#1 running defense vs. #1 rushing offense

[SaltwaterServr]

Next Sunday night should be a heckuva match up between our #1 rushing defense and Philly's #1 rushing offense. We've held each of our opponents to significantly less yards than their average over the season, and I see no reason why we can't do the same this week, Dog Killa under center notwithstanding.

Jets - Average 92.4 per game. We held them to 45.

San Fran: 131.5 per. Against us, 74 yards.

Washington: 106.8 per. Only 65 against our defense.

Detroit: 92.7. Allowed 63.

New England: 124, we allowed 101. Not a huge margin, but needs to be taken in context of how we shut down that offense overall.

St. Louis. 93 yards. 70 against us.

I'm pretty confident that Philly is going to give us their A game with Reid having an extra week to prepare. I also agree with Dez, when we're playing to our potential we're unbeatable.

Something about a divisional game on the road at night seems to galvanize this team. Maybe it's having all day to ruminate on the affair before we take the field. Maybe it's knowing the chips are stacked against you and it's the quintessential "our backs are against the wall" scenario that brings out the best in us.

I don't see us winning by a huge margin. I think it's dependent to a degree on Philly's injuries. If Trent Cole can't go, that's a big plus for us. Same with Jason Peters.

The biggest keys to the game, other than keeping Vick from having open running room when a play breaks down, is Philly's run defense versus our rushing offense and our TE's. Philly's issues at linebacker are well known. Their inability to stop the run is also.

They've had an extra week to work on that, but have they really? The CBA mandates of having the extra days off during a bye week have seriously cut into a team's time to make corrections in what used to amount to a two week remodeling job if needed. Not anymore, and not with the limitations on padded practices.

It's going to be the usual NFC East dogfight, no pun intended. Dallas comes out on top of this and puts a serious kibosh on Philly's playoff hopes for the 2011-2012 season.

 

[28 Joker]

The Cowboys have won 3 of the last 4 at Philadelphia.

Andy Reid is 12-0 after the bye.

I agree. I hope Reid gets pass happy. He seems to want to run more against Dallas and is running more this year. This game will be all about running the football and stopping the run and turnovers. That is where this game will be won. Both sides have big weapons in the passing game, and points come out of your passing game, but the team that runs the football and stops the run and protects the football will win the game.

This is a monster game, and this is the game that could really launch Dallas' season and end the Eagles' season.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Excellent observations. I don't know why but we tend to play well in Philly and NY but struggle with them at home. I don't think the Linc is an intimidating home field like the Vet was.

Great point also about the preparation. Not in a million years did Andy have to consider game planning against a running game even close to what we had today. You can bet they watched us today and started scrambling.

It will be the ultimate chess match. Dez and Nnamdi, Jackson and Scandrick, D line and McCoy. Mentally, I think we've got them right where we want them. Everything turns on this game.

 

[The Emperor]

The Cowboys have won 3 of the last 4 at Philadelphia.

Andy Reid is 12-0 after the bye.

I agree. I hope Reid gets pass happy. He seems to want to run more against Dallas and is running more this year. This game will be all about running the football and stopping the run and turnovers. That is where this game will be won. Both sides have big weapons in the passing game, and points come out of your passing game, but the team that runs the football and stops the run and protects the football will win the game.

This is a monster game, and this is the game that could really launch Dallas' season and end the Eagles' season.

He was 7-0 in the first round of the playoffs until a Wade Phillips-led ball club put a stop to that. There's a first for everything.

 

[Hoofbite]

Philly's running game is helped largely by Vick.

Keep Vick in the pocket and they're toast.

His passing has regressed so much this season.

 

[CCBoy]

Good work on the Cowboys' defense, Salty.

I think Dallas is up to the task to keep Philadelphia's point totals manageable. There probably won't be a shutout tossed this game. They have Maclin, Jackson, and Vick that can gain yardage as quickly as DeMarco Murray did today. But I think this Cowboys defense is up to it. I think that the Dallas secondary is actually playing at a high level. Both Scandrick and Jenkins are living up to the hype of draft position and new contract. They are playing good in coverage, actually.

Your shown stats show that this box area isn't an easy one to beat. And there were quite a few different types of runners and schemes that were all thrown at these Cowboys. I think, with team speed and the strength of the linebackers now, that Vick and McCoy can be contained.

As to Vince Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, I think that Newman, Scandrick, and Jenkins all can run with them. Put a now dependable pair of Elam and Sensabaugh over-the-top, and this defense should be able to limit them as well.

I think that Hudson Houck has finally shown that given enough time to develop and train his linemen, that he can figure out boxes and exploit them against most defenses. With a linebacker group that has it's own problems, and the showing this game, I'm feeling good about the Dallas offense will challenge the Eagle defense.

I think, that game three of Mile Austin's return, he will be hitting stride. With the complete game shown by Dez Bryant, and the addition that Laurent Robinson has been adding, I'm thinking that even Philadelphia's secondary will have it's hands full.

