What it means is that football is a game of adjustments, and the league has likely better figured out their strengths and weaknesses as more and more gets put on film.
Advertisement
Philadelphia would like to establish the same run-pass equation the Cowboys thrive under, but are relying on Wentz to make quick – mostly safe – decisions in a West Coast-style passing offense.
Are the Eagles a good bet to cover as a small road underdog tonight when they visit the Cowboys for Sunday Night Football?
They allow over 100 yards per game to their opponents on the ground and will be without tackle Bennie Logan. The Cowboys come into the game with a 5-1 record. This one was just as big because it stopped the Cowboys from taking a lead and gave the Eagles the ball back with enough time for them to set up Sturgis’ kick. Plenty of attention on both rookie quarterbacks and the question looming of whether Tony Romo will return to the lineup when he’s cleared to go. In the Colts’ three victories, Hilton has three TDs and averaged 19.1 yards per catch – almost double the 10.6 average in the four losses, when he’s had just one score. Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is one of the league’s most disruptive defenders, and his battle against the Cowboys’ interior line, which includes all-pro left guard Zack Martin and center Travis Frederick, could be one of the day’s best.
Adding insult to, well, insult, the Jaguars have been thumped their last two games by head coaches they once fired.
Prescott has more weaponry around him too including rookie running back Zeke Elliott, and tight end Jason Witten. After winning their first three games of the season, the Eagles dropped two in a row. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott will aim to improve on the Cowboys’ 5-1 record, tied for the NFC’s best, at home vs. fellow rookie signal caller Carson Wentz and the 4-2 Eagles.
The Lions and Redskins also attacked Philadelphia quite differently as well. The Eagles have struggled in road games, though, winning just once in three attempts.
Another guy I expect to have a big game is linebacker Jordan Hicks. After being targeted 23 times in the first two games, the 24-year-old has seen just 18 balls come his way over the last four. Dallas has faced only 28 situations of 3rd-and-8 or more to go, best in the NFL. Prescott needs the whole offense to run effectively to be an effective quarterback. This just is not a great matchup for a pressure-oriented defense against a gargantuan offensive line. Beasley, an undrafted free agent from Southern Methodist in 2012, leads Dallas with 33 catches for 390 yards and three scores. Prescott throws two TD passes with no interceptions. Schwartz’s defense had a bad outing in Washington but rebounded in a big way last week against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. This is the seventh year in a row the teams will meet on the NBC broadcast, with the Eagles taking four of those, including three of four in Dallas.
Advertisement
One thing is fairly certain, though.
