Here are our bold predictions for this week’s matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles.
The Dallas Cowboys are back in action on Sunday afternoon as they return home to host the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Things can’t get much worse for the Cowboys, so we’ll see if they can pull a rabbit out of their hat on Sunday and keep this game competitive.
Before the two teams square off, here are three bold predictions for the matchup.
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
1) Trey Lance scores the second rushing touchdown of his NFL career
When the news broke this week about the severity of Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury, the 2024 Cowboys’ competitive window closed. Even with a healthy Prescott, the Cowboys didn’t have a great shot to make the playoffs. Without him, they have no chance.
Even in a lost season, in Prescott’s absence the Cowboys will need to find ways to move the ball on offense. At this point in his career, it’s pretty clear Cooper Rush isn’t the type of quarterback that can be the sole reason you win games. Rush needs a solid ground game and a good defense behind him to succeed, two things the Cowboys currently lack.
Dallas will need to use some creativity on offense to help offset the drop in talent from Prescott to Rush. One way they could do this is by finding ways to get 24-year-old quarterback Trey Lance involved.
Lance didn’t do a lot of things all that well during the preseason, but he did have success running the football. The former third-overall pick is a great athlete and he consistently showed off his impressive ability to get outside the pocket and take off and run if nothing was available to him.
This is why you don’t give up on Trey Lance. His ability to be a game changer is CLEARLY THERE. He made these defenders with angles look like they were running in place. pic.twitter.com/mBY1xUEo7o
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 24, 2024
With many calling for the Cowboys to give Lance some playing time, Jerry Jones spoke publicly this week about the Cowboys potentially using him in some specific packages moving forward.
The coaches might not like this, but Jerry Jones on Trey Lance to @1053thefan: “Oh there is a window for Trey Lance. There’s packages that we can work on … Let me be clear that’s not just to get Lance some playtime. That’s to bring to the table some offense for us.”
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) November 8, 2024
The Cowboys finally show some creativity on offense this week and it comes in the form of using Trey Lance as a runner. The quarterback breaks a 25+ yard run and goes the distance, scoring the second rushing touchdown of his NFL career.
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
2) Eagles consistently gash the Cowboys on the ground, recording their second 250-yard rushing day of the season
If there is one thing the Eagles do well on offense it’s run the football. Eight games into the season, Philadelphia is top five in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and Rush EPA. Saquon Barkley, who the Eagles signed from the rival New York Giants this offseason, has been healthy and playing arguably the best football of his career.
The 27-year-old running back leads the league with an average of 116 rushing yards per game and is top 10 among qualified running backs in EPA/Rush and Explosive Rush percentage. Barkley is on pace to shatter his career-highs in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and has proven to be the X-Factor the Eagles were missing on offense.
This week the Eagles go up against a Cowboys’ defense that is one of the worst units against the run in the entire league. According to Rush EPA (0.093), Dallas is the worst run defense in the NFL this season. When facing good competition, the Cowboys have been consistently dominated on the ground.
The Ravens, Lions, and 49ers have all had their way with the Cowboys running the football. The Eagles will follow suit and have another dominant day on the ground. Barkley and the Eagles’ running backs are the stars of the game as Philadelphia rushes for over 250 yards in a game for the second time this season.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
3) Jalen Brooks scores his first NFL touchdown
With CeeDee Lamb a bit banged up, the Cowboys will need to feature some of their young receivers more prominently in this game. 24-year-old wideout Jalen Brooks will likely see much more playing time if Lamb is only able to play a limited amount of snaps.
After high expectations coming into the year, Brooks has had a bit of a slow start to the season. The former seventh-round pick has caught just seven passes for 103 yards and has four games where he has recorded one or no receptions.
This week, Brooks will do something he’s never done in his NFL career. With the game slipping away in the second half, Brooks hauls in a 37-yard reception, recording his first NFL touchdown and keeping Dallas within striking distance.
