The 3-3 Dallas Cowboys will host the 3-3 Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East matchup on Sunday night football. The Cowboys season has been quite the roller coaster. They started off 3-0 before reeling off 3 straight losses including last weeks’ loss to the previously winless New York Jets. The Eagles have also had an up and down season and are coming off a rough 38-20 blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Both teams find themselves at 500 as we close in on the halfway part of the season. The division remains up for grabs and the winner of this game will fins themselves in first place on Monday morning.
The Eagles were a huge disappointment on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball last week. Quarterback Carson Wentz went 26-40 for 306 yards and two touchdowns while running back Jordan Howard led all ball carriers with 13 carries for 49 yards. The defense was torn apart all game long with Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs shredding the defense for 3 receiving touchdowns. The Vikings offense had been struggling all season long yet found their stride against a weak Eagles pass rush and secondary. The Eagles have been badly missing starting cornerback Ronald Darby and Avonte Maddox, and Cousins took full advantage. Adam Thelein made a slick double move to beat Sidney Jones for a textbook fade throw by Cousins for a 7-yard touchdown to cap the opening drive. Diggs blew by Rasuk Dougkas on a post route in the second quarter to put the Vikings up 17-3.
Diggs beat Douglas again on the first snap of their next possession for the second of his career-best three scores, after Douglas began the play like he was settling into zone coverage and Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins missed his assignment over the top. Even with a 32-yard touchdown pass by Wentz to running back Miles Sanders before the break, the Vikings pushed their first-half scoring advantage in three home games this year to 66-17.
Many wondered if the Cowboys fast 3-0 start was due to their easy early season schedule. Those thoughts seem to have been confirmed as the team has lost 3 straight games since. None more embarrassing than this loss to the lowly New York Jets this past weekend. Quarterback Dak Prescott was 28-40 for 285 yards but no touchdowns Running back Ezequiel Elliot had 28 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown. The Jets got off to a 21-6 halftime lead. They did have a chance to tie the game late with a two-point conversion but Prescotts pass to Jason Witten was incomplete as Jamal Adams put pressure on the quarterback.
This game will come down to which team can find consistency on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys need to get back their roots by running the football with Elliot and using the play action passing game to get Prescott and the receiving core going. For the Eagles its time for Carson Wentz to step up and play at the MVP level he did 2 seasons ago.
