Can the Dallas Cowboys stop a healthy Carson Wentz?

The Dallas Cowboys spent five of their eight draft picks on defense. But with Carson Wentz returning to MVP form, can Big D stop the Philly quarterback?

On paper, it’s hard to imagine anyone catching the Dallas Cowboys in 2019. The Giants lost their star power in Odell Beckham Jr. The Washington Redskins are starting over at quarterback with a rookie.

Yes, the Dallas Cowboys are returning with high expectations, but nothing in the NFL is guaranteed. The NFC East, for example, is prime entertainment because there’s always a new division winner every year. The only consistency is the inconsistency in the NFC East. And that should worry Dallas Cowboys fans.

The Eagles are looking to return to supremacy, led by quarterback Carson Wentz. The division, as it stands right now on paper, will come down to these two super powers: the Dallas Cowboys and the Eagles.

We could knuckle our way through all the bolts and screws of every single detail between the two rivalries, but let’s be honest here, the matchup between the two franchises boils down to Carson Wentz against the Cowboys defense.

Sure, the Dallas Cowboys swept the Eagles in 2018. But the two games were close. The Cowboys won both games by a combined 13 points over two games. The second game went into overtime. In both contests, the Cowboys installed Amari Cooper, so there was that factor too.

But with Carson Wentz coming back healthy, the Cowboys can’t dismiss him in 2019. He is, in my opinion, the biggest threat to the Dallas Cowboys. Outside of his performance, I don’t see any other factor stopping the Cowboys from blowing up the NFC East division and walking into the 2019 playoffs with a home game.

Too early of a prediction? Probably. But as it stands now, the Cowboys defense is the best tool to stop the MVP type quarterback. Wentz, who is fresh off a new contract worth $128 million over four years, is looking to prove his worth and above all, rid the injury bug.

You better believe he is circling the Dallas Cowboys on his calendar. The Philly brass didn’t extend his contract and let town favorite Nick Folks walk for the heck of it. The Eagles are cashing in with their ideal quarterback, and to get to the playoffs and return for a second championship, Philadelphia has to beat the rising young Cowboys who claimed the division crown last season.

The Cowboys invested in a big body in the form of Trysten Hill, a rookie defensive tackle. Wentz will have his hands full with Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, and Leighton Vander Esch as the linebackers. Leading the cornerback room is Byron Jones, who had a breakout year in 2018. Chidobe Awuzie, a second rounder, will start opposite of Jones.

So, for Wentz and the Eagles offense, it appears they’ll have their hands full with Big D. It’s no wonder why Wentz got the big dollars. The big question is, can he stand and deliver against the mighty defense in Big D?

The Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles play October 20, a Sunday night game on NBC. The final match is the second to the last game on December 22.