Eagles vs. Cowboys: Who has the edge at each position on Sunday Night Football?
The Philadelphia Eagles are 10-2 and in first place in the NFC, but they’re looking to regain some confidence after a 42-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. This week will be another massive challenge as the Eagles face the 9-3 Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
The Cowboys are undefeated at home this season and have outscored their opponents in those games by 151 points.
The matchup will have playoff implications and could decide the NFC East crown, while the winner will clinch a playoff spot.
With kickoff fast approaching, we’re looking at who has the edge at each key position.
QB--Even
Jalen Hurts 2,995 (19 TD)
Dak Prescott 3,234 (26 TD)
Jalen Hurts ranks 2nd in the NFL with 31 total TDs (4 shy of his franchise-record-tying 35 TDs in 2022), behind Josh Allen (33). He is also 5th in total yards per game (285.4), trailing only C.J. Stroud (306.9), Allen (296.3), Tua Tagovailoa (291.4) and Patrick Mahomes (288.2). Since Week 7, Hurts ranks 6th in the NFL with a 104.1 passer rating, Dak Prescott (123.1), Brock Purdy (120.2), Joe Burrow (110.4), C.J. Stroud (106.1) and Lamar Jackson (104.2). During that stretch, Hurts has registered 12 passing TDs (4th in NFL) against 3 INTs. Hurts is tied with Christian McCaffrey for the most rushing TDs (12) in the league, trailing only Raheem Mostert (14). Hurts is only 1 rushing TD shy of matching his career high (13 in 2022). Hurts also needs just 2 rushing TDs to tie Cam Newton’s NFL record for a QB (14 in 2011).
In five home games this season, Dak Prescott has recorded a 126.8 passer rating, the second-highest home passer rating in the NFL in 2023. Prescott has thrown for 18 touchdowns at home in 2023 and needs five more in the final two home games to tie his own single-season record of 23 home passing touchdowns in 2021. Prescott has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in six straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL. With two-or-more passing touchdowns on Sunday he will tie Tony Romo for the longest multi-passing touchdown streak in franchise history (seven games).
RB--Even
D’Andre Swift 783 yards (4 TD)
Tony Pollard 737 yards (5 TD)
Rico Dowdle 261 yards (1 TD)
Kenneth Gainwell 207 yards (2 TD)
Swift has posted the 4th-most rushing yards (783) in the NFL, behind Christian McCaffrey (1,032), Derrick Henry (841) and Raheem Mostert (828). Swift is 9 yards shy of reaching his second career year with 1,000+ scrimmage yards (1,069 with Detroit in 2021), and 217 yards away from his first 1,000-yard rushing season.
In 2023, Pollard is averaging 18.5 touches-per-game, tied for fifth among qualifying running
backs. Pollard has six carries for 20-or-more yards in 2023, tied for third in the league.
WR--Eagles
A.J. Brown 1,164 (7) Cowboys CeeDee Lamb 1,182 (7)
DeVonta Smith 834 (6) Cowboys Brandin Cooks 497 (5)
Philadelphia gets the advantage because they have more horses at the position.
A.J. Brown ranks 4th in the NFL in receiving yards (1,164), trailing only Tyreek Hill (1,481), CeeDee Lamb (1,182) and Keenan Allen (1,175). In Week 13, Brown led the team with 114 yards on 8 receptions. His 7 games with 100+ receiving yards are tied with Terrell Owens (2004) for the most such performances in Eagles single-season history. Dating back to Week 8, DeVonta Smith has produced the 7th-most receiving yards (451) in the NFL, behind CeeDee Lamb (707), Keenan
Allen (601), Tyreek Hill (579), Mike Evans (544), Amon-Ra St. Brown (485) and D.K. Metcalf (475). Smith has posted 95+ receiving yards in 3 consecutive games, including 4 of the last 5 contests overall.
Lamb has a receiving touchdown in four straight games, a career-long streak. With a touchdown catch against the Eagles, Lamb would be the first Cowboy with a receiving touchdown in five straight games since Dez Bryant in 2013.
TE--Even
Jake Ferguson 498 (5)
Dallas Goedert 410 (2)
Goedert is the big name around NFL circles, but Ferguson has star power in his own right and gave the Eagles problems in the first meeting.
Goedert will be in the lineup for the first time since fracturing his forearm in the Week 9 win over Dallas.
OL--Eagles
Right tackle Lane Johnson returned from his groin injury against the 49ers, putting the unit back to full strength.
The Eagles gave up just one quarterback hit and no sacks, it was also responsible for 22 quarterback hurries, the most allowed by any team in Week 13. Jordan Mailata has allowed 21 pressures in his past four games. The 11 pressures he allowed against the 49ers was a career-worst mark.
Tyler Smith gave up just four pressures in his first six games, but has surrendered 12 total pressures in his past four. Right tackle Terence Steele is allowing pressure on 8.8% of pass plays this season. The previous highest rate in his career was 7.8% during his rookie season.
Tyron Smith’s 86.9 pass-blocking grade in Week 13 led all offensive tackles.
DL--Even
Haason Reddick 9.5 sack
Micah Parsons 11.5 sacks
Josh Sweat 6.5
Dorance Armstrong 5.0
Jalen Carter 4.0
Since Week 4, Haason Reddick ranks T-3rd in the NFL with 9.5 sacks, behind Khalil Mack (15.0) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (10.0). During that stretch, he also ranks 5th in pressures (50) and QB hits (16). Overall, Reddick is tied for 1th in sacks (9.5), trailing only Danielle Hunter (13.5),
Micah Parsons (11.5) and Thibodeaux (11.0) in the conference. Josh Sweat has totaled the 4th-most pressures (61) in the NFL, behind Micah Parsons (78), Nick Bosa (72) and Josh Allen (65). Sweat leads the league with 25 fourth-quarter pressures.
Micah Parson’s 78 pressures lead the NFL. He has also pressured quarterbacks on 20.3% of his pass rushes, first among all NFL defenders who have at least 250 pass rush snaps in 2023.
Dallas is tied for second in the NFL with 205 pressures per PFF.
LB--Even
We’re counting Micah Parsons as a pass rusher, and Dallas has suffered a hit at the position just like the Eagles.
Markquese Bell transitioned from safety to linebacker, and is second on the Cowboys in tackles. Philadelphia will start Zach Cunningham and Shaquille Leonard at the position on Sunday night.
DB--Cowboys
Sean Desai’s defense is 31st in passing yards allowed on third down (951) and 32nd in passing touchdowns allowed on third down (13). The Eagles have allowed the third most passing yards (3,341) and the second-most passing touchdowns (27) through Week 14.
Daron Bland leads the NFL with eight interceptions,but he’s coming off his worst game of his young career last Thursday night in defending DK Metcalf.
The Cowboys counter with Stephon Gilmore, Donovan Wilson and Jayron Kearse in the secondary as well.
