FRISCO, Texas – The infamous divisional rivalry continues between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, and both teams have undergone changes over the course of the 2018 season, specifically in the last two weeks. The Cowboys’ acquired a new target in the receiving core for Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, bumped up a new offensive line coach, Marc Colombo, and rookie guard Connor Williams had scope knee surgery on Wednesday. The Eagles have transitioned back to Carson Wentz as the starting quarterback this season after his recovery from surgery in December with two torn knee ligaments, and the team added new slot weapon Golden Tate to the mix.
This is a must win game for both teams. The Redskins currently lead the NFC East with a 5-3 record and the 3-5 Cowboys are two games behind the second placeholder, the Philadelphia Eagles at 4-4. Dallas has to get something going offensively on the road, to save a season that is spiraling down.
Due to poor protection in the pocket, Prescott has been forced to release the ball quicker to an all-new receiving core other than Beasley and Terrance Williams, and use his legs on bootleg runs. The Cowboys offensive line added a rookie at left guard with Connor Williams and a new starting center in Joe Looney after Travis Frederick’s diagnosis with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, but the o-line has to work out the kinks now or Prescott could be leaving the field on a stretcher. He has been sacked 28 times during the 2018 season, and pressured repeatedly. During the bye week the Cowboys fired Paul Alexander and bumped up Marc Colombo from assistant o-line coach to the headman, along with Hudson Houck, serving in an advisor capacity to smooth out the transition mid-season in the best interest of the team. Williams had surgery on Wednesday and guard Xavier Su’a-Filo and center Adam Redmond have been competing at practice this week for the starting LG position. Unfortunately for Dallas coming off a Monday Night Game, they have a quick turnaround for Sunday and had a lighter practice on Tuesday at the Star. They do not have much time to get these two acclimated into the offensive line to make a judgment call on who plays. At this point in the season, the Cowboys’ cannot afford another disaster like last year’s game against the Falcons with Chaz Green replacing Tyron Smith in the lineup.
The Cowboys picked up Amari Cooper during the bye week as a wideout ‘X’ style target for Prescott who can stretch the field and break out of man coverage to make himself available to the QB. Cooper was a smart choice for the team. He is a young player at the age of 24, was a fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2015 Draft by the Raiders, and proved his worth early in his career with two 1,000 yard seasons his first two years in the league and two pro bowl appearances. The Draft class for next year does not have a strong number of playmakers at the receiver position, and the Eagles had the same thought process. Philly picked up Golden Tate last week from the Lions as an additional weapon for Wentz to take some of the pressure off star receiver Alshon Jeffery. Nelson Agholor has been the team’s primary slot receiver, and time will tell if Tate will line up on routes in the inside, or if he will be used as a versatile web-back rushing and as a punt returner.
“ They have a great receiving core and now you put Tate in there with them, “ Rod Marinelli remarked. “ Always trying to matchup with guys like that and it makes it tough. We have to make sure we are playing our defense and putting guys in position to play our best…we have to play fast and tackle well. “
The Cowboys will have to say ahead of the chains and maximize opportunities in the red zone against the Eagles. They have to get the run game going against the second ranked run defense in the league, to open up their passing game. The offensive line has to give him more time to release the ball and Prescott has to work on technique and intangibles in the pocket. He thrives in hurried offensive situations and hopefully the Cowboys will play into his strength’s and his ability as a runner with design runs implemented into the game plan. Philadelphia has a powerful four-man rush and Dallas has their work cut out for them.
