It’s Dallas week. The Philadelphia Eagles, coming off a somewhat concerning loss to the 49ers, look to bounce back against one of their most hated rivals. The Cowboys and refs upset the Chargers in Week 2, and things may be looking up for Dallas on both sides of the ball. In this matchup preview, we once again go position by position in order to stack up these two squads and get an understanding of what will make or break this long-awaited primetime matchup.
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts took a bit of a step back in week 2, but even then he wasn’t terrible by any means. Hurts set out to prove he could effectively throw it deep, and came up a bit inconsistent. On a few throws, Hurts’ timing was clearly off, as holding the ball for seconds too long resulted in underthrows. On the other hand, Hurts had some incredible throws with anticipation, one on a would-be touchdown to Jalen Reagor that was called back as well as a 91-yard strike to Quez Watkins which was one of the best throws we’ve seen in a while. It’s less of a question of whether Hurts can be an effective passer; more whether he can do it consistently. Hurts was also a bit limited in playcalling, and not necessarily in the best position to succeed. It’s very possible he bounces back against the cowboys, but for now, his development is a story that will be followed all season.
The quarterback situation for Dallas was somewhat of a question at the end of 2020, and it seemed up in the air if the Cowboys would retain Dak Prescott or let him leave in Free Agency. They put an end to the questions by making Dak a multi-millionaire and giving him one of the richest contracts in the NFL. Dak put up gaudy numbers in the first half of 2020 before going down to an injury, and by most accounts has solidified himself among the best in the NFL. Even though I’m an obviously biased Eagles fan, I can recognize Dak is the perfect QB for this Dallas system. He’s an accurate passer with quick decision-making who protects the ball extremely well. Is he the type of Quarterback who elevates a team and can win games without an all-star supporting cast? That’s something we’ll find out when his contract finally starts to kick in. At this point, however, Dak beats out Hurts based on how he’s performed with what he’s got.
Running Back
Even though they didn’t have the volume in Week 2, the Eagles running attack was efficient and effective against a notably strong 49ers rushing defense. Miles Sanders continues to work with what touches he gets, netting a very good 4.6 YPC once again. Kenneth Gainwell still looks to be a steal of the draft, demonstrating his abilities as both a back with elusiveness and surprising power and his incredibly polished receiving. With Hurts opening up the run game alongside these two backs, I really think it’s about time this running game solidifies itself near the top of the NFL.
The Cowboys have a running back room that seems to be going through some unexpected changes. Former superstar running back Ezekiel Elliot has seen a sharp and staggering decline over the past year or so, hardly living up to his massive contract. A combination of fumbling issues and general ineffectiveness has caused the Cowboys to turn to young RB Tony Pollard. Since he started taking snaps in place of Zeke, Pollard has been eating. His explosiveness gives the Dallas offense Zeke hasn’t since his prime years and demonstrated that last week where he went over 100 yards. This running game is still a one-two punch, and a high-upside on at that. I think that overall, this point is a tie.
Offensive Line
The Eagles Offensive Line has been as good as advertised, but they sustained a major loss as guard Brandon Brooks was placed on IR after sustaining an injury in week 2. In his place, the Eagles named rookie Landon Dickerson in his place. Dickerson had some hiccups in his first bit of playing time, but it should be noted that he didn’t have any time to prepare in camp as he was rehabbing an ACL tear. If he wasn’t hurt, there’s no doubt that Landon would have been an early first-round pick, but even then he might need some time to adjust to NFL game speed. Along with the loss of Brooks, the Eagles also may not have recently paid LT Jordan Mailata for the game. That leaves former 1st round pick Andre Dillard to take over starting duties, and he’s struggled when he’s gotten chances to play. However, even if Dillard is subpar and Dickerson continues to have some hiccups, this Eagles line should still be a good group in week 3 with Kelce, Johnson, and Seamalo all reliable presences up front.
The Dallas Cowboys have historically had a very stout offensive line, and with key veterans like La’el Collins and Tyron Smith returning after missing time in 2020, they hope to regain that strength as a unit. Unfortunately for that Line, Collins is out going into Week 3. In his place will be backup tackle Terrence Steele, who to put it frankly, is not good. Zach Martin is still a top 2 Guard in the NFL, and Connor Williams is a very nice piece on the opposite side. These two should anchor that interior the best they can, but with questions like Steele, as well as Tyler Biadasz at center who’s also struggled, this line has some very exploitable weaknesses. This point goes to the Eagles.
