The first ever start for an ex-James Madison quarterback in the NFL began with promise.

On the opening series of the Sunday Night Football contest between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, Ben DiNucci threw a lead block for his Cowboys teammate CeeDee Lamb on a reverse and completed a third-down pass to Lamb for a first down. The drive ended with a field goal and an initial edge for Dallas.

Unfortunately for DiNucci, last year’s Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year, the challenge got tougher.

Philadelphia put regular pressure on DiNucci, dominated the second half and took the game, 23-9.

DiNucci finished 21-of-40 for 180 yards and rushed five times for 22 yards, but he was sacked four times.

And on two of those sacks, DiNucci fumbled the ball away including once with less than six minutes to play and the Cowboys trying to rally. Dallas was inside Eagles territory, but Philadelphia blitzed and T.J. Edwards forced the fumble that Rodney McLeod picked up to return 53 yards for a touchdown. It pushed the Eagles’ advantage to 21-9.

Dallas dropped to 2-6 with the loss.

Earlier Sunday, former Dukes safety Dean Marlowe was in the middle of the Buffalo Bills’ 24-21 win over the rival New England Patriots in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Marlowe tallied six tackles, a tackle for loss and secured a fumble recovery to clinch the victory. With under a minute to play and New England driving inside Bills territory, Buffalo defensive tackle Justin Zimmer hit Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, forcing Newton to lose the ball. Marlowe dove on it and the Bills were able to run out the clock afterward.

Buffalo improved to an AFC East-leading 6-2.

Aside from DiNucci and Marlowe, it was a relatively quiet Sunday for JMU products in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers safety Raven Greene and Indianapolis Colts defensive end Ron’Dell Carter were each inactive in their teams’ games.

The Washington Football Team and cornerback Jimmy Moreland had a bye, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive linemen Josh Wells and Aaron Stinnie don’t play until Monday night against the New York Giants.