Cowboys vs. Eagles: Complete Week 15 Preview for Philadelphia
The first time these two teams met in 2014, the Philadelphia Eagles trounced the Dallas Cowboys, 33-10, before a national audience on Thanksgiving Day. The Eagles dominated that game on all facets, highlighted by LeSean McCoy’s 159-yard game on the ground and a turnover-free performance from Mark Sanchez.
Now the Eagles have to prove that they can do it again, and the stakes are equally as high. Both teams are 9-4 and fighting for the NFC East title. The Eagles technically hold the division lead due to their head-to-head win, but that could all change in an instant.
Win this game over Dallas, and there’s a chance Philadelphia can even seize a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. Lose, and the Eagles’ postseason odds drop to just 51.2 percent, per Sports Club Stats. (A win would put the Eagles at over 97 percent, this all but assuring a playoff berth for the second consecutive year.)
This time, though, the Eagles get a Cowboys team that has had 10 days to rest. Implications are huge for both teams, and this should be a must-see contest. Here is everything you need to know regarding this matchup.
Eagles' Week 14 Recap
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There aren’t many positive things to take away from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 14 contest vs. Seattle. The final score looks fairly close (a 24-14 loss), but the Seahawks dominated for most of the game.
Mark Sanchez passed for just 96 yards against the Legion of Boom defense that is looking remarkably similar to the 2013 unit that shut down Peyton Manning and won the Super Bowl. LeSean McCoy was held to just 50 yards. The Eagles as a team put up just 139 offensive yards, the lowest single-game total in the Chip Kelly era.
That doesn’t bode well for Philadelphia. It has now lost to Green Bay, Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco. While it did beat Dallas the first time around, it's just 1-4 against potential NFC playoff teams.
News and Notes
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Philadelphia Eagles Sign a Safety
The Philadelphia Eagles made a roster move when they signed safety Jerome Couplin off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad.
"Eagles have signed Jerome Couplin (pronounced CUP-lin) off the Lions' practice squad to 53-man roster. He takes Roc Carmichael's spot.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherCSN) December 10, 2014"
Couplin is a former undrafted free agent out of William & Mary, and he’s been on both the Lions and Buffalo Bills thus far in 2014. Couplin is 6’2”, 215 pounds, and he will contribute mainly as a special teams player.
Don’t expect Couplin to see much action on defense, but he will play a similar role to that of new teammate Chris Prosinski.
Eagles Won’t See the Same Tony Romo
The last time the Philadelphia Eagles faced Tony Romo, they got the advantage of doing so with Romo playing on just three days’ rest.
Romo never looked comfortable in that game. He passed for just 199 yards and no touchdowns and threw two interceptions. His 53.7 passer rating is his season low. And he led the Dallas Cowboys to just 10 points.
But now he’s coming off 10 days of rest, having just beaten the Chicago Bears in a Week 14 win on Thursday night. He played one of his best games then, completing over 80 percent of his passes, throwing three touchdowns without an interception and posting a 138.0 passer rating.
According to wide receiver Terrance Williams, if Romo sees the same defense the Eagles put up last time, he's “going to kill it.” That means Philadelphia defensive coordinator Billy Davis will need to be creative with his schemes and blitzes.
One Philadelphia Eagle Is Leading His Position in Pro Bowl Voting
There are a handful of good players on the Philadelphia Eagles this season, but just one is leading his position in Pro Bowl voting.
It’s not six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, who is playing as well as ever. It’s not 5-technique defensive end Fletcher Cox, who is just terrorizing opposing quarterbacks recently. And it’s not outside linebacker Connor Barwin, who racks up sacks like most players pick up tackles.
It’s 31-year-old running back Darren Sproles who will likely make it as a punt returner. Sproles is the only NFL player to run back two kicks or punts for touchdowns, and he’s averaging a ridiculous 14.1 yards per punt return.
Injury Report
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The Philadelphia Eagles will put forth practically the same team that dominated the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago. Mark Sanchez will play quarterback, as Nick Foles continues to recover from a collarbone injury.