Wide Receivers
While they lacked the production they had in week 1, the Eagles wide receiver core still proved they could both separate consistently as well as making explosive plays down the field. Devonta Smith was open consistently and is again proving his talents in college will translate to the NFL. Quez Watkins had the play of the day week 2, with his 91-yard reception demonstrating his truly unmatched speed. Reagor looked good, even with his play of the day getting called back due to him stepping out of bounds. We know this young core is explosive, but they need more opportunities in a balanced offense where their skill sets can be used to the fullest. Unproven but exciting is once again the narrative for these wideouts heading into week 3.
Even with the apparent absence of Micheal Gallup, the Dallas receiving group is among the top in the league. This core is led by Amari Cooper, who is a true number one wideout and elite separator. Cooper by himself would headline any receiving core, but behind him is sophomore Ceedee Lamb, a burgeoning young superstar who’s deadly in all phases of the play, especially after the catch. The sheer refinement and explosiveness of these two is a nightmare for any secondary, and the cowboys don’t lack depth, either. Replacing Gallup at WR3 will be 26-year-old Cedrick Wilson, a solid wideout who’s come into his own in the past few years when he’s been put on the field. As long as Cooper and Lamb are on the field, this is a deadly group that can not be overlooked. Point Cowboys.
Tight Ends
The Eagles tight end duo saw a lack of usage in Week 2, with a game plan that ignored their capabilities over the middle of the field. This may have been due to the likes of Fred Warner patrolling their territory, but with guys as talented as Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz, they should be seeing more plays schemed up to get them involved with the offense. Ertz’s status for Monday is up in the air for Monday due to a placement on the COVID list, but Goedert should be the one to headline this room anyways. If Dallas sees more involvement, there’s no doubt he cements himself as one of the best young tight ends in the NFL, but for now, he’s a major projection.
Update: Ertz has been activated off the COVID-19 Reserve List and will be active for Monday night.
The Cowboys TE room is a bit of an afterthought in their offense, but both Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz provide a nice safety net for Dak Prescott, as well as being capable blockers. Nothing super special for either of those two, so the point obviously goes to the Eagles.
Defensive Line
The Eagles defensive line, like the offensive line, continued to show why they’re considered one of the best in this league. However, the parallels continue a bit farther, as the defensive line too sustained a massive loss with defensive end Brandon Graham. Losing one of the best pass-rushing ends in the league will prove a major loss for any defensive line, but if anyone has the depth to somewhat make up for it, it’s the Eagles. Josh Sweat, Derek Barnett, and Ryan Kerrigan will all cycle on both sides of the line, and while the group is far from elite at this point, Sweat has a chance to prove why he was paid 40+ million dollars just a week ago. It’s also possible that we see a bit of rookie Milton WIlliams, whose raw athleticism is matched by few players in the entire league. The interior stays just as dominant, however, with Fletcher Cox attracting double teams and Javon Hargrave continuing his dominant breakout while capitalizing on the attention on Cox. Even with the loss of Graham, this will be a very strong group. Whether it remains among the best in the league is a question of if and when the youth will find a way to contribute.
The Dallas defensive line also has sustained losses, with star defensive end Demarcus Lawrence and starting defensive tackle Carlos Watkins both sidelined for week 3. Behind these guys, to put it plainly, is nothing. The current starters seem to be (from right to left) Micah Parsons, the Cowboys 1st round pick who was converted from a linebacker, Osa Odighizuwa, a third-round rookie, Brent Urban, a career backup and another former 4th rounder, and possibly the most frustrating player in the NFL, Randy Gregory. Micah Parsons is the only one who has shown the ability to be a consistent presence, as in his first game at defensive end last week, he dominated the Chargers offensive line. The rest of these 3 are either projects forced to start or backups only on the field because they have to. The interior is especially weak, and Jalen Hurts should expect to have a very comfortable time in the pocket. This point obviously goes to the Eagles.
