December 25, 2020
Kate Frese/for PhillyVoice
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Greg Ward runs with the ball against the Dallas Cowboys.
It's Christmas, which is a nice distraction for many, away from the never-ending drama that has been the Eagles this season. But after all the presents have been opened and the food coma has been overcome, there is a pretty important football game to be played on Sunday against the Cowboys in Dallas.
Or perhaps not.
There are a lot of different ways Sunday could play out. But if the Eagles hope to make the postseason for the fourth straight year and become the first repeat NFC East champion since winning four straight from 2001-04, then it continues with them taking care of business against Dallas. Philly has a slight edge on paper (according to TheLines.com), and a win, paired with a Washington loss to Carolina, will put the Eagles in control of their NFC East fate.
And a loss of any kind will help them solidify a spot in the NFL draft's top 10.
So which outcome will manifest after the 4:25 contest on FOX? As we do every week, let's take a look at who the local and national media are picking to win in Dallas Week, Part 2...
• PhillyVoice staff: It was a clean sweep for our staff this week, with all seven of our writers voicing confidence in the Eagles to prevail in Week 16. Here's the reasoning behind why Matt Mullen is going green:
It’s win-or-go-home time for the Philadelphia Eagles. If they fail to beat the Cowboys on Sunday — or if Washington wins their matchup against the Panthers — the Birds will be officially eliminated from the division race. Of course, because the NFL flexed the Football Team’s game to 4 p.m., Philly won’t know the outcome until after their own game is played. Had the Washington game remained at 1, the Eagles outcome could’ve been impacted based on the Birds not having anything to play for — or, on the complete opposite of the spectrum, they could’ve suddenly controlled their own destiny. It’s weird how things work out like that.
Either way, they’ll now head in to Sunday’s matchup in Dallas with their postseason hopes still alive — and that’s a good thing for rookie Jalen Hurts, who will be getting his first taste of this NFC East rivalry. And with both teams still alive in the division race — more so than you’d expect from two teams with so few wins — neither side is likely to hold anything back.
Doug Pederson in a must-win game in December? With a backup quarterback? Making a late-season push for a playoff berth? I’ve seen this movie before. Give me the Birds to keep their season alive for one more week (assuming Washington does its part).
• Inquirer.com: Let's mix it up, because there is still a very good chance the Eagles falter. Three of the four Inquirer writers see the Eagles winning but not Jeff McLane, who pessimistically predicts the Eagles will lose by a single point, 31-30:
The Eagles have been playing better football since Jalen Hurts took over at quarterback, but so, too, have the Cowboys over the last two weeks. Dallas didn’t exactly beat titans in victories over the Bengals and 49ers, but its offense has played with function now that Andy Dalton is back under center.
The Cowboys defense is still pretty dreadful, and I’d imagine Hurts and Miles Sanders will be able to pile up some yards on the ground. But I think the Eagles secondary will be prime pickings for Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and the other Dallas receivers, even with cornerback Darius Slay back from a concussion.
I see a shootout, one that could go either way, but with the experienced Dalton providing the edge down the stretch.
• NJ.com staff: Five of their six writers are picking the Eagles. Here's more from beat writer Mike Kaye, who's among those predicting an Eagles win.
The Cowboys have won two consecutive games, while the Eagles are trying to figure out what they have in Jalen Hurts. While the odds are stacked against another Eagles playoff run, Hurts should be able to torch the Cowboys as a runner and a passer. The Eagles’ defensive line should also have a fun afternoon.
PICK: Eagles 24, Cowboys 20
• Bleeding Green Nation staff: All nine of their writers are going with the Eagles.
• ESPN staff: Seven of their nine NFL experts are picking Philadelphia.
• Tim McManus, ESPN.com: Eagles 26, Cowboys 17
• Todd Archer, ESPN.com: Eagles 27, Cowboys 23
• Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Eagles 28, Cowboys 24
The Eagles' path to the playoffs is not that complicated. Win both games, hope Washington loses this week and hope the Giants don't finish 2-0. That's realistic! Jalen Hurts is a better passer this early in his career than anyone expected, and the Cowboys' last two wins came from a fluky +7 turnover margin. Look for the Eagles' defensive line to mercifully end the Cowboys' season.
• CBS Sports staff: Six of their eight NFL pickers picked the Eagles to prevail.
• Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk: Eagles 27, Cowboys 21
Carson Wentz will soon be Carson Goes.
• Michael David Smith, ProFootballTalk: Eagles 28, Cowboys 17
The Eagles have played well since going to Jalen Hurts, but unfortunately Doug Pederson waited a little too long and Philadelphia is going to miss the playoffs.
• USA TODAY Sports staff: Five of seven NFL "experts" at USA Today are picking the Eagles.
• Bleacher Report, NFL staff: Eagles 28, Cowboys 21
Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have something to play for Sunday in Texas, and Dallas is coming off a win whereas Philadelphia is fresh off a loss. But it still feels as though these teams are headed in opposite directions, which might explain why the entire crew is laying two points with the road team.
"Although the Cowboys have a better record than the Eagles," Gagnon said, "their three wins since mid-October have come against the Vikings, Bengals and 49ers. Let's not get carried away. Meanwhile, the Eagles just went toe-to-toe with the Saints and Cardinals in back-to-back weeks. Philly looks energized with Jalen Hurts at quarterback and is simply healthier and more talented than Dallas.
"Hurts and Miles Sanders should dominate a horrible Dallas run defense as the Eagles win handily."
Throw in Ezekiel Elliott's calf injury ahead of a matchup with a strong Philly run defense, and this wasn't a tough call for our experts.
• Sheil Kapadia, The Athletic: Sheil makes his picks against the spread and this week he's picking the Eagles to cover and to win.
Both teams are somehow still alive in the NFC East. Jalen Hurts has provided the Eagles with some juice, and if nothing else has at least made them entertaining. Watching the Eagles for the first 13 weeks felt like a chore. They were one of the league’s most boring teams. The Cowboys could be without a number of defensive starters, including linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (ankle) in this one. I think Hurts moves the ball consistently here and leads the Eagles to victory.
• Bill Bender, Sporting News: Cowboys 26, Eagles 23
The Eagles and Cowboys might have losing records, but this game still has NFC playoff implications. Dallas has come alive with back-to-back victories, and Andy Dalton has played well in the Cowboys'last two victories. Jalen Hurts — a Houston native – is back in his home state. This will be a much more exciting matchup than the first one.
• Vinny Iyer, Sporting News: Eagles 27, Cowboys 24
The Eagles' offense is humming with the running and passing of Jalen Hurts. The Cowboys cannot stop that dual threat and the traditional running of Miles Sanders. The Cowboys should get more good running from Tony Pollard, assuming Ezekiel Elliott (calf) is kept out of action, but they should face a healthier overall Eagles' defense than the one that went to Arizona in Week 15.
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