'There's a key to slowing down Jalen Hurts' but Cowboys failed at it in first showdown vs Eagles of 2024 NFL season
The Dallas Cowboys might have nothing to play for anymore as far as playoff chances go but it's rivalry weekend. The team will travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles for a Week 17 matchup (which, by the way, has been flexed to the 1:00 p.m. ET slot), and they'll likely remain motivated to play. The problem? […]
The Dallas Cowboys might have nothing to play for anymore as far as playoff chances go but it's rivalry weekend. The team will travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles for a Week 17 matchup (which, by the way, has been flexed to the 1:00 p.m. ET slot), and they'll likely remain motivated to play.
The problem? The Eagles are legit and hungry for a win after dropping a game against the Washington Commanders in the final seconds of Week 16.
To get a better grasp of the Eagles heading into the game, I reached out to A to Z Sports' Eagles beat writer Kelsey Kramer with a few questions. Let's dive in.
1. Assuming Jalen Hurts can play, what should the Cowboys keep in mind about to slow down the Eagles passing offense, which seemed to finally put the pieces together against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Kramer: I would like to point out that the narrative surrounding Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ passing game struggles has gotten a bit twisted. Philly has running back Saquon Barkley who is hard to stop and single-handedly winning games for them (10 in a row), so why fix it if it’s not broken? There is a key to slowing down Hurts’ arm just like any QB and that’s applying pressure and playing tight coverage on wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. However, that didn’t work out too well for Dallas last time as Hurts still completed 7 of 9 pass attempts for 115 yards and two scores while facing pressure against the Cowboys' defense in Week 10.
2. It seems like the Eagles secondary has become one of the best in the NFL despite starting a couple of rookies. What has been the secret sauce to make that happen?
Kramer: The Eagles nailed the jackpot in the 2024 NFL Draft when they selected defensive backs Quinyon Michell and Cooper DeJean in the first and second rounds. These two rookies have taken the Eagles’ secondary from good to great. Their speed and physicality are unmatched and they hardly ever blow an assignment. It helps they have defensive guru Vic Fangio and star veteran Darius Slay teaching them the ropes at the pro level.
3. The Cowboys have found a rhythm with Rico Dowdle rising as RB1 for the team but the Eagles defensive front looks as scary as it gets. Do you believe a blowout is in the works or can Dallas keep it close?
Kramer: The Eagles have the best run defense so I’d say Rico Dowdle is definitely going to have a tough time shining in Week 17. But I think the outcome of this game comes down to the status of Jalen Hurts (concussion) and whether he’s ready to go or not. If he’s not, well, the Cowboys defense has looked pretty solid lately and could have a chance to take advantage of backup Kenny Pickett. And even if Hurts is available, I think the Cowboys will still give Philly a hard time due to the rivalry and not wanting to be blown out by their moral enemy twice in one season. 31-24