Although Philadelphia is a tough stadium to play it, things are looking good to this fan. But since Andy Reid chose Castillo to switch from offense to defense, things haven't been clicking on defense for the Eagles. They did play Washington tight, although. There, the Grossman/Feeley thing might have written the storyline.

 

[Cowboys606]

Eagles are giving up 123 rushing yards on the ground,maybe Murray will have another field day

 

[Beast_from_East]

The team that loses this game will not make the playoffs.

That is how big this game is.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

The team that loses this game will not make the playoffs.

That is how big this game is.

That logic makes no sense. If the Eagles win, they will have the same record as the Cowboys and are still in contention to make the playoffs but not Dallas?

Winning the division should be the goal. They are only 1-2 games back. Both teams have beaten Washington. Cowboys have yet to play the Giants. NY has yet to play the Jets/Patriots/GB/NO/SF. The division is still wide open.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

That logic makes no sense. If the Eagles win, they will have the same record as the Cowboys and are still in contention to make the playoffs but not Dallas?

Winning the division should be the goal. They are only 1-2 games back. Both teams have beaten Washington. Cowboys have yet to play the Giants. NY has yet to play the Jets/Patriots/GB/NO/SF. The division is still wide open.

Washington gets Buffalo and San Fran over the next two weeks. I'd be surprised if they win either of those. 3-5.

NY has Miami next week followed by NE. 5-3.

Dallas has Philly and Seattle. 5-3.

Philly has Dallas and Chicago. 3-5.

Bad case scenario, Philly wins both over the next two weeks to make it to 4-4 and Dallas beats Seattle, 4-4. Both teams would be a half game out of first in the East.

Once Dallas beats Philly though, that drops them to 2-5 and 1-2 in the division. Realistically you've got to plan for a 10-6 record to take the East considering how easy our schedule looks minus the Buffalo game.

Philly loses and they're definitely on the outside looking in on the playoff hunt and would need help while not even being at the midpoint of the season. They could afford 1 loss in the last 9 games.

We are poised to put the first nail in the coffin of their 2011 season.

Mr. Starbuck, hand me yon top-maul.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

He was 7-0 in the first round of the playoffs until a Wade Phillips-led ball club put a stop to that. There's a first for everything.

Lovely.

 

[sbark]

As far as Vick......with Sean Lee in the Spy role, alot more speed and instincts should present a problem for Vick to go wild hopefully.

Make him beat us with his arm vrs. Ware......or make him hand it off.

 

[DallasEast]

There is a welcomed freshness about this thread. It is not weighed down by old bitterness. Did we win yesterday?

This was another early season matchup that I was highly anticipating before the season began. The only other game that I wanted to see more was Rob Ryan vs. Rex Ryan.

Ryan vs. Andy Reid should be a good one too. I can foresee both men pulling out all the stops for this one. Can't wait to see which "mastermind" overshadows the other this Sunday.

 

[shockandroll]

I agree Salty, with Hatcher coming back and Carter maybe seeing a few plays, I think our D will be even better. I think it's the best the iggles have faced all year and I don't see their offense being able to get it going against us.

With our 4 corners all playing well now and the speed of our total D, philly does not have match up advantages, imo. Romo, Witten and Austin have beaten these corners before too and we all know Dez can own them.

The X factor for me is our oline again. If they play well, I think we'll move the ball and score easily, if they don't it will be a long day.

Reid gave them all of last week off, so the only bye advantage for them is the rest. I think they'll have to prepare a little differently after seeing what Murray just did too. Holland and Fiammetta had as much to do with that day as it being the Rams D, imo. There were some great blocks from both that I have not seen us make without them.

I can't wait!

 

[YosemiteSam]

If Vick runs the ball, I hope someone breaks him in half.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

I think the game will be decided by the Dallas passing game--Philly should try to stop the run and single up our WRs; if we can run on them, we win. if they stop the run, we have to get Austin and Dez some big plays. i hope Romo's ribs are okay because he might need to scramble a time or two up field

 

[ufcrules1]

I don't think some of you realize just how hard this game will be for us. Philly is in a must win game with their backs up against the wall and they are playing at home. The players are starting to gel and really play as a team. They know they can't afford another loss, and especially to a division opponent. They are favored by 3.5 points to beat us.

Meanwhile, our team knows it's an important game but also know we face Seattle at Buffalo at home in the following 2 weeks which we expect to win. The stars are lining up for a VERY tough game in Philly.

 

[DL23]

As far as Vick......with Sean Lee in the Spy role, alot more speed and instincts should present a problem for Vick to go wild hopefully.

Make him beat us with his arm vrs. Ware......or make him hand it off.

Spying Vick doesn't work anymore. He doesn't take off and run every other play like he used to. With the amount of weapons Philly has, I think we'd be better to just focus on shutting them down than worrying too much about Vick scrambling. McCoy scares me a lot more than Vick does.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Philly's Oline is worse than ours and their LBers are garbage. We win as long as we don't turn the ball over.

 

[Sifillest]

they do have some good db's, so we will need tony to basically continue his love fest with witten underneath and hope that miles can blow by nnamdis jams. if hes on dez bryant....that'll be fun.