Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles: Eight Staff Game Predictions
The Landry Hat staff of contributors preview and give their predictions of the Week Eight matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nov 8, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley (11) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
This Sunday night, the 5-1 Dallas Cowboys will take on a divisional rival in the 4-2 Philadelphia Eagles at home at AT&T Stadium. The Landry Hat’s staff of contributors has gathered together this week to give their predictions for the Week Eight matchup.
Note: If you are interested in reading more of a particular contributor’s work on the site, simply click on their name.
Brad Austin, Senior Contributor
Prediction: Apparently picking a talented foe to upend these resilient Cowboys is foolish these days.
Although siding with these stout Eagles is enticing since the game takes place in Dallas.
The road team has won 6 straight and Dallas is 1-4 over the last 5 home games vs. Philly.
After the week off, Dallas is now healthier than they’ve been all season. The return of star veteran leaders Dez Bryant and Orlando Scandrick should provide an extra spark.
The Eagles have three missing pieces that will cause issues…
1) 5th round rookie has replaced suspended RT Lane Johnson
Advantage: DE DeMarcus Lawrence over RT Vaitai
2) Slot corner Ron Brooks is out for the season
Safety Malcolm Jenkins moves to slot. Back-up Jaylen Watkins takes over as nickel safety.
Advantage: TE Jason Witten over S Watkins
3) Explosive NT Bennie Logan is out, back-up Beau Allen takes over.
Advantage: C Travis Frederick / LG Ronald Leary over NT Allen
In a battle for first place in the NFC East, the Eagles injuries create enough mismatches to prevail.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 27, Philadelphia Eagles 23
Nov 8, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) runs the ball against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll (23) after catching a pass in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Vu, Senior Contributor
Prediction: It really can’t better than this. Cowboys. Eagles. The NFC East up for grabs.
I would love nothing more than to predict an easy win, but these Philadelphia Eagles are good. Really good. Do I think they are better than these super Dallas Cowboys? Honestly? No.
But that’s not to say they can’t steal this game and leapfrog over Dallas for the division lead.
More from The Landry Hat
I got this weird feeling the Bye Week will slow the Boys at first. Sure, Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith and Orlando Scandrick benefited from the rest week. At the same token, riding a 5-1 tide was a nice ride. I would have liked that wave going into this game.
So, you want to make this about rookie quarterbacks. Let’s see how rookie Dak Prescott responds over the Carson Wentz/Dak Prescott debate. He will have had two weeks worth of x’s and o’s on the Eagles defense, and he’ll need it considering their awesome pass rush. Can Prescott outsmart defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz?
He probably doesn’t have to. Expect the running backs, including rookie Ezekiel Elliott to take the load once again. But don’t count out Prescott’s misdirection, read-option and zone reads. I see number four getting in the end zone twice with his feet.
With Elliott powering over the front line, expect Bryant to take advantage of coverages.
Dez Bryant is back. Tony Romo is throwing again. Tyron Smith is healthier. Chaz Green is too. Orlando Scandrick is suiting up. All is well in Dallas Cowboys land.
It’s Sunday Night, primetime NBC Football.
The Cowboys win, but it won’t be easy.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 31, Philadelphia Eagles 27
Sep 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Sean Lee (50) celebrates his interception in the end zone intended for Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Steven Mullenax, Site Expert
Prediction: So, let’s get the numbers out of the way first. The Dallas Cowboys rank 17th in total offense, 25th in passing offense and 3rd in rushing offense. The Philadelphia Eagles rank 31st in total offense, 30th in passing offense and 20th in rushing offense. Offensively, there is no question Dallas is the superior team according to the rankings.
Defensively, the Cowboys rank 9th in total defense,13th in passing defense and 6th in rushing defense. The Eagles rank 2nd in total defense,3rd in passing defense and 8th in rushing defense. Defensive, Philly has the advantage.
I’d argue the Eagles strengths on defense do not favor them against this Cowboys offense. For one, Philadelphia hasn’t faced a running back like Ezekiel Elliott or his offensive line yet this season. In fact, the most successful rusher they’ve faced all year has been the Washington Redskins’ Matt jones, who posted 135 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against them in Week Six.
Want your voice heard? Join the The Landry Hat team!
Secondly, the Cowboys have been very efficient on offense with rookie quarterback Dak Prescott under center. The 23-year old has thrown just one interception in his first 182 pass attempts. And despite how much the media would love to make this a matchup between Prescott and Eagles’ rookie starting quarterback Carson Wentz, this game will likely be determined in the trenches. The Cowboys offensive line versus the Eagles front seven.
After stellar back-to-back performances against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Green Bay Packers, two of the most touted front seven defenses in the NFL; Dallas seems poised to dominate their divisional rivals on Sunday night.
I see the Cowboys winning this contest big.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 31, Philadelphia Eagles 17
Sep 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) and strong safety Walter Thurmond (26) during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Ben Grimaldi, Contributor
Prediction: Another week, another test for the Dallas Cowboys, and this one is the biggest one yet. The Philadelphia Eagles are coming to Big D and they have already stated they want to stop the run and make rookie quarterback Dak Prescott beat them. Good luck.
The Cowboys’ formula won’t change, they are going to pound it with running back Ezekiel Elliott and take their shots at the right times in the short and intermediate zones with the passing game.
Every team that matches up with the Cowboys wants to slow the run and put all the presser on Prescott, but none have been successful. Dallas hasn’t faced a defensive line group this good so far this year, so it’ll be a challenge to quiet Fletcher Cox and the Eagles up front.
