Dallas Cowboys spank the Eagles out of 2020, Giants next?

The Dallas Cowboys stopped by a supercharger to push the Eagles out the door. Are the New York Giants next?

You have to give them credit. The Dallas Cowboys were staring at a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The coaches and players had other thoughts, toughing out a rough 2020 season with a major win against the Philadelphia Eagles.

By far, this is the best win of the season, including the five contests started by quarterback Dak Prescott. Fellow passer Andy Dalton was in crisp condition, providing the squad pillow-soft throws and measurable moxie. His 377 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a 134.7 quarterback rating sent a nice memo to the rest of the teams in the NFL.

No, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t suddenly Super Bowl contenders. But the performance last week deserves praise, especially from folks screaming to lose (um, me?). Dallas has been without their stars at the front line, injuries riddled the depth chart from left and right all season on both sides of the ball.

Still, somehow the Cowboys struck back during a time window when great play truly matters. Yeah, the Cowboys are hot right now, new owners of a three-win streak. Winning is winning, isn’t it? Even if the ‘Boys took home three wins against teams that combine for a record of 14-29-2 (Bengals, 49ers, Eagles). Football is still football, isn’t it?

I’ve been very critical of this 2020 Dallas Cowboys team so far, but there’s no other way to put it: They deserve some credit. The coaches. The Players. All of them.

All of them responded when it mattered most, essentially resuscitating life back into the 2020 schedule. Best of all, the Cowboys spanked the Eagles 37-17, standing tall as the Philadelphia squad flew back home knowing the playoff picture didn’t include them.

My goodness. Good night, Irene. Now, the Dallas Cowboys have a shot to duplicate the same hammer against the Giants.

The Million Dollar Question

If Andy Dalton catapults the Dallas Cowboys into the playoff picture, he’ll gain a cool $1 million, according to Todd Archer over at ESPN. Dalton has the hot hand. And it’ll be fun to see what happens when he meets a tough, revamped defense in New York.

Dalton might have to strike again in Week 17. America’s Team is seventh in the NFL in passing yards per game (264.1). The Giants defense ranks in the middle of the pack in that column. Compared to the Eagles and Bengals defense, Dalton will face stiffer competition.

If Dalton defeats the Giants, which I expect him to do with the stellar three catching balls (CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup), the final question in the air is up to the Eagles beating Washington on Sunday Night football. But the real narrative will be the invisible current beneath AT&T Stadium: Is Dalton pushing Dak Prescott out the door?

That’s the real million-dollar question. That must be answered, but not now. First, the Cowboys have to win in New York. Finally, the Eagles have to entertain Dallas a bit with a win of their own against Washington.

The Coaches Wave the Magic Wand

The game against the Eagles was fun. After some weird, and disastrous turn of events for these Dallas Cowboys, the coaches somehow put the pieces together offensively, defensively, and on special teams. Fans needed that.

Without a question, the Cowboys played their best ball against the Eagles. Sure, it only took 15 games to reboot into this refreshed update, but it happened. The Cowboys staff had no true offseason. No camps. No meetings. And yes, all new coaches.

Still, the Cowboys didn’t complain and continued to aim. Finally, the organization gave Cowboys Nation some meat to chew on. For the first time this season, I forgot about the ailing offensive line. I forgot about the lack of turnovers. I didn’t think about Dak Prescott. The special teams unit wasn’t questioned.

Good for the Cowboys. I guess the worst news out of all of this is the contemplation of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore heading out. According to Patrik Walker at CBS, Moore is not under contract beyond 2020 — so there’s that to put into your hot tea and sip on.

Regardless of what happens in the upcoming weeks, Moore will be a topic of interest. Could he be heading back to Boise State as the head coach? Hasta la vista, baby?

Prediction time!

Will the Dallas Cowboys win a fourth straight game in 2020? I think so. Whew! Fortunately, I did not list a prediction for the Eagles game.

I was actually expecting quarterback Jalen Hurts to insert his newness in the rivalry fabric. Instead, the Cowboys contained him, forcing the rookie to turnover the ball multiple times. He couldn’t run. He couldn’t pass.

I think this Dallas mojo, this momentum train carries over to the Big Apple. The Giants, unlike the Cowboys, are on a three-game losing streak. The Giants have been outscored 73-26 in those three contests. Can Jason Garrett find the ground again and dial-up some much-needed offensive firepower?

I doubt it. Kellen Moore struts against his former boss, showing Garrett he’s the new boy wonder (read: genius). The Cowboys have outscored their opponents 108-57 in the last three games. The power is with Big D.

Give me Dallas Cowboys 26, New York Giants 20. Enjoy the game. And enjoy the Sunday Night contest as well!