NFC East Clash: Eagles vs. Cowboys Showdown
As Week Nine comes to fruition, the Eagles travel down south to their arch-rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. Tomorrow’s afternoon showdown is set to be a pivotal game for the Eagles in terms of keeping up with the Washington Commanders in the NFC East. Currently, Washington stands at 7-2, while the Cowboys are trending toward a more underwhelming trajectory. Going into tomorrow, Dallas stands at 3-5 in a rather disappointing first half of the season. In unfortunate news, it was also reported that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will be sidelined for the rest of the season as he will undergo season-ending surgery. Cowboys second-string quarterback Cooper Rush is set to start for Dallas the rest of the season. With that being said, let’s analyze a few keys to victory for the Eagles to win their fifth consecutive game.
The formula on offense tomorrow should be simple for quarterback Jalen Hurts. Get the run game flowing with Saquon Barkley, and then feed DeVonta Smith on crucial downs. As previously noted, Smith could be in for a massive performance in Arlington tomorrow. Far too often this season, Smith is the focus of the offense later in the game. Tomorrow is a perfect opportunity for the star receiver to be the focal point in all four quarters. Star receiver A.J. Brown is guaranteed to garner much attention from Dallas' secondary, and Smith should be able to exploit them. Ideally, Smith can hopefully be targeted on at least two deep shots in this game. When play calls are designed for Smith in one-on-one coverage downfield, the outcome is more positive than not. Smith is a monster receiver in terms of contested catches and even yards after the catch. Smith should be in for a massive day tomorrow if Barkley can produce on the ground to open up play-action.
On the defensive side of the ball, it is safe to say they have played exceptionally better over the last month of the season. The defense ranks fifth in the league in yards per play, and seventh in points per drive. Besides their performance against the Buccaneers, most areas of the defense have been steady. Linebacker Nakobe Dean and cornerback Cooper DeJean have shined as of late, both making crucial plays in critical situations over the last month or so. Their development as the season progresses is exciting to watch. With wide receiver CeeDee Lamb set to match up against rookie sensation Quinyon Mitchell, this could very well be the best test of the season for the rookie cornerback. Lamb is an undoubtedly superstar wideout at this point of his career, and should still produce without his franchise quarterback at the helm. It will be interesting to see how Mitchell fares against Lamb.
Ideally, the Eagles will be able to leave Dallas with another victory in the 2024 season. If so, the Eagles will be 7-2 heading into Week 10, hosting the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. At this point of the season, the stakes get higher and higher for Philadelphia. The positioning for playoff seeding could very well come down to the last week of the season. A victory tomorrow would propel massive momentum for Philadelphia heading into the ladder slate of the year.
