Our Eagles vs. Cowboys predictions for Week 3

Share

The Eagles (1-1) are heading to North Texas to face the Cowboys (1-1) on Monday Night Football.

To the predictions:

Reuben Frank (1-1)

I expect the Eagles to play better Monday night than they did Sunday. I expect the offense to be more efficient, Nick Sirianni to call a better game, Jalen Hurts to complete more than 12 passes and the defense to finally force a turnover or two. But I don’t think it’ll be quite enough. Dak Prescott is 5-2 in his career against the Eagles, with the losses coming in 2016 and 2017. He’s back healthy and playing at a high level, and even with some banged up WRs, I just think the Dallas offense has a little too much for the Eagles to handle right now. Prescott is completing 77 percent of his passes and has been sacked only three times in 85 pass attempts. I expect this to be a close, competitive, hard-fought game, but in that building — where the Eagles are 1-4 since 2016 — I’ve got the Cowboys getting the W. The Eagles are just 7-11 in their last 18 games against the Cowboys and they haven’t swept them since 2011. This one is more of the same. 

Cowboys 27, Eagles 22

Dave Zangaro (1-1)

The Eagles had a real chance to beat the 49ers last week. Heck, I’ll go as far as to say they should have won that game. But they let it slip away, which is bad news because the tough part of the schedule is coming up. That start with facing the Cowboys on the road. No, Dallas still doesn’t have a very good defense but that offense (even if it’s missing some pieces) is still pretty good. And I’m just not confident the Eagles will be able to win a shootout, which is what this game might turn into.

Cowboys 31, Eagles 24

Ray Didinger (1-1)

The Eagles had a chance for a 2-0 start but let it slip away thanks to some boneheaded penalties and bizarre decisions by the head coach. Now they have to regroup in a hurry because over the next five weeks they play five opponents with a combined record of 9-2. Yikes.

Two teams that looked beatable a month ago — Carolina and Las Vegas — are a combined 5-0. Then there are home games against Kansas City and Tampa Bay, teams that merely played in the last Super Bowl. So if the Eagles stumble in Dallas Monday night, they could be staring at a 1-6 start to the Nick Sirianni era. The last Eagles coach to come out of the gate that slowly was — let's see — oh yeah, Wayne Millner in 1951.

Trust me, Nick, you don't want to go there.

The Cowboys are probably the best team in the NFC East but that's not saying much. The division is still the same uninspiring mess it was a year ago and the Eagles are right there with them. The Cowboys played Tampa Bay tough in the opener and squeaked past the Chargers on the road last week. I think they will have enough to get past the Eagles on Monday night.

Cowboys 27, Eagles 24

Barrett Brooks (2-0)

This will be the first Dallas game for many young Eagles. There have been a lot of players and coaches indoctrinated into this rivalry. This new coaching staff and new players have been thoroughly immersed this week in the rivalry. Dallas would say that Eagles week is just another week, but I know better! I personally have battled Cowboy players and felt the innate dislike of all things Dallas!

Both teams are battling the war of attrition. The Birds have two starters on the O-line who will be out (Jordan Mailata and Brandon Brooks). Andre Dillard will have to protect Jalen Hurts’ blind side. I have a little less worry about rookie RG Landon Dickerson transitioning into a starting role.

The biggest question for me is: Will the offense effectively attack the middle of the field? Hurts must open the offense up by using his tight ends (Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert). I have faith in the running game and the big play pass-catching ability of both Miles Sanders and Kenny Gainwell. This should be an offensive breakout game for the Birds!

Eagles 27, Cowboys 23

Mike Mulhern (1-1)

The refrain for Eagles fans feeling optimistic heading into the season almost always started with “if they can just stay healthy along the lines.” Well, after losing Brandon Graham for the season with a torn Achilles and placing Brandon Brooks on injured reserve with a pec injury, the Birds were already starting to thin out in the trenches. Then we learned of a knee sprain that is likely to sideline Jordan Mailata on Monday night. Enter: Andre Dillard. Exit: Any confidence I had left that the Eagles could pull off the upset.

This isn’t just a referendum on Dillard, who made his first career start in Big D as a rookie at left tackle in 2019 and held his own. This was always going to be an uphill climb. Simply put, the Cowboys are a more talented team. Dak Prescott has become a top-shelf quarterback and has elite weapons to throw to on the outside. The Cowboys have also found a spark in the running game with the emergence of Tony Pollard to counterbalance a deteriorating Ezekiel Elliott. And the defense has been nothing if not opportunistic, already forcing six turnovers.

The Eagles will have a hard time both matching up with and keeping up with one of the NFL’s most lethal offenses. If only they were healthy along the lines…

Cowboys 31, Eagles 21

Subscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast:

Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | Watch on YouTube

 

Contact Us