The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys matchup will look quite different this week. Quarterback Dak Prescott is on injured reserve, and CeeDee Lamb’s status was up in the air after his injury late in the game against the Atlanta Falcons. However, he will suit up against the Eagles on Sunday.
Cooper Rush will start for the Cowboys in Week 10, and not Trey Lance. That is quite the choice, considering the draft capital they gave up for Lance. So, the Eagles won’t likely see Lance, but they do have history against Rush.
Rush started in relief of Dak Prescott in 2022, and the Eagles won that game 26-17. Rush finished with 181 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. It was not a great showing, but that was several years ago. Still, the Cowboys need him to fill a massive hole, or the season may be a lost cause. Dallas is currently sitting at 3-5 without their star quarterback and things could get ugly – and fast.
Meanwhile, for the Eagles, the schedule does not get any easier, with matchups against the Houston Texans and Washington Commanders. The Eagles are seven-point favorites heading into Sunday and for a Cowboys team dealing with a quarterback injury. However, the Eagles had a hefty spread last week and failed to cover it when it looked like they would have.
Decision Making
With all the team’s incredible plays last week, it is hard to believe they only won by five points. It was a win that almost ended in a loss if it was not for an outstanding interception by Nakobe Dean. The team had several miscues and three two-point conversion attempts, and they were going for it on fourth down twice in field goal range.
Jake Elliott is the second-highest-paid kicker in the league, and the Eagles have the sixth-fewest field goal attempts. The team has to start using Jake Elliott more instead of constantly attempting fourth down conversions. However, Sirianni wants to put the ultimate trust in your offense, which is understandable.
Sirianni has three of the best skill players in the league, and the tush push is at his disposal. So, it is understandable why he operates the way he does. However, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, that aggressiveness left eight points on the board, almost losing them the game against a team they should have beaten easily.
This strategy will not fly against competing teams like the Lions, 49ers, Commanders, or Vikings. Those teams have players who will make you pay in a big way. Injuries hindered the Jaguars’ playmakers, but they still played the Eagles competitively. If these decisions happen again in a big game, and they do not win, expect the fans to turn on Sirianni again. Unless those decisions win them the game as the team converts in those spots, it is walking a thin line; a hero if it works, villain if it does not.
Winning where they should
It is no secret that the team was unhappy with their performance last week. Several miscues almost led to a disappointing loss, which could come back again to haunt them this week. Philadelphia never overlooks Dallas, but they have a potential division-deciding matchup against the Commanders on a short week.
This game is one the team should win handily, but this is the NFL, and there have been some big upsets just this year. To capture the coveted No. 1 seed, the Eagles can not afford a hiccup against the Cowboys if they want to contend as the top team in the NFC.
Game Prediction
The Eagles should win this game with ease. I am eager to see Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean match up against CeeDee Lamb. However, without Prescott, finding a path to victory won’t be easy for Dallas. DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell will see a lot of Lamb, as he runs about fifty percent of his routes from the slot. The secondary did its best to contain both Malik Nabers and Ja’Marr Chase. Lamb will likely perform like the other star receivers before him.
I predict that the Eagles beat the Cowboys 31-14 behind a strong performance by Saquon Barkley. Barkley has yet to have a chance to show out against the Cowboys. His career-high in attempts against the Cowboys is 17, the only game where he had more than 15 opportunities.
Meanwhile, Barkley only has one game under 17 carries with the Eagles. He has been the MVP for the squad on the offensive side of the ball. With playoff aspirations, seeing how they manage his workload down the stretch will be interesting. Dallas is 30th in run defense this season, so expect him to run wild on Sunday, no matter how many carries the team gives him. Barkley and the team will show up on Sunday to quiet some of the doubts the close win against the Jaguars raised.
