Week 9 Matchup: Cowboys at Eagles

Gryphon

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Week 9 Matchup: Cowboys at Eagles


Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC ), Lincoln Financial Field

War Room scouts break down every NFL game. Here is a excerpt of their Cowboys-Eagles matchup:

Quarterback: Advantage Eagles
Running backs: Advantage Eagles
Receivers: Advantage Cowboys
Offensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Defensive line: Advantage Eagles
Linebackers: Advantage Cowboys
Secondary: Advantage Cowboys
Pass rushers: Advantage Cowboys
Special teams: Advantage Cowboys
Depth: Advantage Eagles
Coaching: Advantage Eagles

Prediction Cowboys 25 Eagles 23


Cowboys Keys For Success

1. Use cutback runs. With an extra week of practice, expect the Cowboys to look for more ways to put the ball in the hands of Marion Barber III, a powerful inside runner averaging 5.7 yards a carry. The Eagles play an attacking style of defense and often attack the line of scrimmage rather than read the play and react. Barber must wait for the Eagles to over-pursue and locate the cutback lane. If able to find daylight, Barber is tough to tackle.

2. Assign a defensive back to cover Brian Westbrook. Westbrook has made a career out of abusing defensive coordinators for sticking with base personnel and assigning a linebacker to cover him on passing downs. Dallas coach Wade Phillips must not make the same mistake and should deploy a safety, Ken Hamlin or Roy Williams, to come up and defend Westbrook when he motions out to the slot. Williams, however, is a liability in coverage and would struggle to stick with Westbrook in the open field.

3. Attack the Eagles' linebackers. Outside linebackers Takeo Spikes and Chris Gocong struggle in coverage, but middle linebacker Omar Gaither is solid. Spikes and Gocong are much better playing straight ahead rather than playing backwards, so Dallas tight end Jason Witten should take advantage. Look for Witten to run vertical routes in the middle of the field, stretching out Spikes and Gocong and looking to get behind them for a big play before the safeties have time to help.


Eagles Keys For Success

1. Move the pocket. The Eagles do not want Donovan McNabb to stay stationary in the pocket and allow the Cowboys to unload on him with their 3-4 zone-blitz scheme. Therefore, expect to see a lot of rollout passes and bootlegs to keep McNabb on the move and force defenders to constantly change angles of pursuit. McNabb is moving better of late, and this plan would allow him to extend plays with his legs and give his receivers more time to get open.

2. Drop seven into coverage. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson loves to blitz on obvious passing downs, but the Cowboys have too many weapons for that plan to work. Instead, Johnson should drop seven defenders into coverage and run a version of a three-deep scheme to keep all potential big plays in front of them. This would put the burden on the defensive line to pressure Tony Romo without blitz help.

3. Throw more screen passes. The Eagles have one of the best pass-catching running backs in the league in Westbrook and must utilize him to neutralize the Cowboys' pass rush. Look for McNabb to throw Westbrook screen passes from various formations with the hope of sucking the Cowboys upfield and leaving Westbrook with a lot of running room.
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canters

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Wow, they think McNabb is better than Romo?

And Westbrook is better than JJ and MB3?

Have they watched the Eagles this yr?
 

LeonDixson

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Where do they get the idea that Barber is an inside runner? I'm guessing he's headed toward the sideline before he even gets to the line of scrimmage on almost half of his plays.

Tony is a better all around QB than McFlabb. McFlabb fits in their scheme but no way do I give them the "advantage" at QB.