Other than that, there’s not a lot to report.
"#Eagles injury report is simple. QB Nick Foles is out. Everyone else fully participated.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) December 11, 2014 "
Here’s the report, per Bleeding Green Nation:
| Position | Injury |
Nick Foles | QB | Collarbone (Out) |
Josh Huff | WR | Hip (Probable) |
Cody Parkey | K | Right Groin (Probable) |
Cedric Thornton | DE | Groin (Probable) |
Chris Polk | RB | Ankle (Probable) |
Emmanuel Acho | ILB | Groin (Probable) |
Trey Burton | TE | Hamstring (Probable) |
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Key Matchups and X-Factor to Watch
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RDE Fletcher Cox vs. LG Zack Martin
Over the last five weeks, there hasn't been a better NFL player than Fletcher Cox. And that's not hyperbole; that's a literal statement.
Per Pro Football Focus, Cox grades out as the No. 1 player at any position over the last five weeks.
He gets a tough matchup in Dallas Cowboys rookie Zack Martin, a 2014 first-round pick who has played at a Pro Bowl level all season. Martin has helped pave the way for rushing leader DeMarco Murray, and he’s more than held his own as a pass-blocker. Per PFF, Martin hasn’t allowed a sack yet, and he’s been beaten for just six quarterback pressures.
Last time, the Philadelphia Eagles completely overwhelmed the Cowboys offensive line. Doing so again would start with Cox.
CB Cary Williams vs. WR Dez Bryant
Cary Williams is a better cornerback than you think. He was instrumental in the Philadelphia Eagles' win over Dallas last time, and he helped hold Dez Bryant to just four catches for 73 yards.
Over the last four weeks, Pro Football Focus rates Williams as the 13th-best cornerback out of 102 qualifiers. He’s been targeted 17 times, hasn’t allowed a touchdown and surrendered just a 47.7 passer rating.
Williams will once again be tasked with the responsibility of covering Bryant. If he can keep Bryant in check, it bodes very well for the Eagles. After all, Terrance Williams hasn’t been targeted nearly as much recently, putting more pressure on Bryant.
ILB Mychal Kendricks vs. RB DeMarco Murray
In the Week 13 contest, the Philadelphia Eagles held DeMarco Murray to just 73 rushing yards on 20 carries, although he did score on a one-yard run.
That’s Murray’s lowest rushing output of the season. When Murray has been held to under 100 yards, the Dallas Cowboys are 0-2. When he rushes for 100 or more, the Cowboys are 9-2.
Mychal Kendricks is Philadelphia’s most athletic linebacker. He has 4.47-second 40-yard-dash speed and can cover tight ends and play the run. He can even rush the passer. Kendricks had seven tackles and four stops in the running game but did miss three tackles (per PFF). That can’t happen again, considering the importance of Kendricks to this defense.
X-Factor: Josh Huff
One of these days, Josh Huff has to make a play. He does have a 107-yard kick return touchdown, but he has made a minimal impact other than that.
Huff has just six catches in nine games, and he’s dropped three passes. He’s lost a fumble. And two passes thrown to him have been intercepted. That’s not very encouraging for Philadelphia Eagles fans.
But Huff has shown flashes. He’s averaging over 38 yards per kick return. And the Eagles like him enough that they took him in the third round. Given Riley Cooper’s struggles in the passing game, Huff may see increased playing time. Look for him to take advantage of nickel cornerback Sterling Moore and catch a couple of passes and 50-60 yards.
Prediction
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The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t losing this game. Chip Kelly is too good of a coach to lose a home prime-time matchup against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, given the playoff implications at stake.
The Eagles match up very well with the Cowboys. Philly has a top offensive line and an All-Pro running back in LeSean McCoy who is capable of taking over a contest. And that Eagles front seven made life extremely difficult for Tony Romo last time.
It will likely be a high-scoring contest, but Philadelphia should win and will all but clinch a playoff spot.
Prediction: Eagles 33, Cowboys 23
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