DISCLAIMER: This article might hurt Cowboy fan feelings. Don’t worry, guys. I’ve written these previews for every team the Eagles have faced, not just you. <3
Anyways, as much as cowboys fans apparently hate to acknowledge, this is a massive week for Eagles football. Coming off of a nail-biting win with some concerning developments, the Birds look to take on their division rival in a heated showdown at home this sunday night. The Cowboys are no slouch at 4-1, and this matchup should be yet another great litmus test for the potential of this team. With that out of the way, it’s time to go through the strengths and weaknesses of these squads and find out just how likely a win is for these Birds.
Cowboys’ Strengths
1. Explosive Weapons
While the Cowboys’ offense has struggled as of late (we’ll get to that), there’s no denying the potency of both the receiving corps and running backs. Headlining the wideouts is third-year player Ceedee Lamb, who, despite some problems with drops, is ascending into a bonafide number one receiver in this league. He’s not the only one either, as Michael Gallup returns to the squad – but even in his wake, weapons like Noah Brown and Dalton Schultz have stepped up and proven themselves valuable assets to any offense. Combining that with a two-headed “monster” in the backfield of Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliot, there’s potential for big plays at any time on Sunday.
2. Killer Pass Rush
While there are things to be scared of on this Dallas offense, we all know the true strength of this team; the defense. It’s indisputable that the domination put on display these last few weeks has been fueled by the front four, who are an absolute nightmare to deal with for opposing quarterbacks and offensive lines. Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence combine to make the best edge rushing tandem in the league, with the former on a trajectory to put himself in the conversation for the most valuable defensive player in the entire league. While the interior is far from poor, with solid names like Osa Odighizuwa and Nevil Gallimore, we all know that the real threats here are the elite players on the edge. It’s so incredibly important to focus on these guys because if you let them get hot, they will take over the game.
3. Complimentary Secondary
While it’s been the driving force, the pass rush hasn’t been the only reason for the Boys defensive domination. The secondary has been playing extremely well, with Trevon Diggs evolving his game into a much more sticky well-rounded cornerback. Alongside him, Anthony Brown and Jourduan Lewis have played solid football against opposing WR2’s and WR3’s. Over the top, the same can be said for Donavan Wilson and Jayron Kearse. While this isn’t a dominant unit on paper, when supported by an elite pass rush, there’s not really a quick option to exploit here.
Eagles’ Strengths
1. Offense
I’m going to keep these broad strengths, even though we saw a little bit of struggle from the offense as a whole on sunday. While many fans have criticized Steichen’s game plan for being repetitive and bland, I think attacking a hyper-aggressive Cardinals defense with screens was an incredibly smart move. While the coaching staff may have over-committed to this game plan, I see no reason that this offense can’t overcome the few big mistakes that cost drives on Sunday, and return to a unit that’s near unstoppable.
2. Defense
While there was something to be said about the Cardinals’ ability to march down the field late in the game, this week was another where the Eagles defense let up under 20 points to an opposing squad. While he’s not perfect, I still have faith in Gannon to gameplan well and continue the dominance of this unit.
Cowboys’ Weaknesses
1. Quarterback
It’s been confirmed that Dak Prescott is once again out this week, so we’ll be seeing Cooper Rush at the helm. He hasn’t been dreadful, and his 5-0 record as a starter is certainly impressive, but the reality is that he’s simply not a viable starter in this league at the moment. Prone to mistakes and without true team-elevating ability, Rush has been a major reason the Cowboys have ranked near the bottom of most offensive metrics so far this season. There’s no reason to believe that this will change, and if this game is to be won by the Cowboys, it will be in spite of Rush.
2. Offensive Line?
It’s hard to say for certain if this O-line is a weakness, but it’s been tested rarely and there’s plenty of youth and inexperience to exploit. The young duo of Tyler Smith and Terrance Steele have played well so far this year, but there’s precedent to say that these two can be prone to big losses in pass protection. The same can be said for the interior, which aside from All-Pro guard Zack Martin, has some smaller and less proven names. There’s certainly room to put pressure on Rush here, and it should be exploited in order to guarantee this offense is not supporting the defense in any way.
3. Coaching
It’s very impressive what Mike Mccarthy and his staff have accomplished in the wake of Dak’s injury, but even acknowledging that, I still believe it’s not too far off to say that Mike is one of the least qualified head coaches in the NFL. Prone to boneheaded decisions in-game, there’s certainly a battle of football and game-planning wits to be won this Sunday night. Respect to Dan Quinn, though. His defense is electric.
Eagles Weaknesses
1. Key Injuries
With almost the entire starting offensive line banged up in some capacity, there’s fear to be had over whether the Eagles will have the manpower to match up with the Cowboys’ pass rush. There’s hope, however, as all four injured starters have a chance to play this week. All the coaching staff can do is cross their fingers, because even missing one or two of those pieces could be disastrous for this team. Also noteworthy are Jake Elliot and Avonte Maddox, who are crucial pieces to their respective units.
Keys to victory
1. Limit pressure, play in rhythm
The Cowboys pass rush is possibly this single most impactful unit we play all year. If the Birds want to win this game, they MUST limit the pressure on Jalen Hurts, and get the ball out fast so the playmakers can do what they do best in the open field. Quick strikes and good pass protection should do the trick.
2. Smother Rush
The Eagles offense obviously has the tough task of moving the ball against an elite D, but none of that even matters if Gannon lets Rush dice up this defense. I have faith in Gannon, but we’ve seen glimpses of what passive defense can allow an offense to do. Bring pressure, play aggressive. That’s how we’ll put ourselves in a position to win.
Score Prediction
Dallas is a legit squad. Even without Dak, we’ve seen what the boys are capable of, and obviously should not see them as anything less than a massive threat. I have my worries, but it’s difficult to predict a loss for an Eagles team that’s played so consistently well.
Score: 24-18 Eagles
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Noah Berger is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Noah, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
