Key matchups to watch for in Eagles and Cowboys game on Sunday
Well, here we are. The Philadelphia Eagles are 5-0, while the Dallas Cowboys are 4-1 without their starting quarterback since Week 2. No one expected the NFC East to look as good as it has, but heading into Sunday's matchup between the two heavyweights in the division, there are a number of storylines that will […]
Well, here we are.
The Philadelphia Eagles are 5-0, while the Dallas Cowboys are 4-1 without their starting quarterback since Week 2. No one expected the NFC East to look as good as it has, but heading into Sunday's matchup between the two heavyweights in the division, there are a number of storylines that will factor into one of the biggest games of the first half of the season.
Let's examine three matchup areas to watch for when the Eagles play the Cowboys.
1.) Jalen Hurts versus the Cowboys' defense
Sunday will mark, arguably, Jalen Hurts' toughest test yet. Dallas is playing some of the best defensive football it has played in years. Currently, the Cowboys are second in the NFL in sacks with 20.
Micah Parsons is leading the way when it comes to getting to the quarterback with six sacks. Parsons also has a forced fumble. But he's not doing all this damage alone. Dorance Armstrong had a monster game last Sunday, and he has four sacks on the season, while DeMarcus Lawrence has three and Dante Fowler has two.
Hurts will need to navigate a game where the pressure will be at a constant level. He's handled somewhat tough defenses to this point in the season, but he hasn't played a defense as difficult to dissect as the Cowboys'.
If Hurts and the offensive line are able to avoid quarterback pressure, there is also the constant threat of Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. Last season Diggs had 11 interceptions. One came from Hurts.
Diggs is always hungry for a pick. The tape on him says he will give up big plays in order to make big plays. If Hurts beats the pressure of the Cowboys, he will also have to make Diggs pay for taking risks.
And though Hurts has played well, the jury is still out on if he can do so against a top-of-the-line defense.
2.) The rushing attack against the Cowboys' front
To win on Sunday, the Eagles need to avoid making any big mistakes. That means keeping the ball on the ground and dominating the time of possession.
The only way to do so is by having an efficient game plan in the running game. As documented earlier, the Cowboys' front is dangerous. They can create pressure on the quarterback at will. But for all the good things the Cowboys' great edge rushers do, stopping the run isn't one of them.
If the Eagles dominate the run game up front, there is little Dallas can do to stop them. And if playing from in front, there is doubt as to whether Dallas can rely on Cooper Rush to pull the team out of an early deficit.
The game plan for an Eagles victory is clear: Hurts needs to manage the pressure that will come his way, and Philadelphia needs to keep the ball on the ground. If executed well, the Eagles may be 6-0 after Sunday.
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Feature image via Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
