Cowboys vs. Eagles: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

For the second time in 17 days, the Cowboys and Eagles battle for first place in the NFC East. Only this time, it's very likely for good.

With both teams boasting 9-4 records entering Week 15, the Dallas Cowboys head to Philadelphia intent on gaining revenge for the 33-10 defeat the Eagles laid on them Thanksgiving Day. 

The Eagles could have begun running away with the division by now, but fell 24-14 to Seattle at home Sunday. Dallas had things a bit easier, throttling the Bears in Chicago Thursday and getting 10 days off before the key battle.

Like so many recent years, the NFC East could be coming down to a single late-season matchup. If either team wants to avoid the train wreck that is the NFC wild card, they'd better come out on top.

When: Sunday, December 14 at 8:25 p.m. ET

Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Watch: NBC

Betting Info (via Odds Shark): Eagles -3, O/U 55

Don't Trash the Game Tape

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Thanksgiving couldn't end soon enough for the Cowboys.

The Eagles sorely beat them 33-10 in the biggest Turkey Day game Dallas had hosted in years, with the division lead down the stretch on the line. After jumping out to a 14-0 lead, Philadelphia ended up leading by 20 with Tony Romo struggling to a no-touchdown, two-interception performance.

Not much time has passed since that game took place, and with a short turnaround the question becomes whether Dallas will make the adjustments necessary to avoid a similar fate. But Cowboys great Troy Aikman explained why that should matter little, per The Dallas Morning News:

"

I don't think the game will resemble anything that took place on Thanksgiving. I expect the game to be close. I expect it to be a typical Philadelphia-Cowboys game that's physical and comes down to the wire. And Dallas has had success on the road, at Philly. I expect the extra days of rest to help. When you look at what's happening now around the rest of the league, it does appear that for Dallas to get in, they're gonna have to get in by winning the division.

"

The familiarity of these two teams should loom large during the rematch, knowing each other well from their many NFC East battles with similar implications in recent years. But that doesn't mean Dallas can simply trash the game tape and expect a different result.

When it comes down to it, the offense will need a serious upheaval after DeMarco Murray struggled to a below four yards-per-carry average and Romo was sacked four times. If nothing changes in that regard, the Cowboys defense will have no match for LeSean McCoy and things could get out of hand again.

Stifling Sanchez

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Whether Eagles' backup-turned-starter Mark Sanchez plays efficiently enough to win depends largely upon the pressure administered to him in the Eagles backfield.

Sanchez is a solid 4-2 in games he's appeared in this season, but there's a noticeable trend in those two losses to Green Bay and Seattle. In both games, Sanchez was sacked three times—more than in any of his wins.

Take a look at his team's recent success alongside how often he was sacked in each game:

Opponent (Result)	Sacked
at Texans (W)	2 Times
vs. Panthers (W)	1 Time
at Packers (L)	3 Times
vs. Titans (W)	2 Times
at Cowboys (W)	1 Time
vs. Seahawks (L)	3 Times

The Eagles' dependence on Sanchez staying protected was never on better display than these two teams' first meeting. Sanchez was sacked just once early in the game, and Philly won comfortably. 

Getting some pressure on Sanchez early and often will be crucial to the Cowboys' success Sunday. Flustering the quarterback will put the running game one step back, and it could re-surface his affinity for making mistakes under pressure.

Pass-rushers Anthony Spencer, Henry Melton and Jeremy Mincey will have a huge responsibility to not only help stuff the run but get after Sanchez when he drops back to pass. Philadelphia's offense hinges upon quick, chunk-yardage gains and putting some heat on Sanchez will stifle some of that.

Team Injury Reports

Player	Position	Injury	Status	Date
Tony Romo	QB	Back	Probable	12/11

Player	Position	Injury	Status	Date
Cody Parkey	K	Groin	Probable	12/11
Chris Polk	RB	Ankle	Probable	12/11
Josh Huff	WR	Hip	Questionable	12/8

Note: Injury reports available at ESPN.com

Prediction

The Cowboys will play like their season is on the line in this rematch contest, because, well, it could be. But it's hard to envision Philadelphia's offense not getting back to what works at home after last week's struggles.

Dallas will be intent on pressuring Sanchez, but McCoy and Darren Sproles have a speed element that the Cowboys defense cannot match in the middle of the field. McCoy will have another field day, and the Eagles' defensive front will show up again to beat on the Dallas offensive line.

Jason Garrett's squad will fall into the wild-card hunt as Philadelphia takes a stranglehold of the division.

Prediction: Eagles 31, Cowboys 24