Eagles beat writers make their predictions for the Cowboys game
In a Jalen Hurts-Dak Prescott matchup, can Hurts contribute to the Eagles' run game against an elite Cowboys defense?
![Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scrambles as he looks to pass during a game against the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on Sunday, October 16, 2022.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/c_150ZZh7iwAoPLhyOJedwGJX2Q=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/TQ4XNBF5VFE2JFFOWGNM5LOFOQ.jpg)
The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Here are the game predictions from the beat writers.
Olivia Reiner
The 5-2 Cowboys have had some high highs (a 40-0 shutout of the New York Giants in Week 1, for example) and low lows (a 28-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 and a 42-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5). On the whole, they have been playing strong football, boasting the second-ranked scoring offense and fourth-ranked defense in points allowed. Unlike the Eagles, they’re winning the turnover battle, forking the ball over just seven times (fifth in the league) while forcing 13 turnovers (fourth in the league).
Still, they’re not infallible, and they’re certainly not unbeatable. One of the common themes of note in the two Cowboys losses this season is that opposing offenses ran the ball with great success. The Cardinals racked up a staggering 222 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries and the 49ers collected 170 passing yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries.
While dominating in the run game against the Cowboys may not be the only way to win, the prospect of doing so falls at an interesting time for the Eagles.
Last week against the Washington Commanders, the Eagles’ run game was lackluster, picking up a season-low 59 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. It’s worth noting that quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is dealing with a left knee injury, posted a career-low (as a starter) 6 rushing yards on four carries, with two of them being kneel-downs and another being the failed “tush push” that resulted in a fumble.
» READ MORE: Jalen Hurts has grown as a passer, and the Eagles are winning without heavily relying on the run game
On the flip side, Hurts had his best day of the season as a passer (319 passing yards, four touchdowns, 135.7 passer rating). Coach Nick Sirianni said that the Eagles’ lack of a run game was more about opportunities in the passing game. Still, the run game wasn’t efficient over the last two games, as the Eagles picked up just 2.9 and 2.7 yards per carry against the Miami Dolphins and the Commanders, respectively, the two lowest clips of the season.
Can the Eagles get the run game going against the Cowboys? Can Hurts contribute in that area? D’Andre Swift showed in Weeks 2 and 3 against the Minnesota Vikings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that he can be a workhorse in the run game (205 rushing yards total), and perhaps we see his resurgence on Sunday.
Despite the knee problem, Hurts has been playing some of his best football in the pocket lately. If the offensive line can contain pass rusher Micah Parsons, if the secondary can keep wide receiver CeeDee Lamb from doing too much damage, and if the Eagles generate a positive turnover differential, they should head into the bye with a win.
Prediction: Eagles 28, Cowboys 24
» READ MORE: What the Cowboys are saying about the Eagles ahead of Sunday’s NFC East showdown
EJ Smith
Let’s set aside all the pomp and circumstance attached to every Eagles-Cowboys matchup, because this game has legitimate stakes on its own.
The Eagles could plant themselves firmly in charge of the NFC East and the conference as a whole with a win, which would put them 2.5 games ahead of the Cowboys going into their bye week. A loss, though, would give Dallas a chance to erase the gap between the two teams by the time the Eagles play their next game, later in November.
This game will likely come down to the Eagles’ elite offense against Dallas’ elite defense. The Cowboys rank third in efficiency by FTN Fantasy, which measures defense-adjusted value over average and have managed that success using a heavy dose of man coverage under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
Quinn is one of the few defensive play-callers still fond of the Cover-3 looks that have gone out of style a bit in recent years. It works for Dallas, though, bouncing between man-to-man with a single safety playing center field and dropping three defensive backs over the top.
Man coverage is usually a bad idea against a mobile quarterback like Hurts, but Hurts’ knee injury may make it more effective for the Cowboys. Even though Hurts had one of his best games as a passer last week, his mobility will be even more important if available this weekend.
![Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown walk off the field after beating the Washington Commanders 38-31at FedEx Field on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Landover, Md.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/59BlqO_Pj69lF39Pf5coa9yeF1Q=/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/ORVN3ESJXVE5LCDOTME3PCG6PA.jpg)
As will generating explosive plays, which are easier to achieve against a scheme like the Cowboys’. Like most weeks, there’s reason to feel good about A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith creating big plays, albeit against a capable cornerback duo consisting of red-hot DaRon Bland and veteran Stephon Gilmore. As talented as Parsons is, the Eagles have bookend tackles particularly for games like these. The Eagles’ track record against Parsons supports this: The star edge rusher has just a half sack in three games against them in his career.
Good offense typically edges good defense, and this Cowboys group has been edged before. I think the Eagles can score.
On the other side of the ball, things are a little more dubious. Lamb lines up in the slot about two-thirds of the time, which means he’ll likely see a good amount of Sydney Brown or Eli Ricks. Ricks has overachieved this year, but that’s a daunting matchup for a group that just surrendered 31 points to a lowly Washington offense.
» READ MORE: The Eagles defense hopes to rise to the occasion against another top passer in Dak Prescott
Taking away Dak Prescott’s first read and getting the pass rush involved will be paramount for the defense. Easier said than done, though. I think the Cowboys will be able to move the ball, but their 29th-ranked red-zone offense suggests they may not be able to keep pace with the Eagles offense.
