Which offense—that of Dallas or Philadelphia—do you think is superior?
With the NFC East battle heating up, this is one of the most significant games for both teams on the schedule and might determine the division. The stakes are extremely high when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Which club has the superior offensive across all position groups in a head-to-head match?
QUARTERBACK
Dak Prescott
vs.
Jalen Hurts
For both players this week, this is when it becomes tough. Not only does the victor of this conflict win, but they also become the primary topic of conversation afterward. Both Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott passed for four touchdowns and more than 300 yards last week. A major plus from last week’s game was Dak’s self-assured movement across the field while he targeted several receivers. His analysis of the L.A. Rams defense paved the path for the team’s triumph.
Dak plays a division foe this week on their home field, which is a difficult venue to win games. However, the Philadelphia Eagles defense, which allows 247 passing yards per game—the seventh-highest in the NFL—works in his advantage. With just four interceptions this season, the Eagles defense currently holds the second-lowest number in the NFL. One of the elements that contributed to the New York Jets’ victory over the Eagles more than three weeks ago is being replicated by Dak, who is obtaining first downs with his legs.
One of the NFL’s most merciless defenses, ranking close to the top in total pressure, will test Jalen Hurts. This week will be extremely difficult for Hurts because of the turnovers the Cowboys defense produces and their capacity to score on defense. Hurts is sixth in passing touchdowns and overall passing yards, so eventually one of them is going to break. Even though Cowboys supporters like watching Dak dash for first downs, Hurts is superior. Hurts leads the position in rush yards and leads quarterbacks with six touchdowns on the ground. This defense needs to address his dual-threat capability right now.
In conclusion, Hurts outperforms Dak in several statistical categories. However, he also leads in a few unfavorable statistics. He now leads the league with eight interceptions, while his nineteen sacks rank ninth in the league. In addition, he has thrown the ball out of bounds 15 more times than Dak this season and has doubled the amount of plays that should have resulted in a turnover. Hurts coughed up the ball last week against the Commanders, giving it away on another contentious “tush-push” play down near the goal line. But Dak triumphs in two intriguing areas. Dak has the second-highest completion rate (71%), among all passers in the league. In terms of passer rating, he comes in at number eight with a score of 97.8. Hurts currently has a 94.3 rating.
Win: Eagles
RUNNING BACK
Tony Pollard/Rico Dowdle
vs.
D’Andre Swift/Kenneth Gainwell
Pollard ran for an average of 4.4 yards per carry against the Rams. The Cowboys lead back put up a respectable performance, but it’s evident that he’s having difficulty playing consistently and holding onto the lead, particularly on inside runs. Rico Dowdle gained five yards on five carries, with his biggest run of seven yards. The Eagles defense is adept at stopping the run, which presents a challenge for the Cowboys running back group. In fact, they rank first in the NFL with only 65 rush yards allowed per game. They are third in the league with just three running touchdowns allowed this season. It’s amazing that the Eagles defense has only given up 30 first downs on the ground after eight games.
Regarding the Eagles, D’Andre Swift, their recently acquired running back, is having a successful season. His 29 first downs on the ground rank seventh in the league, while his 571 run yards rank fourth. Swift has only scored three touchdowns on the ground, which is just one more than Pollard. The combination of Hurts and Swift is the most worrying element of the Eagles ground game. Hurts is the only player with fewer rushing first downs than Christian McCaffrey, and the Eagles have more total rushing yards with their quarterback and running back combined than any other team.
In conclusion, the fact that the Cowboys run defense has only given up an average of 85 rush yards per game over the last three games is noteworthy. That means going up against players like Austin Ekeler, Mccaffrey, and the less dangerous Royce Freeman. The Cowboys have given up the seventh fewest rush yards in the past three games. By contrast, in the last three games, the Eagles have lost two of them due to outrushing.
Win: Eagles
WIDE RECEIVERS
CeeDee Lamb/Brandin Cooks/Michael Gallup
vs.
