Birds need to bring intensity to crucial clash with Cowboys
The Eagles haven’t had a winning record since September yet are just one win from leading their division.
Only in the NFC East, where the Eagles can bump the Dallas Cowboys out of the top spot Sunday at AT&T Stadium (4:25 p.m., Fox, WIP 94.1-FM).
If the Eagles (6-6) beat the Cowboys, the probability of reaching the playoffs to defend their Super Bowl title hits 57 percent per Nate Silver’s 538.com charts. If the Cowboys (7-5) prevail, it’s 98 percent sure that Dallas reaches the tournament.
You don’t want to know what a loss does for the Eagles, but here you go anyway — 8 percent shot at the postseason.
“The No. 1 goal for everybody is win the division,” Eagles captain Malcolm Jenkins said. “That goal has never been too far out of reach all year. So, while things haven’t looked like we’ve wanted them to, our goals are still right in front of us. Obviously, there’s no bigger game than this Sunday.”
It’s safe to say the smug side of the Eagles arrived in Texas before they did. Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill gained national attention this week by saying the Cowboys had a history of choking and that the Eagles were heading to the Lone Star state to make that happen. He apologized to head coach Doug Pederson but didn’t back off his words.
Truth be told, that’s unlikely to have the same impact as the schedule. It will be 10 days since the Cowboys last played, the result a 13-10 Thursday night win over New Orleans, and six days between games for the Eagles, who defeated Washington, 28-13, Monday.
Any fear of the Cowboys coming out rusty could be neutralized by fresh legs for the offensive
CHECKLIST
Summary: The friendlies are over for the Eagles. Starting this week, they play three straight division leaders. If Carson Wentz can find a way to neutralize the Cowboys’ pass rush, the Eagles have a chance. If the Eagles can’t stop Zeke Elliott, they’re toast because the winner of this game is in the postseason driver’s seat.
The pick: Make it Cowboys 24, Eagles 20.
— Bob Grotz
line and running back Ezekiel Elliott, who’s second in the NFL with 1,150 rush yards and 1,573 scrimmage yards.
Elliott is averaging 155.8 scrimmage yards and has scored five touchdowns in his last five games. He dropped 151 rushing yards and two TDs on the Eagles in a 27-20 Cowboys victory a month ago.
The Eagles hope their collective experience of playing well in big games carries the day, although it sure would help to have defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan in the middle. He’s listed questionable. Just in case, the Eagles promoted defensive tackle Bruce Hector to the active roster and put injured cornerback Jalen Mills on injured reserve.
“At the end of the day we know we’ve got to stop the run,” Jenkins said. “Even in that game it was real close. You’re looking at a few plays here and there, a third down stop here or there that changes that game. And you can expect a very similar style of a game where it’s going to be close and it’s going to come down to small details. Those one or two stops that during the game might not seem like a big deal all of the sudden toward the end of the game you realize it played a big part.
“So, we’ve got to make sure that every drive, every series we’re trying to stop the run. We’re fighting and scraping for every stop we can get.”
Another key to beating the Cowboys is to make Dak Prescott turn the ball over. Prescott hasn’t committed a turnover in the fourgame win streak. The Cowboys are 22-2 when he doesn’t turn the ball over, including all of their victories this season.
“You try to stay in his face,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said. “Try to get him to move out of the pocket, get off his spot. And then obviously you’ve got to stop the run because that’s when you can really be balanced. When he’s balanced, he’s dangerous.”
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is 3-1 with seven TDs and one interception against the Cowboys. Two of the victories are on the road. In four division games this season Wentz is averaging 295 passing yards to go with eight TDs, two interceptions, a 107.5 rating and a 3-1 record.
The Eagles have gotten the running game started in each of those division games. Rookie Josh Adams has helped make it work.
“I think it makes the offense a lot easier for everybody,” offensive tackle Lane Johnson said. “It makes it easier for the quarterback reads. It just makes the whole game go a lot smoother. When you become one-dimensional it makes it tough. So that will be something that will make it huge for this week if we want to win.”
Receiver Golden Tate gave the Eagles a jumpstart Monday with big plays early, including a TD on the opening possession.
The Cowboys are getting a lot of production out of Amari Cooper, their midseason addition at wide receiver. Cooper has 16 catches for 255 yards and two TDs in his last two starts.
“I think they’re just figuring out different ways to use him and get him the ball, especially in crucial situations like third downs,” Jenkins said. “He’s running some double moves. He’s a good route runner. He’s the No. they didn’t have.”
Above all, the Eagles have to play with the possession-by-possession urgency Jenkins spoke of. And not just when they play defense. It’s helped produce their only win streak of the season, a modest two-game package.
“I think we’ve been playing with a sense of urgency over the past few weeks just because we know what’s at stake,” Johnson said. “We can’t really take any more losses. This is a big test this week especially against their defense. They have a really good linebacker corps. They like to play downhill. DeMarcus Lawrence is one of the best ends in the league. Randy Gregory is really coming on. They have a good secondary. So, we’ll have our work cut out for us.” 1 receiver