Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Full Dallas Game Preview
The Cowboys opened the 2015 season at home against divisional rival New York Giants and were able to steal a win out of the jaws of defeat.
After a series full of penalties and clock-operations oddities, the Giants settled for a 19-yard field goal with 1:34 left in the fourth quarter. When the Cowboys got the ball following the ensuing kickoff, Tony Romo orchestrated a masterful drive down the field, completing 5 of 6 passes for 72 yards in only 1:27.
Jason Witten’s 11-yard touchdown catch with seven seconds left on the clock cemented the victory in a game in which Cowboys gifted the Giants three turnovers and lost three key contributors to injury.
The Cowboys now prepare for another divisional matchup, this time against the hated Philadelphia Eagles, who are coming off of a 26-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
For everything you need to know leading up to the game, keep reading.
News and Notes
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Dez Bryant’s Injured Foot
As the Cowboys celebrated their opening-night win, there was a cloud hanging overhead. Their most explosive playmaker and arguably best player, Dez Bryant, had sustained a foot injury and missed most of the second half.
While Bryant was extremely enthusiastic following the victory, shared by Pat Doney of NBC, he acknowledged he would need surgery to repair a fractured bone in his foot. The team stated he would be out for four to six weeks.
In the days following the game, widely varying reports as to the severity of the injury and the length of the recovery surfaced. Former NFL wide receivers who suffered similar injuries, ex-players turned doctors and even current NFL players have expressed their opinions on the return timetable.
The truth is, no one at this point can give an exact timeline, but the team has been consistent in their four-to-six-weeks projection. For the most intelligent insight into the injury, and possibilities for recovery, Mike Fisher and medical expert Jeff Stotts teamed up to analyze the situation on Cowboys HQ.
Facing DeMarco Murray
If not for the injury to Dez Bryant, there is no question the biggest storyline around the Cowboys would concern facing former running back DeMarco Murray.
As the various Cowboys players go through their weekly media availability, each and every one has faced a question about what it will be like to play against a man who was so valuable to their playoff push in 2014.
Their answers have largely reflected that of their head coach, Jason Garrett, relayed by the team's official site, with some expression of respect for the person Murray is followed by an acknowledgement of his contributions to the team in 2014 and a qualifying statement that this game is no different than any other.
Garrett has taken his mantra of focusing on a nameless, faceless opponent to another level ahead of the Eagles game, placing a mannequin dressed in full pads, with no face and no nameplate on the back of the jersey, in the hallways of Valley Ranch, reported by the Dallas Morning News.
Shuffling the Offensive Line
Since Jermey Parnell departed Dallas for Jacksonville (and the $32 million they offered) in free agency, there have been questions about the Cowboys' third offensive tackle.
The Cowboys spent a third-round pick on Chaz Green, an offensive lineman from the University of Florida, with hopes he could become that player, but injuries mean he will miss at least the first six games of the season. They signed tackle La’el Collins from LSU after a unique set of circumstances prevented him from being drafted in the first round as his talent suggested he would be. He has since been moved to guard.
With their plans to add talent to the mix having missed the mark, they looked to Darrion Weems to fill the spot, and throughout training camp, he was the guy, getting reps at both right and left tackle through the preseason. However, the day after they cut down to their 53-man roster, the Cowboys claimed tackle Jordan Mills from Chicago to add to the depth of the group.
In Week 1 against the Giants, Weems was the player who was active as the third tackle, and the next day, Mills was waived. This could have been taken as a sign of confidence in Weems’ ability to fill the position. At least until the next day, when Weems was released to make room on the roster for a new signee, Charles Brown, who will fill the reserve tackle job.
Latest Injury News
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| Player | Position | Injury | Wed. Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dez Bryant | WR | Foot | Did Not Practice |
| Randy Gregory | TE | Ankle | Did Not Practice |
| Ronald Leary | LB | Groin | Did Not Practice |
| Tony Romo | QB | Back | Did Not Practice |
The good news on the injury report from Wednesday’s practice is there are only four Cowboys listed, and one of those is Tony Romo taking his regular Romo Wednesday. The bad news is the other three players are very important players to this team and are all but sure to miss the game on Sunday.
All injury information courtesy of the team's official website.
X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Cowboys Linebackers vs. Eagles Running Backs
Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is known for his prowess as an offensive play-caller and designer. His system thrives on putting opposing defenders in a bind through misdirection and multiple options on each play. No position is confronted with these conflicts more than the linebackers.
Sean Lee and Anthony Hitchens played very well against the Giants, but the group of DeMarco Murray, Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles presents a different set of challenges. If Lee and Hitchens are able to play physically with Murray and Matthews and tackle well when Sproles gets into space, it will go a long way in slowing the Eagles down.
Tyrone Crawford vs. Eagles Guards
The Eagles made the interesting decision in the offseason to move on from both of their starting offensive guards, one of whom os a perennial Pro Bowler and All-Pro. One reason this was an interesting decision was the importance of the guard position to the success of their offensive system, particularly as they transition away from LeSean McCoy’s elusive running style and into the more downhill styles of Ryan Mathews and DeMarco Murray.
All the way back in 2014, leading up to the Week 14 matchup between Dallas and Philadelphia, the importance of getting production from the 3-technique defensive tackle position to stop the Eagles was stressed. This is the position manned by the Cowboys' new $45 million man, Tyrone Crawford.
Cowboys X-Factor of the Week: Devin Street
This one might even be a little too obvious. With the injury to Dez Bryant, the next outside wide receiver who will be inserted into the lineup is likely to be Devin Street. If Street is able to take advantage of the one-on-one coverage he is sure to face and establish himself as a legitimate threat, it will go a long way toward making Tony Romo’s life easier in Bryant’s absence.
Other guys such as Lance Dunbar, Gavin Escobar and Cole Beasley are likely to see their roles increase without Bryant in the lineup, but if Street steps up, particularly as a downfield option, he would help open up the rest of the offense.
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Prediction
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The Cowboys defense played very well against the Giants, allowing only three field goals on drives that started outside of their own 1-yard line. The secondary effectively shut down Odell Beckham Jr., and the team gave up under 300 total yards. If the Cowboys are going to get a win in Philadelphia, they will need that group to continue to play well.
Pressure on quarterback Sam Bradford will be very important, and the absence of Randy Gregory will make that a tougher proposition, but the Cowboys can win the inside matchups and collapse the pocket on the immobile Bradford. The inside pressure from Crawford and others will make Bradford uncomfortable and force him into a bad throw or two, and Morris Claiborne will follow up his stellar Week 1 performance with a big play in Week 2.
Lance Dunbar will have another big game, as will Cole Beasley and Gavin Escobar, as Tony Romo will once again prove his status as one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL by succeeding without his premier playmaker.
Prediction: Cowboys 24, Eagles 20
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