Bottom Line...Do we beat the Eagles on Sunday?

[lspain1]

Let's see...Cowboys have 9th rated offense and 23 rated defense
Eagles have 1st rated offense and 9th rated defense

The Eagles have not shown the ability to run the football, but that is really an illusion. They use Westbrook outside on short routes where he is matched up on corners and LB's in space and he makes large gains making one and often two guys miss. Combine this with TO going deep and his ability to be aggressive across the middle and it makes for a potent combination. TO's abilities complement Westbrook in ways that I'm not sure is matched anywhere in the NFL, with the possible exception of San Diego and LT. The Eagles TE complements this attack as well.

Our defense has really not seen this kind of attack before because SD didn't use it against us. Everyone is talking about 'showing up to play.' I'm sorry guys, I'm not drinking that kool-aid. The Eagles are the number one rated offense for a reason, and this attack is going to be too sophisticated for our young defense on Sunday. I think with everyone healthy they move the ball well against us and win fairly easily. McNabb's injury status is really the question mark here but he has played well so far even when hurt. If the Cowboys can hit him hard early it might change the outcome, but I kind of doubt it.

 

[DoomsDayD]

I am with sarge on this one. They are the better team and the better team will win....as much as it makes me gag even to say it!!! If we cut down on the stupid mistakes and dont have them connecting with the long pass on the first series of downs then maybe we have a shot. If we get stupid we lose BIG time.

 

[dargonking999]

Better teams dont always win, it's the team that has more drive to win, and really i think the cowboys have that drive, the players are tired of hearing the media hype up the eagles, there tired of being written off. and they dont want to fall below .500 the eagles have proved they can survive, they have proven they can win. They have owned us, we will win, because of the drive to win. BP, Jerry Jones, and the team, refuses to go down 0-2 at home, against divsion rivals. We will win

 

[SteveOS]

I don't know. I'm feeling like the Boys can win this one. I guess I'm in the minority. Remember they almost went to Philly last year and beat them. This year McNabb can't run around for first downs. I really think the Boys keep it close, like they always do under Parcells, and win this one. It's a HUGE game for the Cowboys, HUGE... I don't think they'll disappoint, the fans were already treated to one loss in Irving, they won't lose 2 in a row at home to a division rival. It's just my gut feeling.

 

[BlueWave]

Philadelphia has been treated well by the schedule makers. They were given a soft start. Yes, they played at Atlanta, but then got SF and Oakland at home, before going on the road to KC. That's three teams in a row with no defense to speak of. Two of them at home. I would like to believe that we would have beaten the Raiders if we played them in Dallas. Same goes for the 49ers.

I just think those offensive stats might be a bit inflated with three weak, weak defenses.

I hate to predict this game. The world is expecting the Eagles to win, some to even blow us out. It almost looks like it is set up for an upset. But, when was the last time the Cowboys really suprised in a positive manner?

 

[morasp]

Let's see...Cowboys have 9th rated offense and 23 rated defense
Eagles have 1st rated offense and 9th rated defense

The Eagles have not shown the ability to run the football, but that is really an illusion. They use Westbrook outside on short routes where he is matched up on corners and LB's in space and he makes large gains making one and often two guys miss. Combine this with TO going deep and his ability to be aggressive across the middle and it makes for a potent combination. TO's abilities complement Westbrook in ways that I'm not sure is matched anywhere in the NFL, with the possible exception of San Diego and LT. The Eagles TE complements this attack as well.

Our defense has really not seen this kind of attack before because SD didn't use it against us. Everyone is talking about 'showing up to play.' I'm sorry guys, I'm not drinking that kool-aid. The Eagles are the number one rated offense for a reason, and this attack is going to be too sophisticated for our young defense on Sunday. I think with everyone healthy they move the ball well against us and win fairly easily. McNabb's injury status is really the question mark here but he has played well so far even when hurt. If the Cowboys can hit him hard early it might change the outcome, but I kind of doubt it.

The Eagles held the Raiders to 366 yards of offense in Philly. The Cowboys held them to 347 yards of offense in Oakland. I know our defense needs to improve but that's not a bad comparrison.

 

[Alexander]

The time we beat them with Quincy Carter we pulled no punches.

That was also the game where they giftwrapped the onsides TD and McNabb had an injured thumb. Don't get me wrong, we will probably stay close, but we had some help in the one game we did defeat them.

