Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys Game Information

* Eagles-Cowboys Date: Sunday, January 3
* Eagles-Cowboys Kickoff Time: 4:15
* Eagles-Cowboys TV Network: FOX
* Eagles-Cowboys Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
* Eagles-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -3
* Eagles-Cowboys Over-Under Odds: 48

Nick Sellers Dallas Cowboys Analysis and Predictions

The Cowboys are masters of their own destinies on Sunday. If they beat the Philadelphia Eagles at home, they can win the division, having previously beaten the Eagles earlier this year, and boost their seeding for their ensuing playoff run. But if you’re a ‘Boys fan, you are most certainly wary. This feels too good. Visions of the Seattle debacle and the dismantling at the hands of these Eagles last year are clouding your vision. You might not have yet recovered from the massive coronary you suffered two Sundays ago when it appeared the Cowboys were flushing their biggest win in years down the toilet (and it came against the Saints…how weird is this NFL year?).  But still your beating heart, we have signs of life from these ‘09 Cowboys.

Tony Romo is coming into his own. Remember the press conference two weeks ago immediately following his torching of the Saints secondary? He seemed…confident. Really? Tony Romo, Confident? There were no chuckles about regrouping and getting after it next week, no sheepish grins about the INT he threw into the waiting arms of a defender (because there wasn’t one that game), and in fact I don’t think he smiled once during the press conference. For all intents and purposes, he’s been a stone cold killer since the start of the month. You have to admit, if he lays an egg on Sunday, you’ll be disappointed. When was the last time you didn’t expect mediocrity from the quarterback position in Dallas? 8 years? 10 years?

While the play of the defense has not quite equaled the play of Romo and the offense, they’ve been more than capable. The past two weeks, they’ve consistently pressured the quarterback and the coverage down field has been solid. They’re playing as a unit, they’re playing for each other. Mike Jenkins has been outstanding in the secondary, and was even getting some Pro Bowl buzz (but perhaps, too little too late). Keith Brooking is an emerging leader in the middle of the defense. The clip NBC showed during the broadcast of the Redskins game on Sunday gave me goosebumps. I half expected them to do the chant from 300, a la the Saints and Brees a couple years ago. A Cowboys team with emotion? Did they dress up actors in Cowboys uniforms and make them appear fired up? Nope, that’s definitely Keith Brooking! Perhaps they won’t roll over and die in the playoffs this year.

Generalizations aside, the Cowboys are going to have to have another solid performance come kickoff on Sunday at 4:15. The Eagles are 7th in total defense, and a good performance from Romo is essential, although it would appear that he seems to have found the correct balance between hanging tough in the pocket and escaping said pocket and making plays with his legs.

The defense really only has one threat to deal with from the Eagles’ offense and that comes in the form of DeSean Jackson, who has already eclipsed 1000 yards receiving this year, not withstanding his extraordinary special teams play. While McNabb isn’t quite what he used to be, if he finds Jackson in some space, I’ll be preemptively chucking my remote at the wall. There’s no catching him once he gets some room, and the Cowboys’ safeties will have to help out their corners when Philadelphia puts Jackson in the slot.

More important than individual match-ups, is that the Cowboys win on Sunday, and that they do so in convincing fashion. This needs to be a statement game for the franchise. They’re cresting at the right time, and if they keep this up, they have a solid chance at making a run at the NFC title, and to do so would be uncharacteristic of their recent trend: a mediocre regular season coupled with an inkling of hope, and then, at the moment of truth, they disappear. If they continue their current level of play, they can make that statement that Cowboys fans’ hearts have been burning for. With that said, Cowboys by 3. Happy New Year.

Additional Predictions

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight- I am going in a different direction than that of Jerod and Nick.  I am not necessarily chalking this up as an Eagles win, but I do see them covering.  Their offense is so dynamic on so many different levels.  This is necessary as their defense is no where near as strong as the normal Philly Defense we have become used to over the years.  Dallas, with  a stronger defense out of the two, seems to have just enough offense to win games.  I have no faith in Wade Phillips as a coach and am taking the Eagles +3.

Jerod Morris / MidwestSportsFans- This is a very fair spread, all things considered. The Cowboys get the home field edge. When you further consider that they beat the Eagles in Philly, and have played very well for two straight weeks, I’m a little surprised Dallas isn’t favored by more. There is no question that this Cowboys team is different than the teams that failed in December for the rest of this decade. The Cowboys are a legit darkhorse Super Bowl candidate now. At home, I think they exorcise some demons from last year and beat the winning-but-inconsistent Eagles. Eagles-Cowboys free pick: Cowboys -3

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Nick Sellers / ProFootballinsight.net

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