5 Bold Predictions for Dallas Cowboys' Week 15 Matchup

The Dallas Cowboys face their most important test of the season this week when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

With a win, Dallas would jump Philly for first place in the NFC East and be in great position for the playoffs with two games remaining. However, a loss all but eliminates the Cowboys from a division title and would be a major step back in the wild-card race.

Let’s examine a few bold predictions for this crucial Week 15 matchup.

Eagles Will Have Fewer Than 300 Yards

John F. Rhodes/Associated Press

The first time these teams met on Thanksgiving, the game wasn’t close. Philadelphia ran away with a commanding 33-10 victory to take control of the division.

One of the biggest reasons for that lopsided outcome was Dallas’ ineffectiveness on defense. Philly gained 464 yards that day, with 256 of them coming on the ground. LeSean McCoy and pretty much everyone else on offense had a huge day.

For Dallas to have a chance to win, the defense has to play better. The nine days of rest will be huge for the whole team. If DeMarco Murray and the offense can pace the game, and the Eagles are forced to pass more often, the defense should be much improved from its previous performance. Players like Tyrone Crawford and Rolando McClain will have to be important, but the Cowboys defense is capable of knocking Philly out of its comfort zone and limiting its yards.

Romo Throws for 3 Touchdowns

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Tony Romo easily had his worst game of 2014 against the Eagles. He looked extremely uncomfortable and played that way all game. He threw for only 199 yards with two interceptions.

The most reasonable excuse for the quarterback was that he was thrown out of rhythm from his normal week-to-week preparations. After playing the Sunday night game the week before, Dallas had a limited amount of time to rest for the Eagles.

This week, there are no such excuses. Romo has had more than enough time to rest his ailing back for what is the biggest game of the year. Even though the offense will rely heavily on Murray, Romo is the most important player for Dallas. He has a big day and gets his revenge with three touchdown passes.

Murray Averages 5 Yards

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

There’s no trickery when it comes to the Cowboys offense and what it plans to do. Murray is going to get the ball plenty of times, and everyone knows it. But does that make it any easier to stop him?

The Eagles did a tremendous job the first time around, holding Murray to 73 yards on 20 carries. That was only the second time this season the running back was held to fewer than 100 yards rushing.

Murray is averaging exactly five yards per carry this season. Even though Philadelphia will be ready for him, the NFL’s leading rusher has been tearing up defensive schemes all year. If Romo is more efficient passing, Murray should have a field day. The Eagles defense ranks 24th in the league in yards per game. Don’t expect the same results from Week 13.

Dallas Gets 3 Sacks

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

One of the biggest defensive issues this Dallas team has is getting to the quarterback. The 19 sacks produced by the Cowboys is bad enough to rank 28th.

The first time these teams met, Dallas was only able to sack Mark Sanchez once. This goes to show how few times the defensive front was able to generate pressure.

Henry Melton leads the team with five sacks. He, along with the rest of the defensive line, needs to make rushing the passer a top priority. Watch for defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli to draw up a few exotic blitzes in order to facilitate some much needed pressure in the backfield.

Cowboys Win Easily

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Even though most divisional games in the NFL are highly contested, this week will be different in the NFC East. Many people believe the Eagles are the superior team after their first victory, but Dallas will have its chance to prove otherwise.

The Cowboys are 6-0 on the road this season, and that trend will continue. It almost seems as if the team plays more relaxed on the road, where expectations aren’t as high.

This game probably won’t be a blowout of any sort, but Dallas does have the talent to win the game fairly easily. Sanchez isn’t built to bring teams back from behind. So if the Cowboys can maintain a lead, look for them to run away with it in the fourth quarter. Dallas wins 31-17.