Know thy enemy: What’s in store for Cowboys against Philadelphia in Week 17

The penultimate contest of the 2024 season sees the Dallas Cowboys journey to Philadelphia to take on the NFC East-leading Eagles in Week 17.

DALLAS — The holiday season is in full swing, and the Dallas Cowboys might be hoping to give their fans a late Christmas gift with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Despite being eliminated from playoff consideration, the Cowboys have been playing their best football of late, but getting a road win against their most hated rival would give them their top win of the 2024 campaign. 

There’s nothing sweeter than beating the Eagles, no matter the time, place, or circumstances. Nevertheless, if the Cowboys manage to win this game on the road, with a backup quarterback, and a depleted roster, it would be one of the upsets of the season with Philly trying to lock up the division.  

What once was thought of as impossible six weeks ago, has been rendered a possibility in Dallas’ last game before the new year. The Eagles have some injury question marks of their own and could be playing without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. As Lloyd Christmas would say, “so you’re saying there’s a chance.”

Here are the strengths and weaknesses for the Eagles ahead of the Week 17 matchup:

Strength: Saquon Barkley

There isn’t much more to say about Barkley that hasn’t been said already; he’s been outstanding for the Eagles and perhaps the best free agent pickup from the offseason. Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,838 yards, so he’s not only on pace to surpass 2,000 yards on the ground but could break the all-time single season rushing record, albeit in 17 games. The veteran RB also tops in the league in nearly every statistical category for his position.

Barkley has four touchdowns of over 60 yards this season and his year could look even better if the Eagles didn’t steal so many short touchdowns from Barkley with the now famed tush push. 

There aren’t many running backs in Barkley’s class this season, which has been boosted by the play of the Eagles offensive line’s run blocking.

Weakness: Big play reliance

It’s hard to find many faults with a team that’s 12-3, but the Eagles do rely on big plays to put up points. They have elite weapons on offense, but they can struggle to put together long drives and if they get behind the chains, they often don’t recover.

Philadelphia’s offense can get bogged down inside the 20-yard line, as they rank just 13th in the league in red zone efficiency. That’s well below some of the best offenses in the NFL.

If the Cowboys can hold the Eagles to field goals instead of touchdowns, they’ll give themselves a better shot at the upset.

Strength: Top wide receiver tandem

The Eagles have one of the best one-two punches at wideout in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Brown leads the team in catches and yards, while the duo is tied for the lead in touchdowns with six apiece. The former has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for the second consecutive year with the Eagles and is among the league leaders in big plays with 16 despite missing three games.

Smith, meanwhile, has also missed three games, or he would also likely be heading towards another 1,000-yard season. The former Heisman trophy winner has been more of the possession receiver who has a better catch percentage than Brown and Smith has six games with at least six catches on the season.

The Cowboys don’t have great depth in the secondary right now due to injuries, but they’ll need to find a way to slow down one of the NFL’s best WR duos.

Weakness: Pass protection

One of the few things that the Eagles struggle with is giving up sacks. It’s an offensive line that has given up 43 QB takedowns on the season, which is 11th worst in the league. That’s a number that’s indicative of not only the OL, but also Hurts’ tendency to try to buy time and make plays in the pocket, which sometimes allows for his sack total to climb. Hurts has tied a career-high in being sacked this season, with 38.

The Cowboys have been one of the best pass rushing teams in the league since edge rusher Micah Parsons returned from injury midseason and they are coming off a four sack day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Mike Zimmer’s defense has turned the corner recently and they are making life uncomfortable for quarterbacks. If the Cowboys can continue their defensive dominance, it would help their efforts in pulling off an upset.

Strength: Front seven

As usual, the Eagles have one of the league’s deepest and best defensive fronts. The unit ranks inside the Top 10 in both sacks, with 40, and against the run, where they give up just under 103 yards per game.

Their defense has seven players with at least three sacks, and is led by linebackers Josh Sweat, with eight, and Nolan Smith, with 6.5.

The Eagles front is also a group that boasts a top tandem at defensive tackle. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis are young, and talented former first-round picks who clog rushing lanes and push the pocket. Carter’s been a dominant force in his second year and had a great day against Dallas’ offensive line in the first matchup back in Week 10.

The Cowboys will need to find a way to keep a strong defensive front from altering the offensive game plan.

Do you think the Cowboys will be able to foil Philly’s playoff plans in Week 17? Share your predictions with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.

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