I also question the coaching advantage going to Philthy. How long has Reid been criticized now for not running the ball enough?
 

utrunner07

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Gryphon;1735467 said:
Week 9 Matchup: Cowboys at Eagles


Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC ), Lincoln Financial Field

War Room scouts break down every NFL game. Here is a excerpt of their Cowboys-Eagles matchup:

Quarterback: Advantage Eagles
Running backs: Advantage Eagles
Receivers: Advantage Cowboys
Offensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Defensive line: Advantage Eagles
Linebackers: Advantage Cowboys
Secondary: Advantage Cowboys
Pass rushers: Advantage Cowboys
Special teams: Advantage Cowboys
Depth: Advantage Eagles
Coaching: Advantage Eagles

Prediction Cowboys 25 Eagles 23

http://gryphononcowboys.blogspot.com/

Quarterback: Advantage Cowboys
Running backs: Advantage Push
Receivers: Advantage Cowboys
Offensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Defensive line: Advantage Push
Linebackers: Advantage Cowboys
Secondary: Advantage Cowboys
Pass rushers: Advantage Cowboys
Special teams: Advantage Eagles
Depth: Advantage Cowboys
Coaching: Advantage Cowboys

Prediction Cowboys 35 Eagles 10
 

tomson75

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I'm not even sure I'd give them special teams. Folk and McBriar are pretty damn good. They may have us beat at returners though. Push.
 

FLcowboy

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LeonDixson;1735706 said:
Where do they get the idea that Barber is an inside runner? I'm guessing he's headed toward the sideline before he even gets to the line of scrimmage on almost half of his plays.

Tony is a better all around QB than McFlabb. McFlabb fits in their scheme but no way do I give them the "advantage" at QB.

I also question the coaching advantage going to Philthy. How long has Reid been criticized now for not running the ball enough?

Good points. Reid has never managed the clock well, and has sacrificed his team for the wishes of one or two players.

No way does Reid get a better mark than Phillips at this time.

And McNabb is highly suspect, whereas Romo is pretty solid. I'd have to go with Romo on this one.
 

JD_KaPow

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At this time, I'd give Romo the edge over McNabb. When McNabb gets healthy, maybe it's a push.

But I have to admit I'd trade MBIII (much as I love him) and JJ for Westbrook and Buckhalter. Westbrook's just that good.
 

LeonDixson

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jimnabby;1735788 said:
At this time, I'd give Romo the edge over McNabb. When McNabb gets healthy, maybe it's a push.

But I have to admit I'd trade MBIII (much as I love him) and JJ for Westbrook and Buckhalter. Westbrook's just that good.


He's good, no doubt. He's had a lot of injury problems though. I'd be a little scared of that.
 

JD_KaPow

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LeonDixson;1735796 said:
He's good, no doubt. He's had a lot of injury problems though. I'd be a little scared of that.

Yeah, good point, that would give me some pause in a real trade scenario. But I definitely have no problem giving the Eagles the edge on RBs for this game.
 
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:lmao2: That analysis was way off... Romo is better than McNabb and I'll take the combo of Julius Jones and MBIII:wink2:
 

Nav22

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Let's not be homers, people... Westbrook is a top 5 RB, and clearly better than anything we have at RB.

But I'd take Romo over McNabb, no doubt.
 

mcnabbmcnow

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I'd take Romo over Mcnabb right now, but surprised the Cowboy secondary is rated better than the Eagles secondary. I always thought the Cowboy secondary was a weakness.
 

Idgit

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That superior QB in Philly will be watching Romo this year from home during the playoffs and during the Pro Bowl.

I really like Westbrook as a player, too, but I'm not so sure he's even a better back than Marion Barber at this point. Marion's playing as well as anyone I've seen in the league this year.
 

pgreptom

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I'd label Westbrook the most exciting player in the NFC.

The Eagles, and the Eagles w/ Westbrook are two totally separate teams.

I'd take Westbrook over JJ + Barber any day of the week.
 

9xxx11

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wastedfluid;1736001 said:
I'd label Westbrook the most exciting player in the NFC.

The Eagles, and the Eagles w/ Westbrook are two totally separate teams.

I'd take Westbrook over JJ + Barber any day of the week.
dam r u sure u rooting for the right team..?? shouldnt u be looking at eagles forums??!!
 
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