Dallas Cowboys vs. Eagles: A Quick Game Preview

We take a quick look at the Dallas Cowboys Week Eight matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles scheduled for primetime on Sunday Night Football.

The Dallas Cowboys return to our lives after a week off on Sunday when they face the Philadelphia Eagles in a primetime matchup that could go a long way in determining who wins the NFC East crown.

The Cowboys are coming off a bye week and should be fresh heading into Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Eagles took care of business in a sloppy game at home against the formerly undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

These two teams were drastically different the last time they met at AT&T Stadium, with each team sporting new starters at the quarterback and running back positions. The Eagles also sport a new head coach, and Doug Pederson will get his first taste of one of the most heated rivalries in football. Last years meeting in Arlington ended in an overtime loss for the Cowboys, one of their 7 consecutive losses at home in a miserable 2015 season.

No doubt the biggest story heading this Week Eight matchup is the battle of the two rookie quarterbacks, the Eagles’ second overall pick Carson Wentz against the Cowboys 4th round pick Dak Prescott. The two exciting young signal-callers in the first matchup of what should be many more in the coming years.

Comparing the two, Prescott has the edge in just about every major statistical category. Both are pocket passers but are not afraid to use their legs to avoid trouble. Both have shown the ability to make all the throws required to carve out successful careers in the NFL. Between the two of them, they’ve thrown 15 touchdowns to 4 combined interceptions, and are completing 66.2% of their passes.

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Normally these two would be choices one and two for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. But it’s the Cowboys other rookie who is really chewing up defenses.

Ezekiel Elliott is the NFL’s leading rusher. He not only leads all running backs with 703 yards on the season, he has more rushing yard than 15 teams do. That’s not just Rookie of the Year caliber; those are MVP numbers.

In fact, Zeke has the second best odds to come away with the NFL MVP award, according to Bovada Sportsbook. The last time we saw Elliott on the field, he was picking apart the Packers’ top-ranked rushing defense. The Eagles have a stout defense, but expect for Zeke to keep on rolling.

As if the offense needed more help, wide receiver Dez Bryant will be back for the first time since Week Three, giving Prescott another weapon to play with. The Cowboys will need all the firepower they can get their hands on, as the Eagles boast a very talented defensive unit.

The Eagles have given up the second fewest yards in the NFL, only 307 a game. They slowed down the undefeated Vikings last week with ease. Philadelphia has talent at all three levels of their defense, and have the numbers to back it up.

They’ve brought down the opposing quarterback on 20 occasions in just 6 games. They’ve forced 12 turnovers, and have even been scoring special teams touchdowns. As good as Wentz has been, he’s not the only one on the Eagles who’s dangerous.

Next: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Five Thoughts

A win here will put the Cowboys at 2-1 in divisional play, as well as 5-1 in the conference, which could be huge if they’re in playoff contention come December. Divisional games are always a toss-up, but expect the home team to come away with a tough win over their biggest rivals.

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