Darius Slay on Eagles' loss to Cowboys after T.Y. Hilton catch: 'That changed the game'

The Philadelphia Eagles dropped a chance to grab the No. 1 seed with a 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Eve. But one play stuck out in particular for Eagles’ cornerback Darius Slay.

On a 3rd-and-30, Cowboys wide receiver T.Y. Hilton caught a pass for a first down and a 52-yard gain following some tough defense from Philadelphia. With just over eight minutes to go in the game and the Eagles leading 34-27, Hilton’s catch changed the momentum and led to a Dallas tying touchdown.

Slay, who was in coverage, was irate at the result following the game.

“That’s a play that changed the game, changed the momentum,” Slay said, via the team’s website. “We just had back-to-back sacks, one a strip-sack that we nearly recovered. We have to execute that better on the back end. That play got me hot. Real hot.”

Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox echoed those statements, but in a general sense for the whole team.

“Right now, I can feel the temperature in the locker room and the players and I think this is a really pissed-off team right now,” Cox said. “We didn’t like the outcome of what went on today. We know the type of club that we are and I think this team is really pissed off.”

Philadelphia’s pass defense, which came in as one of the best in the NFL, was picked apart by Dak Prescott. He finished the game 27-of-35 passing for 347 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

It was Hilton’s lone catch of his Cowboys debut after spending the majority of the season as a free agent. Hilton spent all of his career with the Indianapolis Colts from 2012-21.

“I told y’all all week if you just go stand there and try to get in my face then you’re crazy. I’m gonna run past you and that’s exactly what happened,” Hilton said after the game. “I can still play. If you don’t think I can play, then that’s on you. I can still get open (and) I don’t have to be fast. I can be slow (and) I can still get open. But I’m still fast. Double (CeeDee Lamb) and leave me. Whatever you choose, you’re in trouble.”

The Eagles head to New Orleans Sunday Jan. 1 needing just a win for the No. 1 overall seed and NFC East crown. Dallas’ slim division title hopes are alive as the Cowboys head to Tennessee for a date with the Titans Thursday Dec. 29.