Tight end Brent Celek has seen his role as a pass-catcher slowly decrease since setting career highs in 2009, with 76 receptions, 971 yards and eight touchdowns.
Last season, his numbers in each of those three categories were cut in half, and going into Sunday night's game against the Cowboys, the 6-4 pass-catcher had 13 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. The fifth-year veteran nearly doubled his season totals with his performance against Dallas.
Celek caught seven balls for 94 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles' 34-7 rout of the Cowboys. It was the highest number of catches and yards for him in a game in which he scored a touchdown since Week 3 of the 2009 season, when he caught eight passes for 104 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 255-pound tight end was happy to be more involved in the offense, but only because it helped the Eagles secure a much-needed victory.
"Sometimes, a team will blitz a lot, and I'll have to stay in to block more," Celek said. "(On Sunday), it just so happened that I was able to get out there and contribute to the win by catching the ball. I never get frustrated about it. Whatever helps us win games is what I want to do. That's what it's all about."
The Eagles offense as a whole was spectacular, posting 495 total yards and finishing with 31 first downs, the eighth most in a single game in team history.
"We had a great plan, and we executed it well as a team," Celek said. "Dallas played a lot of deep Cover 2, and we took advantage of that with intermediate routes over the middle of the field. You have to take what the defense gives you. That's what we did."
With the win, the Eagles went from the bottom of the NFC East to second place in the division. Sitting just two games behind the New York Giants, Celek and the Eagles know that this win could be the start of something big.
"We're right back in the race," he said. "We're really playing well as a team and it's exciting. We knew all along that this was a great group, a really special team. Now we're living up to our potential."
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