviously, we want to go out and put our best effort out at every point, and I felt like when I watched the tape, I saw the effort sky high on both sides of the ball [and] on special teams," Sirianni said. "Obviously, they went and they got the win. There are always things that factor into it as far as our determination, our effort. I saw that it was high and we all have to be there. I think, like I said, we were. Obviously, Saquon felt something last night and he's got a great pulse for everything. But as you look at the tape — which obviously after the game, we don't have the luxury of looking at the tape before we go in and talk to you guys, but I felt like the effort was really, really high in that game."

Coaches always want to rely on the tape. But the tape is disconnected from the reality. The feeling. The emotion. The momentum.

The Cowboys seized the momentun, and the Eagles couldn't get it back. Analyzing coaching film doesn't reveal how it felt for the players on the field. Barkley felt it. The Cowboys dealt it.

And the Eagles now have to deal with figuring out how to get their edge back before Black Friday's visit from the Bears.

The 49ers' offense made it look easy tonight in San Francisco.

After receiving the opening kickoff, the 49ers went on a 15-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to Jauan Jennings.

Purdy completed six of seven passes for 33 yards on the drive, while Christian McCaffrey ran six times for 28 yards. McCaffrey also caught three passes on the opening drive, so he already has nine touches, nine minutes into the game.

Now Bryce Young and the Panthers' offense will try to answer.

One of the basic realities of short-week football is that injured players have less time to get ready to go.

That time will be precious for Cowboys receiver George Pickens.

Pickens appears on the Monday injury report with knee and calf issues. If the Cowboys had held a full practice (they performed a walkthrough), Pickens would not have participated.

Pickens has near-identical stat lines over the past two games. Against the Raiders, he had nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. Against the Eagles, Pickens caught nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Left tackle Tyler Guyton also would not have practiced, due to an ankle injury, along with receiver Kavontae Turpin (shoulder/illness) and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (elbow).

Limited in practice would have been defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (neck), defensive end Dante Fowler (shoulder), safety Malik Hooker (toe/thigh), and safety Donovan Wilson (neck).

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who appeared on last week's report with a hip injury, was not listed in the first report for Week 13.

The Cowboys host the Chiefs on Thursday, in what likely will be the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history. It's hard to imagine Pickens. who's having a breakout year in his fourth NFL season (and first in Dallas) not playing in the game.