An NFC East rivalry kicks off Sunday afternoon to headline the late slate of games.
The Cowboys lead the all time series 64-51, and they won the previous matchup this season 27-20 in Philly.
Philadelphia has won 2 straight, most recently beating the Redskins 28-13. in week 11, they were dominated by the Saints 48-7, and beat the Giants 25-22 in week 12.
Dallas has won 4 straight, most recently a surprise 13-10 stifling of the Saints. in week 11, they beat the Falcons 22-19, and beat the Redskins 31-23 in week 12.
BetOnline has the Cowboys as 4 point favourites with an O/U of 43.
The Eagles are coming together at the right time, but face a tough stretch over the next 3 games (@DAL, @LAR, vs. HOU). Carson Wentz has impressed the last 2 weeks, and has now thrown for 2846 yards, 18 TDs, and 7 INTs on the year while completing 69.6% of his passes and averaging 7.7 YPA. Zach Ertz has been dominant at the tight end position, bringing in 93 catches for 978 yards and 6 TDs. Nelson Agholor and Alshon Jeffery have been impactful as well, tallying 51/523/1 and 43 /492/4 respectively, while Golden Tate’s role is growing as well. Josh Adams is now the team’s leading rusher, carrying the rock 76 times for 376 yards and 2 TDs.
The Eagles scoring defense is allowing 22.2 PPG which is just outside the top 10. Their pass defense is near the bottom of the league, allowing 264.3 yards per game and 17 TDs through the air, and their pass rush ranks middle of the pack in terms of sacks with 31. Their run defense ranks 10th, allowing just 103.7 yards per game and 10 TDs on the ground. The Eagles have forced just 9 turnovers on the year, and own a -8 turnover margin.
Injuries and Inactive Watch
CB Jalen Mills (foot) – questionable
LB Jordan Hicks (calf) – questionable
The Cowboys offense has done just enough these past several weeks, and that’s all they need to do. Dak Prescott has thrown for 2675 yards, 14 TDs and 5 INTs on the year, but plays a huge role with his legs as well, rushing 63 times for 301 yards and 5 TDs. Ezekiel Elliott continues to be the engine to the offense, rushing 240 times for 1150 yards and 6 TDs on the ground as well as catching 53 balls for 423 yards and 3 TDs. Cole Beasley has been Mr. Consistent, catching 48 balls for 468 yards and 2 TDs, while Amari Cooper has injected the offense with a legitimate intermediate threat, catching 30 balls for 424 yards and 3 TDs as a Cowboy.
Dallas’ defense is ranked 2nd in terms of points allowed, giving up just 18.6 PPG. The Cowboys passing defense is top 10, allowing just 226.9 yards per game and 16 TDs through the air, and are just outside the top 10 in sacks with 33. Their run defense ranks 4th, giving up just 91.2 yards per game and 7 TDs on the ground. Dallas has forced just 14 turnovers on the year but have a +2 turnover differential.
Injuries and Inactive Watch
WR Cole Beasley (foot) – questionable
OT Tyron Smith (neck) – questionable
LB Sean Lee (hamstring) – qustionable
The Eagles are clicking at the right time, and to keep their playoff hopes alive they need a big win this week over a divisional opponent. They face a tough task in a Dallas defense that ranks near the top of the league in almost every category. However, the Eagles offense has started to click a bit the last few weeks and Carson Wentz looks more comfortable. Don’t expect them to light the scoreboard up or anything, but they should move the ball enough to keep the score close.
Dallas’ offense is nothing revolutionary, and faces a solid Eagles defense. Dak Prescott is coming off his best performance of the year, and will be hard pressed to follow that up against a tough Eagles pass rush. The Eagles run defense is also above average, and could make life tough for Zeke up front. Scott Linehan and Jason Garrett haven’t shown anything to make one think that they can be innovative against a familiar defense, and the safe side is with the Eagles. The Cowboys may win, but they have a propensity for winning ugly.
Final Pick: Eagles (+4)
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