The Dallas Cowboys may trail the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason odds to win the NFC East, but they aren't far behind. This should be a two-team race with Dallas and Philadelphia trading blows for the division all season.
With a revamped defense, Dallas has undeniably closed the gap. Points won't come easily against this Eagles defense, making it imperative that Christian Parker's unit holds up its end of the bargain. That's what makes Jalen Hurts' shaky Day 2 of training camp such an encouraging development.
Here's the latest from Eagles reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks of SportsRadio 94 WIP:
"It was a tough day to be Jalen Hurts. The Eagles' defensive line won the day against the Eagles' offensive line, and as a result, Hurts was under pressure for a good portion of the day. He was probably sacked 3-4 times in 11v11."
Shorr-Parks added that outside of two nice connections with DeVonta Smith, Hurts "mostly checked the ball down." That's a recipe for success for the Cowboys, who should have much cleaner linebacker play and overall composure under Christian Parker.
Pressuring Jalen Hurts will be key for the Cowboys to beat the Eagles
Hurts gets more criticism than he deserves, but his struggles under pressure are well-documented. Per StatMuse, the Eagles quarterback ranked 19th last season with a 64.8 percent completion rate when pressured.
That's particularly noteworthy because Philadelphia's offensive line isn't what it was a few years ago, and it no longer has legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Widely regarded as the best at his position, Stoutland leaves behind enormous shoes to fill.
Nobody would say Dallas' defensive line is as talented as Philly's. However, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark bring a similar level of danger up the middle as Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. We said similar. Not the same.
The Williams factor could be a big one in these matchups. The Jets did not support him with capable pass rushers during his time in New York. Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku are arguably the best EDGE duo he's played with. And Dallas may trade for another impact pass rusher before the season.
Cowboys' pass rush quietly showed up vs. Eagles last season
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys tallied 20 pressures on Hurts in the Week 1 matchup last season before logging 28 pressures in the Week 12 meeting. Quinnen Williams accounted for eight pressures by himself in the latter game.
Hurts can be really dangerous in a clean pocket. He can make throws, but he was Philly's leading rusher in both games against Dallas last year, totaling 95 yards on 21 carries (4.5 yards per rush). He often picks the perfect time to take off and run when the defense has its back turned in coverage.
The expectation is that the Cowboys will be ready for that. With better personnel and a much-improved scheme, Dallas should be able to generate more pressure on Hurts this year. If they do that, they should be in a position to pick off their rival in both matchups.
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