Five big questions ahead of Cowboys-Eagles game on Sunday

PHILADELPHIA – Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox) has all the juice you could ask for in a Week 9 game.

This is a rivalry game full of star power featuring two of the best teams in the NFC. A home win for the Eagles (7-1) would put them in a dominant position in the NFC East heading into the second half of the season, while a win for the Cowboys (5-2) would tighten things up significantly.

Dallas and Philadelphia split the season series last year. Injuries played a major role, with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott missing for the first game – an Eagles victory – and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts out for the rematch.

Hurts and Prescott will get a chance to face off this time around, and each is coming off four touchdowns.

Cowboys reporter Todd Archer and Eagles reporter Tim McManus answer the most pressing questions ahead of one of the biggest games of the season.

Is Dallas equipped to slow down WR AJ Brown?

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Brown, who has an NFL record six straight games with at least 125 receiving yards, had 11 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys last season.

When the Cowboys lost Trevon Diggs during a Week 3 practice due to a torn ACL in his left knee, major concerns were raised regarding the cornerback’s spot.

DaRon Bland more than answered all the questions.

He has three interception returns for a touchdown this season, a Cowboys record. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed a league-low target EPA of minus-39.4 as the closest defender in coverage. Among corners with at least 30 targets, he and Stephon Gilmore are in the top five in completion percentage allowed (47.1% and 47.2%).

“He can anchor himself at the breaking point. You see his toughness as far as his crafty plays and things like that,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said of Bland. “Obviously we talk all the time about his skills on the ball and his ability to play on the ball. I think he’s definitely built for that.”

But keeping Brown in check will depend on Micah Parsons and the pass rush affecting Hurts.

What answers do the Eagles have for Parsons?

They’ve done a good job slowing down the passer so far: he’s had half a sack in three career games against Philadelphia.

One of the reasons for this success has to do with Hurts being a recurring threat. The Eagles will often “read” Parsons in the zone read game, forcing him to slow down his run in case Hurts keeps the ball and takes off to the outside.

It might be different this time. Hurts is dealing with a sore left knee and hasn’t been as much of a factor in the ground game lately, totaling 27 yards over the last two games after rushing for at least 28 yards in each of the first six.

It will be up to the coaching staff to find creative ways to limit Parsons’ production.

“That’s what you do with any good player in this league, you have to think about them a lot,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We have to think of them more than their loved ones think of them.

“When we played [Rams DT] Aaron Donald, a lot of our day was dedicated to Aaron Donald. Obviously, Micah Parsons deserves the same respect.”

Is Philly equipped to slow down WR CeeDee Lamb?

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It’s a difficult match. Lamb is red hot, having racked up 19 receptions, 275 yards and two scores in the previous two games, and he totaled 15 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles last season.

The Eagles secondary has been in flux for weeks now, with injuries leading to rotating pitching at safety and slot corner in particular. It would make sense for Dallas to frequently line up Lamb in the slot to take advantage of this vulnerability.

“He’s big. He’s physical. He’s fast,” Eagles defensive coordinator Sean Desai said of Lamb. “He has a great catch radius. He can win underneath. He can win after the catch on short throws in the fast game, and he can make you miss in space and go up and catch a contested ball. That’s it. is a very good all-around receiver.”

Philadelphia is hoping the recent acquisition of veteran safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans will fix things on the back end. For now, it will largely be up to the defensive front to make Prescott uncomfortable and limit his throwing time.

Can the Cowboys’ D stop Philly’s ‘butt push’?

The short-yardage push, where teammates help Hurts advance for a first down or a score, has been the most unstoppable play in the NFL this season.

SPEAK THIS SPEAK 🗣️ –@goedert33@DraftKings | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/sUQiQmz4nj

– Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 26, 2023

The Cowboys defense relies on speed, not size. Their base defense basically has three safeties on the field. They replaced 255-pound linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, who was injured in his neck, with Markquese Bell, a 218-pound converted safety.

Since the Eagles typically don’t substitute before running the play, the Cowboys won’t be able to match up better by introducing a bigger defensive tackle. The key will be to stay out of these situations. In the only game Hurts had against Dallas last season, he converted two third-and-1 opportunities. He would have had a third down, but Dallas had a penalty that converted the first down.

“It takes special time and training,” Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “They’re the best at it, right? When someone is the best at something, it’s going to take new thinking and new ways of going about it to stop it. It’s going to be a challenge difficult, but it’s a challenge that we will certainly be up for.”

Dak vs. Jalen: What is the stat you need to know for each QB?

Prescott’s statistics: 0

Prescott hasn’t had a pass intercepted at Lincoln Financial Field in five starts. That covers a span of 145 throws and includes seven touchdown passes. But Prescott has been intercepted more by the Eagles than any other team in his career (eight times).

Injury statistics: 8

That’s how many interceptions Hurts has thrown in eight games after throwing six all last season. Overall, he’s been very effective as a passer — he’s on pace for career highs in yards, touchdowns and completion rate — but he needs to cut down on turnovers, especially against a Dallas defense that ranks third in interceptions with nine.