 

[DipChit]

Everyone is talking about 'showing up to play.' I'm sorry guys, I'm not drinking that kool-aid. The Eagles are the number one rated offense for a reason, and this attack is going to be too sophisticated for our young defense on Sunday. I think with everyone healthy they move the ball well against us and win fairly easily. McNabb's injury status is really the question mark here but he has played well so far even when hurt. If the Cowboys can hit him hard early it might change the outcome, but I kind of doubt it.

Thats about how I see it too. They know they can move the ball and I'm sure they will. Hell, if they want to, they can probably run the ball on us too. Bout like the Radiers last week. Nobody assumed they'd be able to run it because they'd been struggling with that.. but whether it was because we were so worried about getting beat with the passing game/long ball, or whatever the reason, they ran it at will.

It's all about confidence. I'm sure both of their units are more or less entirely confident with what they're doing at this point. Conversely, neither of ours can be terribly confident. Just when we start thinking we can get in the endzone regularly, we score 13. Just when we think the D has calmed down, somebody runs all over us.

As far as that game in early '03 it doesnt mean anything now. For one thing, confidence was kind of reversed because we'd just won 3 straight and were in the process of "shocking the world" and the Eagles had started off slow. Then they "spotted us" 7 and we still only won by 2.

Sure we can win.. so can any other team on a given Sunday. But I'm not expecting it.

 

[Vertigo_17]

I'm not by any means guaranteeing a win, it just that on paper we don't stand a chance...therefore I feel that we might pull off the upset.

 

[morasp]

That was also the game where they giftwrapped the onsides TD and McNabb had an injured thumb. Don't get me wrong, we will probably stay close, but we had some help in the one game we did defeat them.

Philadelphia Eagles
Date Pos Player Injury NFL Status Fantasy Note

10/7/05 MLB Jeremiah Trotter Quadricep PROBABLE
10/6/05 DT Paul Grasmanis IR I-R. Out for the season
10/5/05 K David Akers Right Hamstring OUT Out for Week 5 at Dallas
10/5/05 DE Trent Cole Hamstring QUESTIONABLE
10/5/05 SS Sean Considine Hamstring PROBABLE
10/5/05 C Trey Darilek Ankle PROBABLE
10/5/05 FS Brian Dawkins Ankle QUESTIONABLE
10/5/05 G Artis Hicks Ankle PROBABLE
10/5/05 WR Terrell Owens Shoulder PROBABLE Probable for Week 5 at Dallas
10/5/05 DT Mike Patterson Back PROBABLE
10/5/05 DT Hollis Thomas Ankle PROBABLE
10/5/05 DT Darwin Walker Thigh DOUBTFUL
10/2/05 QB Donovan McNabb Abdomen/groin PROBABLE Probable for Week 5 at Dallas
10/1/05 RB Correll Buckhalter IR I-R. Out for the season
10/1/05 DE Jamaal Green IR
10/1/05 WR Justin Jenkins IR I-R. Out for the season
10/1/05 RB Eric McCoo PUP PUP
10/1/05 DE Jerome McDougle IR PUP. Out at least until Week 7 vs. San Diego
10/1/05 WR Todd Pinkston IR I-R. Out for the season
10/1/05 DB J.R. Reed IR
10/1/05 LB Greg Richmond PUP
10/1/05 RB Thomas Tapeh PUP PUP
9/28/05 CB Roderick Hood Hamstring PROBABLE

He's injured again. The onside kick I attribute to coaching and arrogance. Parcells preparation and Reids arrogance that he was smarter than us twice.

 

[Alexander]

He's injured again. The onside kick I attribute to coaching and arrogance. Parcells preparation and Reids arrogance that he was smarter than us twice.

McNabb has been injured for three weeks. Unless we hit him and knock him out of the game, he will be effective. Dare I say if Tim Rattay can do well against us, I don't see him having a problem.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

I say we lose a close one. We show them that the gap is closing fast as we take their best punch and don't get knocked out. The good news....we win our next 3 games following this tough loss.

5-3.

 

[Givincer]

Dallas- 12 sacks
Philly- 11 sacks

Yeah, horrible.

You have to look at the number of sacks/attempts to really measure this you can't just place up sacks. Philly is on pace to set a record for most attempts in a season right now so obviously they've had more attempts than us.

 

[Jarv]

I think it all comes down to how well our offense can move the ball vs. how we take care of Westbrook.