However, the Eagles haven’t played against an offensive line this good on the season and they will be short at cornerback. That’s not a good look with wide receiver Dez Bryant returning, or against the unstoppable Cole Beasley out of the slot.
The Cowboys seem to have something going this season and it won’t stop with the prime-time lights of Sunday night. It will be a struggle, the Eagles have given the Cowboys issues in Dallas recently, but it’s hard to see anyone stopping their physical brand of football right now.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 27, Philadelphia Eagles 23
Nov 8, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones (31) during the second half of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Eagles won 33-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Tyler Harris, Contributor
Prediction: The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most fierce rivalries in professional sports.
This is going to be a hard-fought game. It was good that Dallas had their bye week when they did to get healthy, but it also can slow down momentum.
It feels like months ago when the team went on the road to beat the Green Bay Packers.
The Eagles are coming off an emotional win after handing the Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the year. However, they did that to a very depleted offensive team against Minnesota, and they don’t have nearly the weapons that this Cowboys team has.
I expect Dallas to impose their will as they have done to so many opponents so far this season, and beat them by grinding the Eagles defense down throughout the game.
The Cowboys defense will be rested and fresh, and should be able to get after a young quarterback.
I believe this game will be close for the first half, and Dallas will pull away in the 4th quarter and head to 6-1 on the season.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 24
Dec 14, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) makes a catch for a touchdown as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Bradley Fletcher (24) defends in the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cowboys defeated the Eagles 38-27. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dylan Larson, Contributor
Prediction: This is absolutely the biggest game up to this point in the season for the Dallas Cowboys. Beat the Eagles, and give yourself a major cushion going into the back half of the season for claiming the division title.
Lose, and you have the Eagles breathing down your neck with a shared claim for the top spot in the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles have a dominant defensive line that has accumulated 20 sacks in their first six games, good for second best in the league.
Their strength is being able to get after the quarterback and force turnovers, whether that be stripping the quarterback and recovering the fumble or by forcing errant throws that lead to easy interceptions.
However, there are vulnerabilities to their defense. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz runs a 4-3 defense that asks their defensive ends to line up in the “wide 9” technique- meaning that they line up on the outside of the furthest man on the line of scrimmage.
More from The Landry Hat
This technique bodes well for creating pass rush angles, but it also makes you vulnerable to being gashed run plays between the offensive guard and tackle unless you have monstrous linebackers that can shed blocks at the point of attack and fill their gaps consistently.
Also not helping the Eagles in run defense is the fact that defensive tackle Bennie Logan is likely to miss the game with a groin injury. Logan is a giant of a man that has surprisingly quick feet and is great at using his hands to get rid of blockers quickly which often blows up run plays.
The Eagles are a middle of the road run defense (14th in the league) and they were gashed two weeks ago by the Washington Redskins for over 200 yards on the ground. Then there is the Eagles secondary, which analytic site Pro Football Focus had ranked as 30th in the league before they lost their nickel cornerback, Ron Brooks.
The Eagles were already weak at cornerback and now they are going to ask their best defensive back- safety Malcolm Jenkins, to play the nickel corner spot and match up head to head with the shifty Cole Beasley. That means Jenkins will be fighting to stay with Beasley on crossing routes instead of being that extra defender in the box against the run.
I expect the Cowboys offense to run the football effectively and often against the Eagles, which will lead to easy down and distance situations for quarterback Dak Prescott. Shorter down and distance means quicker passes and less time for the Eagles pass rush to disrupt him. The Eagles do not have a corner that can match up against Dez Bryant, who should be in for a huge day in his first game back after recovering from a hairline fracture in his knee.
Ezekiel Elliott gets fed early and helps close out this game, breaking the 130-yard mark for the fifth consecutive game. Dak Prescott throws two touchdowns, both to Dez Bryant. The Cowboys will score a defensive or special teams touchdown. The Cowboys make a statement by winning by 14 points for the third game in a row, effectively putting the NFL on notice.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 31, Green Bay Packers 17
Dec 14, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A Dallas Cowboys helmet on the field as players huddle in prayer with the Philadelphia Eagles after a game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cowboys defeated the Eagles 38-27. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Carl Daley, Contributor
Prediction: The Dallas Cowboys are one of the healthiest teams in the league heading into Week Eight as they will need all hands on deck as they face their toughest NFC East challenge to date. The Philadelphia Eagles are coming into this game after they have lost three key players that have attributed to their early season success. Their starting slot corner Ron Brooks will be out with a
Their starting slot corner Ron Brooks will be out with a season-ending injury, right tackle Lane Johnson is currently suspended which leaves a rookie fifth-round pick to take his place. Most recently nose tackle Bennie Logan was downgraded to out after Friday’s practice which gives the Cowboys running game a huge boost.
Without Logan this Eagles defensive front will be strongly tested against Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys run game. That coupled with Demarcus Lawerence going up against a rookie offensive lineman, and an inexperienced safety trying to defend against the deep ball and double team Dez Bryant makes me believe that the Eagles will not matchup as well as they could have if they were healthier.
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has also looked more like a rookie in his last two games so this Cowboys defense could get the better of him. At the end of the day, Elliott should go over 100 yards rushing, and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will continue to shine.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 31, Philadelphia Eagles 17
Brandon Orange, Contributor
Prediction: The tape appears to have caught up to Carson Wentz, in the past two games his passer rating has dropped down to 63.5, and he’s only completing 54% of his passes.
The Cowboys have had two weeks to study Wentz and should have the answer for him, while the run game looks to build off its impressive trip to Green Bay.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 24, Philadelphia Eagles 14