Cowboys’ Vander Esch calls win over Eagles ‘big momentum booster’

There was no way to minimize how important Sunday night’s 27-20 victory over the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles was for the Dallas Cowboys.

Rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, for one, realizes the impact it has on the Cowboys’ season as the team improved its record to 4-5, the same as the Eagles’.

‘We’ve just got to come in and start preparing just like we did last week for this coming game’

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. (Brandon Wade/AP Images for NFL)

“This was big for us,” Vander Esch told Zig Fracassi and Brad Hopkins on NFL Rewind. “The team as a whole, offense and defense, this was a big momentum booster for us.” The linebacker was quick to add, though, the importance on staying focused on next week’s game against 4-5 Atlanta.

“We’ve just got to come in and start preparing just like we did last week for this coming game this week,” Vander Esch said.

‘Just being ready and being ready to go’

For Vander Esch, the chance to perform well in place of injured Sean Lee was an added bonus. He had his first NFL interception early in the game to set up a field goal.

“It’s a huge opportunity to do that and to play with a guy like Sean and just be ready for for any situation to come up and if he goes down,” Vander Esch said. “Just being ready and being ready to go.”