All of this to say, this has the makings of a high-scoring game. I picked these two teams to split going into the season and I still think that will be the case. In the first matchup, give me the home team.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Cowboys 26
Josh Tolentino
The Eagles have historically struggled with defending Prescott at home. But they’ve never had this complete a roster in those previous matchups.
Last year, the coaching staff showed it was capable of successfully game- planning against Parsons. Without Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys’ pass defense is still playing at a high level. The Eagles counter with perhaps the hottest connection in the NFL right now in Hurts-Brown. The complete recipe to victory, though, should involve a healthy dose of Swift, who ranks fourth in the league in rushing yards. The Eagles have obvious reasons to fall in love with the pass, but this Cowboys defense is susceptible to allowing big gains on the ground, and Swift should be looking to take full advantage.
Defensive coordinator Sean Desai has displayed the ability to frustrate some of the league’s top passers in the Rams’ Matthew Stafford and the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa. Coach Nick Sirianni described how Prescott is playing at an incredibly high level, but he also has been turnover-prone at various points of his career. The Eagles haven’t won the turnover battle in past weeks — they’ll likely need to turn that script if they want to have a chance of increasing their lead for first place in the NFC East.
The Eagles are the best team in football. They’re bound to drop another game over their next month and a half, but the bet here is they head into the bye with their chins held high.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Cowboys 21
Jeff McLane
Dallas coach Mike McCarthy gets looked down upon by many who credit the quarterbacks he has coached more than his schematic acumen, but you don’t win 160 games in the NFL by accident. He has returned to calling plays this season, and while the Cowboys’ overall numbers are slightly down from last season, his offense has had several explosive performances. Prescott has, for the most part, fired on all cylinders, Lamb has caught everything in sight, and running back Tony Pollard has been efficient enough on the ground to keep defenses honest.
Dallas’ biggest problem has come in the red zone. You think the Eagles have trouble punching it in? The Cowboys have converted just 11 of 27 possessions inside the 20 into touchdowns. (The Eagles, by comparison, are 17 of 33). That definitely has a lot to do with the calls, as it does in Philly. But Dallas has been efficient in the other 80 yards, especially on third down. The offensive line is still a strength, but left tackle Tyron Smith is unlikely to play, and his backup, Chuma Edoga, has been limited at practice with ankle and knee injuries. Josh Sweat should have the advantage vs. Edoga. The same should apply with Haason Reddick up against right tackle Terence Steele.
Jalen Carter vs. Zack Martin is a headline matchup to watch. The rookie defensive tackle left last week’s game early with a back injury, but he has been a full participant at practice and should see plenty of the Cowboys’ perennial All-Pro guard. In the secondary, Desai is slated to have the same starting five for the first time this season. The unit got torched by the Commanders, who seemed to know whether the Eagles were in man or zone based upon their pre-snap tells. Desai’s disguises will need to be better with Prescott — who has a career 8-3 record vs. the Eagles — at the controls.
![Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) is called for unsportsmanlike conduct as he says words to Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (88) during a game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on Sunday, October 16, 2022.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/_MCbrZ0XMbok4KLcY9zu33vs3dk=/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/RY42EITUTVF6FBOAVJ542WEJP4.jpg)
When talking about Dallas’ defense, Parsons has to get first mention. The do-it-all linebacker’s overall numbers are slightly down, partly because offenses have done well to neutralize him in the run game. The Eagles had Hurts “read” Parsons as an unblocked defender a bunch in last year’s first meeting and they kept him at bay. But the Cowboys move him around so much, and he’s so athletic, that the game plan can’t be focused on this element. Demarcus Lawrence is just as dangerous on the edge. It should be noted that right tackle Lane Johnson left both games against the Cowboys early last season.
The big personnel news out of the Eagles this past week is the likely promotion of rookie Tyler Steen at right guard. Cam Jurgens doesn’t seem ready to come off injured reserve, and Sua Opeta struggled in the last several games. That may raise eyebrows with the Cowboys coming to town, but Steen is more athletic and should be an upgrade in pass protection.
» READ MORE: Eagles rookie Tyler Steen could get his first start at right guard against the Cowboys
The Eagles’ pass offense was clicking last week. Hurts had his best throwing day even though he’s been dealing with a knee bruise. Brian Johnson called his number only a few times on runs. The “read” element played a partial role in that reduction, but so did the knee. Could that have been why Hurts threw so well from the pocket? Maybe. Dallas’ pass defense lost its playmaker when Diggs suffered a season-ending injury. Bland has done well as his replacement and paired with veteran Gilmore. But Eagles receiver A.J. Brown has been almost unstoppable this season. Will Dallas’ Quinn double him? It’s possible. But then he has to deal with Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Julio Jones in single coverage.
The Eagles are favored by three points — the amount usually given for home field. So Las Vegas sees the teams as even. When the Cowboys have played their best, they’ve blown out their opponents. But in their one true matchup vs. a quality team — the 49ers — they got destroyed on the road. They also lost at the Cardinals. The Eagles seemed to be improving with each week and then there was a defensive setback at Washington.
Prediction: Eagles 30, Cowboys 28
![Gameday Central: Eagles vs. Cowboys](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/SM06O3DvFzL9ZcG2U8eI1yzUvsk=/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/GKLIP7XIIFGALM577QQUQ7GFPE.png)
The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.