I think I'm ok with Henry or Newman on TO, with Davis's help over the top. Our D-line handling McFlab who is a little dinged up.

Westbrook is who we must stop. I fear him more than TO or McFlab.I would "spy" Ware or (Actually wish we had coakly to spy Westbrook) maybe even Roy to stop Westbrook.

Their defense is dinged (DT out and Dawkins probably), MacFlab is dinged...Even TO has a shoulder issue.

We are at home.

To win against a better team, and Sarge says they are ...We must take chances. We HAVE to open the O and take our chances. If we get ahead and they have to play from behind, we may be able to force them into the mistakes that BP is always afraid that we will make.

 

[dragon_mikal]

If we get to McNabb and disrupt their passing game, we could win this game.

The Eagles throw the ball four times for every one running play. Our safeties are horrible in coverage. If we don't get to McNabb and disrupt his timing we lose by 20 at least. If we do get to McNabb and hit him hard and often, we have a chance.

I hope we win but think we'll lose.

Eagles 38
Cowboys 28 (Score 2 TDs in the 4th)

 

[Givincer]

I think that our style is very low risk and that theirs is a very high risk. Parcells said its probably better to complement your opponents style when it's high risk. So if we don't turn the ball over don't have any minus plays that will increase our chances of winning against a team that gives you lots of opportunity (many passes) to cause minus plays and turn the ball over. If we can execute our conservative offense even half as effectively as we did last week and we are able to rattle mcnabb early like we did in the game last year where we lost 12-7 I Think we can pull this game off.

I remember before the @phil game last year I was saying we have a real chance to beat these guys if we can just create pressure/turnovers and get mcnabb to play a bad football game. We did that and almost won and of course almost winning counts as a loss... but we had more of a chance than any other time we've faced them here in recent history.

 

[DipChit]

If we get ahead and they have to play from behind, we may be able to force them into the mistakes that BP is always afraid that we will make.

Yeah that would be good. Course it would be good to just get *any* points in the 1st quarter for once. Kinda freaky that we havent scored in the 1st yet considering our offense isnt *totally* anemic.

Just one of those weird things I guess. Kind of how like back in '02 we didnt run a play from scrimmage inside the opponents 15 yard line til like the 6th game or something stupid like that.

 

[morasp]

McNabb has been injured for three weeks. Unless we hit him and knock him out of the game, he will be effective. Dare I say if Tim Rattay can do well against us, I don't see him having a problem.

I think all we need to do is hit him. That's what Atlanta did of course he may have been feeling the effects of the hit the rest of the game. Getting to him is hard, their offensive line really good.

 

[dragon_mikal]

I think it all comes down to how well our offense can move the ball vs. how we take care of Westbrook.

I think I'm ok with Henry or Newman on TO, with Davis's help over the top. Our D-line handling McFlab who is a little dinged up.

Westbrook is who we must stop. I fear him more than TO or McFlab.I would "spy" Ware or (Actually wish we had coakly to spy Westbrook) maybe even Roy to stop Westbrook.

Their defense is dinged (DT out and Dawkins probably), MacFlab is dinged...Even TO has a shoulder issue.

We are at home.

To win against a better team, and Sarge says they are ...We must take chances. We HAVE to open the O and take our chances. If we get ahead and they have to play from behind, we may be able to force them into the mistakes that BP is always afraid that we will make.

You guys seem to think that if we shut down Westbrook we'll win. That isn't the case. The Chiefs did just that and they lost. McNabb hit 7 different receivers last week. L.J. Smith is playing well, Greg Lewis is playing well. If we focus on Westbrook we lose this game. If we focus on T.O. we lose this game.

We have to focus on McNabb. He is the key. Hit him hard. Hit him often. Disrupt his timing and make him pay when he tries to run it. He's banged up, we need to take advantage of that.

If we get to McNabb and make him dance around in the pocket all day, we have a good chance. If we decide to focus on Westbrook or T.O. we lose big.

They have too many weapons. We have to go after the one with the largest calibur.

 

[MS17]

I guess Ill say what several others already have; Cowboys have to minimize mistakes, penalties and hold McNabb at bay to have a chance. If not, a long afternoon.
Strangely, if the Cowboys show improvement through the bye week, I think they have a better chance of pulling the upset next month in Philly on the Mon. nighter after the 15-day rest. Philly is a banged up team, and it will continue to get worse.