Ralph Vachiano
NFC East Reporter
For weeks, it regarded like this was going to be NFC’s Sport of the Yr. dallas cowboyssplendid additional time loss jacksonville jaguars on sunday. Two days later, I acquired the following data. philadelphia eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts I will not even be succesful to play as a result of my correct shoulder sprain.
So the Eagles (13-1) are three video video games ahead of the Cowboys (10-4) with three video video games to go. And the Eagles may presumably be and never utilizing a starting quarterback when the group performs in Dallas on Saturday afternoon (4:25 PM ET (FOX)).
Is that this sport a large deal however?
“Dallas? Christmas Eve?” Eagles supervisor Nick Siriani acknowledged in a radio interview Tuesday. “Come on, that’s correct.”
It’s in all probability not the Christmas Eve showdown all people envisioned, nevertheless the stakes are on a regular basis extreme when the Eagles and Cowboys play, significantly later this season. The Eagles may be close to getting the No. 1 seed inside the NFC, nevertheless they haven’t however.
And the Cowboys are nonetheless attempting to secure the No. 5 seed. As well as they need to shake off a shock loss to the Jaguars that resulted in a 52-yard select 6 by a Jacksonville safety. Rayshawn Jenkins upon Dak Prescottadditional time first go.
Cowboys supervisor Mike McCarthy acknowledged, “We’ll preserve working. ‘And we’ll reply to this appropriately.'”
There’s another reason why this sport continues to be important. This might presumably be a preview of the NFC Championship Sport.
Let’s take a extra in-depth take a look at two of the simplest teams in NFC.
quarterbacks
If Hearts had been to play, this is ready to be a far more attention-grabbing comparability. He was a front-runner for his MVP all season as the simplest dual-threat quarterback inside the league, scoring a whopping 35 touchdowns with 22 passes and his 13 rushes. I am recording. Within the meantime, Prescott ignited the Cowboys’ offense with 17 touchdown passes in eight video video games since returning from a thumb hurt.
Nonetheless, Prescott has been unusually inclined to interceptions nowadays, recording seven interceptions in his remaining 4 begins.That’s notable in opposition to a difficult Eagles secondary that leads the NFL with 15 interceptions. Gardner Minshew When the Eagles’ backup quarterback begins. Nonetheless he’s solely turned the ball over seven events all season, so if he performs, he may give Hearts the sting.
passing sport
The Cowboys are prone to rely additional on their passing sport than the Eagles, nevertheless every offenses are actually sturdy.The Eagles have additional vary of their receiving legions, along with AJ Brown (74 catches, 1,201 yards, 10 touchdowns), Devonta Smith (71-901-5) and tight end dallas goudart (44-544-3 in 9 video video games).Cowboys desperately in the hunt for any person to help WR1 Seedy rum (81-1,087-6), which is why they signed Veteran TYHilton Maintain flirting with Odell Beckham Jr.
Since Prescott’s return, the Cowboys have averaged 243.5 passing yards per sport. He averaged 235.5 yards for the Eagles and is believed to have surpassed 300 yards twice inside the remaining three video video games for the Hearts. Take into consideration the Eagles going to rely intently on runs if Minshew performs.
working sport
That’s, pretty merely, bread and butter for every teams. They every switch the ball properly and journey quite a few selections. Every have sturdy runners and highly effective offensive traces, so choose truly.
The Eagles frequent dashing yards are 158.6 yards per sport. Ouch (156-737-13) is a big situation, Miles Sanders He’s doubtless one of many NFL’s dashing leaders with 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Regarding the Cowboys, there’s in all probability not a larger 1-2 working once more punch inside the league. Ezekiel Elliott (188-774-10) and Tony Pollard (177-967-9). They normally’ve averaged 168.6 yards on the underside over the earlier seven weeks.
safety
Every defenses have a championship ingredient. They rank 1-2 in takeout (the Cowboys have 26 and the Eagles have 25.) They’re from his 1 bag to his 2 baggage (the Eagles have 55 baggage and the Cowboys have 2 baggage). 49 baggage). Every are inside the excessive 10 complete (the Eagles are No. 2 and the Cowboys are No. 8).They every have dominant players on the sting (Dallas’ Micah Parsons 13 baggage, Phillies Herson Reddick 12).
And every have the equivalent drawbacks. It’s a run safety. The Eagles gave up his yards on the underside he rushed for 121.1 yards per sport and the Cowboys gave up his 133.1 yards. It appeared to have solved that downside until the Eagles gave up 157 dashing yards. bear remaining week. The Cowboys appeared to have it labored out, too, nevertheless the Jaguars ran spherical them for 192 yards.
It truly appears to be just like the necessary factor for these teams.Which run safety can most interesting preserve up in opposition to among the many most interesting dashing assaults inside the league?
educating
McCarthy did an superior job early inside the season, conserving the Cowboys afloat whereas Prescott was sidelined for five video video games. cooper rush The victory at quarterback was a miracle in Philadelphia’s solely loss in an in depth sport (26-17). His 40-34 additional time loss at Jacksonville wasn’t the simplest second for anyone in Dallas, nevertheless the coaches have principally achieved an superior job since.
Who was responsible for the Cowboys’ loss to the Jags?
Dave Helman doesn’t completely blame Dak Prescott. Hellmann didn’t current up on the Cowboys’ safety, allowing the Jaguars to achieve his season-high 40 components in opposition to the Dallas D.
Nonetheless, Siriani qualifies for Coach of the Yr. He hit all the right buttons with the Eagles, fixed every downside that arose, and saved his tone and focus flawless all through a scorching start. They’ve the “togetherness” of champions, play with confidence and don’t make many errors. Sirianni is so good it’s easy to neglect it’s solely his second yr working an NFL group.
x situation
Given the circumstances, this sport does not imply rather a lot for the Eagles. Nonetheless for the Cowboys, it’s fully giant. A win would lock them into the fifth seed. This suggests a major spherical playoff sport with the winner of NFC South. The group will in all probability end the season with a dropping doc.
Perhaps additional importantly, the Cowboys want to make it clear that they are on par with the Eagles in NFC. Per week after his Jacksonville meltdown, doing it at dwelling on nationwide television can remind all people, along with himself, merely how good he is. That have to be way more motivation for the Eagles to be on this sport.
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FOX Sports activities actions Prime Tales:
Ralph Vacchiano is FOX Sports activities actions’ NFC East reporter overlaying the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the ultimate six years overlaying the Giants and Jets on his SNY TV in New York, and for his 16 years earlier to that, he lined the Giants and the NFL on the New York Daily Data. Adjust to him on his Twitter: @RalphVacchiano.
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