Linebacker
As we know, the Eagles LB core lacks much star power. However, they looked very good in week 2, where they played both the run game extremely well as well as holding TE George Kittle to only 4 receptions for 17 yards. Singleton and Wilson seem to complement each other nicely, and even Genard Avery seems to be making an impact. Rookie Davion Taylor saw some playing time in week 2 as well, but his status Monday is up in the air.
The Cowboys linebacker core is by all accounts the deepest and most talented position group on this defense, but even then, there are questions. Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, and Keanu Neal seem to be the starting LB trio for the cowboys. Jaylon Smith, who was paid after a very good first few years in the league, has seen a sharp decline in production. Since 2020, he’s looked lost on the field, and that trend has continued into 2021. He’s got the athleticism to make plays, but there’s a reason the Cowboys have so much depth behind him. Leighton Vander Esch has been a consistent presence at LB, and is another player who’s seen a bit of a fall from grace. However, LVE is also recovering from quite a few injuries, so it’s not all his fault. Keanu Neal, the third starter at this point, was placed on the COVID list Thursday and his status is up in the air. Either way, he’s struggled a bit with the position change from safety to linebacker. If Neal is out, and Parsons at DE, the next in line would be rookie Jabril Cox, a player who’s seen very limited snaps so far this season. Cox is a nice coverage player but lacks the traits to be an all-around linebacker at this moment. Even with the massive amount of questions that plague this group, they still get the point over the Eagles.
Cornerback
The Eagles corners once again played extremely well, this time limiting the 49ers passing attack to just 189 yards in the air. Darius Slay seems to be benefiting greatly from the addition of Steven Nelson, and both have been the definition of lockdown at this point in the year. Even Avonte Maddox looks fantastic in his natural position playing the slot. Even against a high-powered Cowboys offense, it’s likely the Eagles cornerback room will continue to impress.
The Cowboys Cornerback rooms are one of the weakest position groups of either team in this contest. However, Dallas has been pleasantly surprised so far by sophomore Trevon Diggs, who has played extremely well in Weeks 1 and 2 and seems to be emerging as a true number one for the Cowboys. Behind Diggs, however, is where the problems begin. The rotation of Anthony Brown, rookie Nashon Wright, and Jorduan Lewis would be at best mediocre depth on most squads, but for the Cowboys, two of these guys will be on the field at all times. This room is one that should be picked apart by most offenses, but they’ve exceeded expectations so far (low bar). Whether that stays is a question we will find out soon. Either way, point Eagles.
Safety
Anthony Harris continues to be the headliner for this Eagles safety room, and he’s done a good job limiting the explosive plays through the air and making tackles when needed. In week 2, Kvon Wallace seemed to take most of the snaps as the second safety, where he played OK. Kvon was limited in practice but seems to be on track for Monday. The true X factor in this room is whether or not Veteran Rodney Mcleod will be ready for the game, as he was one of the more productive players on this defense before he went down in 2020. With Mcleod and Harris, this safety duo is dependable and a strong point in the secondary. Without Mcleod, it still holds some questions.
The Cowboys safety room, like the rest of the secondary, is a very thin group with tons of questions. The starters in week 2 were Demontae Kazee and Jayron Kearse, who both have played well when on the field, but were never billed as true game changers at the position. The real question is whether we’ll see any of former first-round pick Malik Hooker, who’s been fighting for snaps after being signed a few weeks before the season. Neither of these groups is especially good, especially if Mcleod is out, but the Eagles have more proven players, so I’ll give this point to the Birds.
Conclusion
In overall position group points, the Eagles outscore the Cowboys 6-4 (one tie). Even though the positional matchups shift highly in the Eagles’ favor, the game is far from black and white. The Cowboys pretty clearly take the cake when it comes to offense, as they have one of the best overall units in the league. If the Eagles can’t find a way to contain Dak and this explosive receiving group, they’re in for very very tough sledding. On Offense, the Eagles X factor is once again Jalen Hurts. If Hurts plays well, the Eagles have a shot to decimate the weak Cowboys defense, but if he struggles, the game is all but over for the birds. I think this game will be close, but the adjusted play calling by Nick Sirriani will allow Jalen Hurts to shine in primetime.
Prediction: 27-24 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.
Image caption: “Cowboys Cheerleaders” by drewtarvin is licensed under CC BY 2.0
