NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys will battle it out for top honors in the NFC East this Sunday night. The Eagles are coming off an embarrassing loss against the San Francisco 49ers while the Cowboys took care of business against the Seattle Seahawks. The season is far from over both both teams are looking at this game is a must-win.
Can the Eagles find a way to stop anyone on the defensive side of the ball? Can the Cowboys take advantage of the Eagles when it appears they may be slipping a bit? This is game 2 of their series this seaosn and nothing is guaranteed. Who will win?
Here are 3 keys to victory for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys.
Eagles Must Establish The Run
What happened to the run production for the Philadelphia Eagles? Forget Jalen Hurts, where the hell is D’Andre Swift? His last 100-yard game came in Week 3. Since then, he’s been more Boston Scott than a featured back. While some of the blame can be placed on the shoulders and playcalling of Brian Johnson, Swift is just not getting the job down. That’s why it was so vital for the Eagles to go after another back before the trade deadline.
With Swift, Kenneth Gainwelll, and Scott, plus Hurts, the Eagles must get back to their winning formula. In their first meeting with the Cowboys, the Eagles gained 109 yards on 33 carries with 2 TDs. They will need more of the same to keep that Dallas defense off balance. And it all states with Swift. Get him going early and often.
More Games For The Philadelphia Eagles
Despite what the analysts and fans think, this is not for the NFC East division title. There are still games left to play. An Eagles win will put them back up 2 games and the Eagles will have the clear advantage here by beating Dallas twice but anything can happen between this game and the end of the season. Keep a level head. Don’t try to focus on this being the game to clinch anything.
Dallas will come in and give the Eagles everything they have just to prove a point that they belong. They haven’t beaten a team with a winning record until last week’s victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Coming off a loss against the 49ers, the Eagles should smell blood and want to be on the attack. Beating a rival is always good but playing recklessly and without a plan, can and will backfire.
Eagles Must Stop The Run
What happened to the run defense of the Philadelphia Eagles? In their last 3 games, the defense has surrendered 487 yards on the ground. Before then, the Eagles were sitting atop the NFL in stopping the run. What’s staggering is that they haven’t faced a team with an elite RB. How and why is this happening now?
Coupled with their atrocious pass defense, teams are shredding the Eagles in both phases. This is not winning football despite their 10-2 record. Against the Cowboys, stopping Tony Pollard is a huge concern. In the first meeting, the Eagles held the Cowboys to 73 Rushing Yards on 25 carries. They will need to be dialed back in if they have any chance of getting the sweep this week.
