Silence The Noise: Eagles-Cowboys Week 12 Preview

Despite winning back-to-back games against two of the best teams in the NFC coming off their bye, the Eagles have had a long week with a ton of criticism. There have been multiple reports this week that Eagles players and coaches are frustrated with Jalen Hurts for both on and off the field.

These reports come on the back of the Eagles’ offense while still winning, scoring just 26 points in their last two games. This has led to a lot of debate around the city and nationally, asking if the Eagles can continue to win with their offense being as below average as it is.

Unfortunately, we will have to wait and see how the season plays out to get that answer, but tomorrow’s game in Dallas could be a step in the right direction to getting this offense humming once again.

Stick With What’s Working

One excuse that many fans and media members have given for the Eagles’ offense over the last two weeks is the weather. They played in Green Bay with 20-degree temperatures and in Philadelphia, where the wind was howling. The one excuse the Eagles offense will not have this week is the weather, as Dallas plays in a dome. The last game the Eagles played in a dome was against the Vikings, and that was one of their best performances of the season, with both receivers going for over 100-yard days.

As most football fans know, the Cowboys made a shocking trade right before the season started, trading Micah Parsons to the Packers. Rightfully so, NFL fans and media ripped Jerry Jones for trading away a young star pass rusher inside his own conference. While it was a terrible move, Jones has acquired two awesome players to go in the middle of his defensive line. In the Parsons trade, he acquired Kenny Clark, and at the trade deadline, he acquired Quinnen Williams from the Jets. Williams, in his Cowboys debut, had 4 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Eagles’ run game will have to get creative to try and create holes on the outside and not just run it up the middle like they so often do. These two guys can be game wreckers, and a beat-up Eagles offensive line will have to try and keep them in check.

The biggest weakness of the Cowboys’ defense is their pass defense. Coming into this game, it is ranked 30th in the NFL, giving up just about 250 yards per game. If there was a week to get some momentum going with the passing game, it would be this one. I was disappointed last week how it seemed like there was an effort to force A.J. Brown the ball, and it was pretty obvious that he is just not playing well. Brown struggled to get separation from backup Lions corners, and maybe we saw last week why he is having the season he is. The passing game has been at its best when it is running through DeVonta Smith, and they have to continue with that philosophy tomorrow in Dallas. I don’t care how much Brown complains on social media, don’t force him the ball if it’s not there.

A Big Test For The Reformed Defense

A big reason why the Eagles are 8-2, and the biggest reason they have won their last two games, is because of the play of their defense. If people want to say there’s no way the Eagles offense can play well in cold and windy conditions the last two weeks, then that excuse has to go to the other offenses as well. This week will be a huge test to see if this newly reformed defense is legit.

The Cowboys have weapons all over the field that can hurt you, and at home, they seem to always play better. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are having very good seasons, but Pickens has been their best receiver all year. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles decide to match up against them, because Lamb will move around, but Pickens usually stays on the outside. The Eagles did a great job against Pickens in week one, holding him to just 30 yards, but Lamb was able to take advantage of Adoree’ Jackson and had 110 yards. Jackson has played better of late, but the last thing any Eagles fan wants is Jackson lined up one-on-one with either Lamb or Pickens.

Dak Prescott has been playing very well this year, but it is not being talked about because of how bad their defense is. Prescott this year has thrown for 2,587 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. We all know that Prescott has killed the Eagles historically in Dallas. The key to this game, as it is in most games, is getting pressure on him. The Cowboys’ offensive line, while good, is not what it used to be, and the Eagles’ pass rushers should be able to keep the momentum going and get to Prescott. If the Eagles’ pass rush keeps playing the way they have since the bye week, it almost doesn’t matter how the Eagles offense plays; they will continue to win.

Injury Report

The Eagles got some bad news this week that Lane Johnson has a Lisfranc injury to his foot and will likely be placed on IR today. Luckily, it is not supposed to be season-ending, but it is obviously a huge blow for the Eagles team. Johnson has struggled with staying healthy all year, but when he is out there, he is still one of the best in the game. Fred Johnson will be the starting right tackle for the time being, and while he knows he is no Lane, he has still played well in his career in Philadelphia.

The Eagles did get some good news on Friday’s injury report as Cam Jurgens was a full participant in practice, but had a questionable designation. Now, early today, Jurgens’ game status was removed, and he will suit up tomorrow. Jurgens left Sunday night’s game early with what was listed on the injury report as a concussion.

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