NFL Week 2: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Monday Night Football warriors Eagles and Cowboys continue the decades-old football war with the NFC East on the line

Cowboys vs. Eagles Overview:

Featuring the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, the NFC East is the top division in the NFC and maybe the NFL as a whole. Every last game played in the NFC East counts towards the playoff race and tiebreaker situations are sure to be key swing moments down the stretch. The NFC East is also filled with rivalries than span decades. The most heated of these rivalries is the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. Both are coming off of wins where they completely dominated their opponents. This Week 2 Monday Night Football match up will be a key moment to setting the tone for the rest of the season.

Dallas Cowboys Offense:

The massive offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys sets the pace for the entire Dallas Cowboys offense. The sasquatch-like guard Leonard Davis is the leading member of this unit and blows open roles in the running game and seals off all inside pressure. The Dallas Cowboys offensive line enabled Tony Romo to stand in the pocket all day against the Cleveland Browns and let him deliver strike after strike against the weak secondary. The two-headed monster at RB featuring Marion Barber and Felix Jones gives Tony Romo a solid pair of weapons. TE Jason Witten cannot be covered by any LB or S and is just as much a receiving threat as Terrell Owens.

Dallas Cowboys Defense:

The Dallas Cowboys defense managed to hold the potent Cleveland Browns offensive machine to only 205 yards. The 3-4 defense didn’t rack up the sacks as usual thanks to a great O-line led by Joe Thomas, but Pacman Jones led the Dallas Cowboys secondary to shut out the impressive receiving threats. The powerful front 3 of the Dallas Cowboys 3-4 was able to spring the linebackers in run protection, and the rushing attack of the Cleveland Browns was all but destroyed. The improved Dallas Cowboys secondary was the story of the day and was gangbusters even without Terrance Newman.

Philadelphia Eagles Offense:

Any questions about Donavan McNabb were answered as the Philadelphia Eagles destroyed the St. Louis Rams like they were playing air. Donavan McNabb turned in a perfect game and quickly found a rhythm with his new best friend, rookie WR DeSean Jackson. RB Brian Westbrook was also in fine form and appears to still be one of the most versatile weapons in the NFL. The impressive Philadelphia Eagles offensive line did not give up a sack, and kept the St. Louis Rams No. 1 pick Chris Long in check all game.

Philadelphia Eagles Defense:

The Philadelphia Eagles defense also looked much improved from a year ago. LB Stewart Bradley and S Quintin Mikell led the Philadelphia Eagles defense as it shut down the team once known as “The Greatest Show on Turf”. With plenty of high draft picks used on it, the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line showed why such a deep unit is important as it totally shut down the running game and disrupted the passing game. CB Asante Samuel is the best player on the defense by far and can shut down entire halves of the field.

Dallas Cowboys Keys to Victory:

The Dallas Cowboys must get a better pass rush from their 3-4 set if they want to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. OLB DeMarcus Ware should be able to be a disruptive force against Donovan McNabb as he has had great success against the Philadelphia Eagles tackles in the past. With injuries to the Philadelphia receiving corps taking their toll, CBs Pacman Jones and Anthony Henry should have no trouble shutting down DeSean Jackson and company. The wildcard will be where and how RB Brian Westbrook plays as he can line up anywhere on the field and poses match-up problems.

The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the best secondaries in the NFL and also have a great pass rush. The Dallas Cowboys can counter this by running the football. Marion Barber has bruised ribs but should be fine for the game. Felix Jones can also step up and should get over 10 carries. If the big offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys can maul the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line for a few quarters, then Tony Romo should have enough time to throw. With Asante Samuel on Terrell Owens it will be up to TE Jason Witten to carry the receiving load.

Philadelphia Eagles Keys to Victory:

The Cleveland Browns failed against the Dallas Cowboys because they could get absolutely no pressure on Tony Romo. With defensive linemen like Broderick Bunkley and Trent Cole up front the Philadelphia Eagles should get much more heat on Tony Romo. If the big DTs of the Philadelphia Eagles can plug up the running lanes then the Philadelphia Eagles will have an even easier time rushing Tony Romo. Asante Samuel will earn every penny of his money if he can shut down Terrell Owens. It will be up to S Brian Dawkins to contain the dangerous Jason Witten.

As always RB Brian Westbrook will be the x-factor for the Philadelphia Eagles offense. Able to run with power and catch with grace Brian Westbrook has the ability to slow the blitzes of the Dallas Cowboys 3-4. The success of Brian Westbrook will be vital to the Philadelphia Eagles as the Dallas Cowboys secondary has the ability to shut out the small receivers of the Philadelphia Eagles. Donovan McNabb must also be given time, and the veteran offensive line of the Philadelphia Eagles must rise to the challenge presented by DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis. TE LJ Smith must also have a big day.

Cowboys vs. Eagles Outlook

Both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are coming off of games where they blew out their opponents. Both teams have also joined the New York Giants in already establishing the dominance of the NFC East. With the injury to Tom Brady and the general upheaval of the AFC powers, the NFC East has a real shot of holding the next Super Bowl winner. The heat will be on in this Monday Night Football game to give an early lead to the playoff race.

The Dallas Cowboys defense will be the difference maker. The ability of the 3-4 to bring blitzers from every direction enables the Dallas Cowboys to take advantage of the Philadelphia Eagles slow offensive line. The key match up will be the injury-plagued Philadelphia Eagles receiving corps vs. the stacked Dallas Cowboys secondary. DeSean Jackson was able to run wild on the St. Louis Rams, but he has yet to face a CB like Pacman Jones or Anthony Henry. Even with a stellar effort by Brian Westbrook the Philadelphia Eagles will not be able to overcome the vaunted Dallas Cowboys 3-4.