Intriguing Game, NFL Week Three
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Eagles: Football is a game of capitalization and taking advantage of the opportunities that sit right in front of you. This is exactly why they fell short in that game on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Every time I saw the Eagles push the ball down the field or it appeared, they would be getting into a rhythm, they would get shut down and it would turn into a failed opportunity. They were greeted by a much stronger defense this time around when San Fran came to town. I see this being the Eagles issue all year. That’s consistency. They had it rolling it appeared in week one because they were able to consistently push the ball down the field whether it was Jalen Hurts throwing the ball or running it himself or Miles Sanders getting his carries. I like what I’m seeing from their defense so far. They’ve been physically active up front, applying pressure on the quarterback, but the secondary could be better. They just have some screws to tighten. On Monday, they will get their first taste of divisional football when they face their old rivals in Arlington.
Cowboys: To open the season, they’ve played two thrilling games. They were close to shocking the world and upsetting the defending champion Buccaneers in the opener. But they left too much time on the clock for Tom Brady. Against the Chargers, I really liked what I saw from them. For the last few years, I’ve been vocal on this site and on the radio about the Dallas Cowboys offensive philosophy. Too often, I’ve seen them win games trying to let Dak Prescott win the football game. I get it. It’s a pass happy league, but you’re not going to win games with Dak throwing the football between 45 and 50 times per game because that’s not his style of play and quite frankly, the Cowboys won’t win football games like that. Now, when they play how they did on Sunday in Los Angeles, they are a tough out. Dak only threw the football a total of 27 times which is perfect for me. He didn’t have to do much because the running game was there for him to lean on which always helps. This is their identity. A dominating offensive line with a consistent ground attack. They finally get the chance to play at home on Monday night with the Eagles coming to town.
Eagles X-Factor: Miles Sanders– I was just saying when he’s used more, he brings more pop to their offense. The Eagles are averaging 162 yards rushing so far per game. When I saw the stat line, I noticed that Jalen Hurts was leading the team in rushing. Miles is a more physical version of Le’Veon Bell because he displays the patience as Le’Veon does, but instead of cutting on a dime, he can drag would be tacklers with him in the open field. Your quarterback shouldn’t be leading your team in rushing. Feed Miles the ball. Take pressure off Jalen.
Cowboys X-Factor: CeeDee Lamb– I can’t wait to see him become a star in a few years. He has that potential. I liked his game at Oklahoma, and I’m impressed with what I’m seeing from him in the NFL so far. He wants the ball. Whether it’s down the field or over the middle, he feels he can make every catch each time the ball is headed in his direction. With the number 88 in the Cowboys franchise, you better be able to play big. HE’s developing great chemistry with Dak.
Final Thoughts: This is one of the best rivalries in all of football. The week is just different when these two meet up. There’s trash talking amongst the fans and some back and forth even between the players before the game. How the Cowboys played last week: Can that carry over into the next game? Stick with your identity which is running the ball because that will further open the passing game for the quarterback. The Dallas defense is also coming together nicely even without DeMarcus Lawrence. The Eagles must capitalize on the opportunities in front of them when they present itself. The offense must be more consistent for the Eagles and let the defense handle the rest. I’m expecting a close game between these two.
Prediction: Cowboys 31 Eagles 21
