The Eagles defense hopes to rise to the occasion against another top passer in Dak Prescott

In his rookie season as Eagles head coach, in 2021, Nick Sirianni infamously created BEAT DALLAS shirts leading up to his first Cowboys game.

Sirianni has ditched the shirts and downplayed any hoopla this week before his team hosts their NFC East rivals, but make no mistake, everyone at the NovaCare Complex is aware of the stakes on Sunday.

The Eagles (7-1) have two more wins than the Cowboys (5-2), as the Eagles hit their toughest stretch of the season. After a bye week, the Eagles then face the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Cowboys (Dec. 10 at Dallas), and the Seattle Seahawks.

“I think it’s the biggest rivalry in football,” said newly acquired safety Kevin Byard, who was born in Philadelphia. “There’s obviously a lot of history. A lot of great players have played in this game between these two really good teams. A lot of playoff, division implications. I’m super excited to play in it.”

» READ MORE: Kevin Byard grew up watching Eagles playoff runs, now he gets a chance to help craft one himself

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters this week: “Whether we talk [about it] or not, we know what’s ahead of us. Great opponent. Excited for it. Opponent we are familiar with and vice versa ... big, big, big rival. Division game.

“Down the road this game will mean something as we get further down the line in the season. Trust me, the guys in the locker room, myself, we know what this game means,” Prescott said.

Byard owns three career interceptions against Prescott, who is 8-3 against the Eagles, with a 67.5% completion rate and 19 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

“Dak has had success because Dak is a very good player,” Sirianni said. “I have a lot of respect for Dak. … He’s done really well against us the last couple of times. You have to try to confuse [him]. You have to try to hit him and to try to knock him off his rhythm. I just feel like he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.”

This season, Prescott is completing 71% of his passes, second in the league behind Josh Allen (71.7%). Prescott is supported by wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Brandin Cooks, as well as tight end Jake Ferguson and running back Tony Pollard.

“Over Dak’s career, he wants to push the ball downfield,” Byard said. “I wouldn’t say that’s different this year. But first and second down, they really want to work more of the quick pass game. Get him going early, make him be efficient.

“[He’s] very accurate, he trusts his arm, his receivers.” Byard said. “He wants to get his playmakers the ball early. We have to play well on the outside to win.”

Defensively, the Eagles are looking to rebound after surrendering 31 points to the Commanders, including on four passing touchdowns by second-year quarterback Sam Howell. This game will be the first of the season the defense will have the same starting secondary in consecutive weeks.

» READ MORE: What the Cowboys are saying about the Eagles ahead of Sunday’s NFC East showdown

Coordinator Sean Desai is hopeful the continuity will help the unit improve its 26th-ranked pass defense (247.5 yards allowed per game) with one of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks coming to town.

The defense has shown up-and-down outings this year, but its best performances have come against top passers in the Rams’ Matthew Stafford (56.8% completion percentage, season-low 222 yards) and the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (season-low 216 passing yards, one interception).

“The challenge obviously from a coaching staff perspective is to make sure our guys are prepared and equipped well enough with whatever we need them to go into the game plan with,” Desai said.

“[Prescott] is operating in a highly efficient way right now, getting the ball out fast, and he’s decisive with where he wants to go with the ball and he’s accurate,” Desai said. “He’s throwing the ball on point to where the offensive structure is asking him to throw the ball, he’s doing a good job.

“He can still create plays and make plays from a scramble position as a thrower and a runner, so he’s playing at a high level.”

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.