The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a big win on Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions in Week 11. However, despite being the NFC’s No. 1 seed, there is still plenty of controversy surrounding the team. The Eagles will now head to Dallas to take on the Cowboys for the second time this season. Their first meeting was at Lincoln Financial Field, where Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting at Dak Prescott, and the Eagles won 24-20.
The Eagles’ defense is new and improved with the addition of Jaelan Phillips to help shut down this high-powered Cowboys offense. In estimated points added, the Cowboys’ offense is fifth, while the Eagles’ defense is seventh and climbing quickly up the ranks.
The spread signals that this will be a close game, as the Eagles are 3.5-point favorites. And, the projected total is 47.5 points, tied for the sixth-highest total on the week. The “weaknesses” of each team will ultimately decide the game. Depending on who shows up today, it will be either the Eagles’ offense or the Cowboys’ defense. Let’s dive into the keys to the game for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles: Week 12 Keys to the Game
Solving the Locker Room Drama
Look, for being an 8-2 football team, the Eagles feel like anything but that. The offense has been dysfunctional at best. And A.J. Brown’s comments have not promoted confidence. Last week, he said a few things while playing Madden. Now, this week, he basically called Saquon Barkley washed at the team’s media availability. There is a ton of drama going on with the offense, while the defense is holding this team together. Kevin Patullo made an effort to get the ball to Brown last game, with 11 targets going his way. The result was seven catches for 49 yards. And the outcome has never been clearer: Brown will likely be on a new team come March. Howie Roseman and this team probably know that, but the focus must be on the Dallas Cowboys.
This game is a get-right spot for the offense, but we have had those already, and look where things currently stand. The Cowboys are giving up the fourth-most passing yards and the second-most passing touchdowns. This game lines up perfectly for DeVonta Smith as the Cowboys play a lot of zone coverage, and Smith has been absolute money against zone coverage this season. Per PFF, Smith is 15th in the league in yards per route run against zone coverage.
After the trade deadline, it is clear the Cowboys’ weak spot is their secondary. Trading for Quinnen Williams has, in the short term, appeared to have solved a large portion of the Cowboys’ problems up front. Could that be because of their opponent, the Las Vegas Raiders? This week will give us the answers.
The Eagles will miss Lane Johnson in all facets of the offense, but the clear path to beating Dallas is through the air. However, it remains to be seen how effective the Eagles’ passing game will be amid all the drama surrounding it.
The Defense has Found its Rhythm
Shutting down the fourth-overall offense in the league is no small feat. This Eagles’ defense has hit their stride with the return of Nolan Smith and the addition of Jaelan Phillips. Quinyon Mitchell has played at an All-Pro level. And the linebacking core has three players deserving of accolades. That is not even mentioning the interior of the defensive line or Cooper DeJean. Defense is definitely the Eagles’ calling card for 2025.
The team is allowing the fewest passing touchdowns in the league, tied with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. Dak Prescott will look to change that as he is second in the NFL in passing touchdowns at 21, only behind Matthew Stafford’s 27 scores. The chess match that will take place between an uber-talented Eagles’ secondary and two immensely skillful Cowboys’ receivers. Philadelphia’s defense has held up remarkably in two challenging matchups. Now they will get arguably their hardest one yet, as the Cowboys are the second-best offense in the league in points per game.
Another matchup to keep an eye on is the Cowboys’ offensive line against the Eagles’ defensive line. The Cowboys’ offensive line is middle of the pack when it comes to allowing pressures, as they are 16th. In comparison, the Eagles’ defensive line is basically in the same spot at No. 15. However, the Eagles’ defense has been stacking them after the addition of Phillips, with 20 in the past two weeks. And to nobody’s surprise, Phillips is leading the team with eight in the past two games. That number ties him for second in the league in that time frame. Phillips is a true difference maker and will look to add to that number against the Cowboys.
Final Thoughts
The Philadelphia Eagles defense has been fantastic and has inspired a ton of confidence. If the offense can get it together, two Super Bowls in a row could be in the cards. However, at this stage, it is a very big if. There is a lot of noise and drama surrounding them, but at this point, no team has separated itself from the pack. Many are saying the Los Angeles Rams have. However, the Eagles overcame a massive deficit against the talented squad. Questions need to be answered, and hopefully they will be in the Kelly green uniforms in Dallas today.
I expect the Eagles to win, but it needs to be a blowout to inspire any confidence. This team needs some carry-over momentum on offense leading into a Friday game against the division-leading Chicago Bears. It is an interesting time for this football team, but you have to enjoy it. This time period is the peak of Eagles football, with two Super Bowls in eight years. So, despite all of the drama and everything, the team is still in the driver’s seat for the first-round bye and has head-to-head tiebreakers over almost every team you could want to have it against. Enjoy it while you can, because you never know when it can end.
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