3 things Cowboys must work on vs. Jaguars to get right for Eagles
By Randy Gurzi
Week 14 was a reminder that nothing is easy in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys are a vastly superior team to the Houston Texans, but still needed a late fourth-down stop and a 98-yard drive to escape with a win over their in-state rivals.
Now, they head to Jacksonville to take on the 5-8 Jaguars in a game they should win easily. And while it’s still not a guarantee they will do that, they need to use this weekend to get a few things fixed, since they have a critical rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16.
3 things Cowboys must work on vs. Jaguars to get right for Eagles
3. Limit the Turnovers
One major issue Dak Prescott has had this season is protecting the ball. In eight games, he now has nine interceptions and has had multiple picks in three games. That includes their latest outing against Houston, and his second came in Dallas territory and nearly cost them a chance at a comeback.
The Cowboys were facing a second-and-20 on their own three-yard line and Prescott was picked off by Tremon Smith, putting the defense back on the field on the Dallas four. A huge stop on fourth down gave the offense the ball back, and they were able to steal the win — but against a better team, this one would have gone down as a loss with such an ill-timed interception.
Against the Eagles, turnovers can lead to disaster. That was the case in Week 6, when these two teams met for the first time. In what ended up being the final start for Cooper Rush, the Dallas backup had just one touchdown and three interceptions (his only three on the season).
The defense did well, holding Philly’s high-powered offense to 26 points, but the turnovers were too much, as they lost 26-17.
Against the Jags, they need to work on protecting the ball. Giving the ball away, especially if it leads to points for the Eagles, would be devastating, so starting the focus one week early would be a good idea.