Philadelphia Eagles: 5 Keys to Beating the Cowboys

Michael Vick, Andy Reid, and the Philadelphia Eagles start a three-game homestand which theoretically can give them a shot at turning around their season. And they have had a bye week to prepare for this stretch of important games.

The first of these three games is against the Dallas Cowboys. Three Eagles' linemen should be returning to action just in time: King Dunlap and Jason Peters on offense and Trent Cole on defense. Since winning the battle in the trenches has always been difficult for the Eagles against the Cowboys, this is welcomed news.

Let's take a look at five keys to this week's game.

Keep Ware Away from Vick

Demarcus Ware is second in the league with eight sacks. As the Eagles well know, he can be a very disruptive force to the offense.

Whether it is with help from a tight end, or help from the fullback, the Eagles linemen consistently need to keep Ware away from Vick. Failure to do this could make for a long night for the Eagles.

Run the Football

The Eagles need to commit to the run early in the game to slow down the Cowboy's pass rush and maintain ball control.

The nine carries LeSean McCoy had against the San Francisco 49ers won't get the job done.

In order for the Eagles to have a realistic chance at winning the game, McCoy needs to have at least 20 carries that total 80 or more yards.

Stop Jason Witten

The Eagles continue to have troubles covering the tight end, and Jason Witten is one of the better tight ends in the league.

Now add in the very talented set of wide receivers that the Cowboys have, and coverage of Witten becomes a critical issue.

The Eagles need to hold Witten to four or fewer passes and no touchdowns.

Henery Must Bring His "A" Game

This should be a tight game and might be decided by a late field goal.

Eagles' rookie placekicker, Alex Henery, must bring his "A" game. He made almost 90 percent of his field goal attempts in college, and just under 80 percent with the Eagles. But, those two misses against the 49ers contributed to the loss.

Give Tony Romo the Ball Late in the Game

One strategy to beating the Cowboys is to put the ball in Tony Romo's hand late in the game. Whether it is a botched snap, a strip sack, or an interception, you've got a good chance that Romo will do something late in the game to help the other team.

With the recent announcement that Romo and his wife are expecting their first child, there is speculation that he will not be allowed in the delivery room. The doctor is afraid he will drop the baby.