Week 15: Eagles Studs And Duds

By Andrew Porter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- It just didn't feel right. Something was off. Right from the opening kickoff, in which the Cowboys recovered the longest pseudo onside kick I've ever seen, to the infuriating illegal contact penalties on Cary Williams, to the trio of deflating Dez Bryant touchdowns, to the Mark Sanchez impossibly inaccurate throws.

It was an ugly game, which produced for more studs than duds for our hometown team. Still, I give you the top three of each.

Duds

3. Josh Huff

Here he goes again. Huff is almost a lock for one massively detrimental play of every game. On Sunday night, it was the opening kickoff, which set the tone right from the start---in a horrid way.

2. Cary Williams

Williams had two critical first quarter illegal contact penalties, both of which led to Cowboys' touchdowns, both of which came on Dez Bryant, and one of which eliminated a 4th-and-18 Dallas punt. All the sudden, it was 21-0 Cowboys.

1. Bradley Fletcher

We knew he can't guard Bryant, but we couldn't envision anything like that. Bryant had six catches for 114 yards and three, yes three, touchdowns...all coming against Fletcher.

Studs

3. Chris Polk

Two runs, two touchdowns. I never said it was easy finding studs from this game.

2. Jeremy Maclin

Maclin had the Eagles only offensive big play, a 72-yard catch and run, continuing his career-season. Maclin's 78 receptions this year are tied for the seventh-best single-season total in franchise history. His 1,207 receiving yards is sixth most in a season, in Eagles history.

1. Run defense

Mainly, this is Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thorton, who continue to be dominant up front for the Eagles. The Birds held the NFL's leading rusher DeMarco Murray to 81 yards on 31 carries, just a 2.6 yards per carry output, his lowest of the season. Thorton became the 11th Eagle to record a sack this season.

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