A.J. Brown/DeVonta Smith/Olamide Zaccheaus
The true contest at this position is between the clubs’ wide receivers. Lamb had a career-high performance last week, hauling in 12 receptions from 14 targets. In the last two weeks, he has only missed two passes. Against the Rams, he also gained 158 yards and two scores. Lamb finished with 122 receiving yards, 12 rush yards, and two touchdowns by halftime. Lamb has now had three straight games with 100 yards, and he was a major asset in the red zone as he effortlessly outran the Rams secondary. The Cowboys offense did a nice job of moving the ball around and pushing targets to the other pass catchers on the squad. Three receptions by Brandin Cooks resulted in 49 yards and a touchdown. Additionally crucial to maintaining momentum were two catches made by Michael Gallup. Spreading the ball over the field is a terrific strategy to succeed, if there’s anything to be learned from watching the Eagles play last week.
As the Cowboys relish their latest triumph with their top receiver, A.J. Brown, he’s having a terrific season. His five receiving touchdowns are fourth most in the league, and he leads the league in both receiving yards and receiving first downs. Hurts and Brown are obviously on the same page since Brown had a fantastic day last week, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns. DeVonta Smith, the Heisman-winning receiver, is behind Brown. With 482 receiving yards, he ranks second on the team. This season, he has scored three touchdowns. Due to a hamstring injury, Olamide Zaccheaus had to step in as the team’s third receiver when Quez Watkins was placed on injured reserve.
In conclusion, Lamb is still a lock to start in Week 8 against the Eagles, who have given up the third-most receiving touchdowns in the league with 16. The Washington Commanders were given 4 receiving touchdowns and 397 receiving yards last week by the Eagles. The Cowboys defense, which allows the fourth-fewest receiving yards and the third-lowest completion percentage (59%), will test the Eagles receiver corps.
Win: Eagles
TIGHT END
Jake Ferguson
vs.
Dallas Goedert
It was a great play by Ferguson to score the first touchdown in the red zone last week. Dak placed the ball perfectly, but Ferguson had to make an equally remarkable reach and grab. The tight end position was the recipient of seven receptions, 61 yards, and a touchdown last week from the Eagles defense. Ferguson might be able to stockpile wins this week.
Dallas Goedert has managed to gain 360 yards this season, which puts him third on the club in receiving yards. This season, he has also had one game with over 100 yards of receiving.
In conclusion, Goedert is significantly more seasoned at the tight end position in terms of blocking and receiving. However, Ferguson is gradually becoming more prominent and contributing more to the Cowboys offense with every game.
Win: Eagles
OFFENSIVE LINE
When the Cowboys offensive line gave up three sacks on three passing plays during the first drive of the game last week, it greatly alarmed everyone. We wouldn’t be discussing what transpired on the Cowboys’ opening drive if the Rams defense had not been called for improper contact. However, the Cowboys offensive line became extremely comfortable after the first drive and began to stem the flow of Rams pass rushers.
While it was annoying at the time, the choice to keep Tyron Smith off the field today seems wise. It should come as no surprise that guys like Tyler Biadasz and Zack Martin struggled because most of the pressure from the previous week’s game was applied inside. However, the edge will be the main source of pressure this week. The quarterback has been consistently found by Josh Sweat and Hasson Reddick, and the Eagles defense is eighth in the NFL in terms of total sacks. Additionally, this will be the team’s first encounter with Jalen Carter, who has recently been rediscovering himself. Due to a minor ankle strain, Chuma Edoga had to leave the game early last week and will be sidelined.
Run blocking is a far stronger suit for the Eagles offensive line than pass blocking. They are arguably the best run-blocking squad in the NFL. However, because of Hurts’ style of play and pass blocking, the squad has given up 19 sacks and 87 pressures. The Eagles’ offensive line has given up a lot more pressure than Dallas, even though their defense has accounted for more pressure than Dallas. Which offensive line holds up the best will determine the outcome of this game for both clubs. This particular position struggle is the most crucial one in the game this week.
Win: Eagles