Eagles-Cowboys Pregame Thoughts
BREAKING NEWS, Eagles, News Sunday, November 11th, 2012
This Is Cowboys Week…Right?
Want a damning indication about how disappointing and unlikable this Philadelphia Eagles team is? Just look at how little excitement there has been amongst the fans this week for a home game against the hated Dallas Cowboys.
Normally before a game like this, Eagles fans would be talking about some of the great moments in this rivalry in great anticipation of the latest chapter set to unfold in the coming weekend.
But this year, it’s different.
Eagles fans aren’t talking about how many turnovers they can force from Tony Romo. They aren’t talking about what the Eagles can do to slow down DeMarcus Ware and the Dallas pass rush. They aren’t even talking about Cowboys owner Jerry Jones getting locked out of his team’s locker room a week ago, or about how he just declared that he will never step down as the team’s general manager.
This year, there isn’t much energy or enthusiasm entering Cowboys Week. And the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles can thank themselves for that.
The Eagles have managed to suck all of the enthusiasm for the 2012 season out of the city just eight games into the season. Followers of this team have been worn down by the underwhelming quality of play they’ve seen from this roster. They haven’t seen an Eagles victory in well over a month, and instead have been treated to high-profile players make hollow excuses for their losses while scolding the fans about loyalty.
Halfway through the season, the Eagles haven’t shown their supporters any reasons to suggest that they can make a dramatic turnaround. Fans have been waiting through one letdown after another for this team to put forth a dominating effort that makes them resemble the squad that many projected to win 10 or 11 games before the season. But at this point in the year it’s clear that this team was overrated by many, and they’ve got too many flaws to be a winning football team.
After seeing this team produce mediocre results while making the same head-scratching mistakes over and over again for the last year and a half, this team’s act has really grown stale in the city and turned what is typically one of the most anticipated weeks in every Eagles season into somewhat of an afterthought.
However, on Sunday the fans will put aside the frustration they feel over their team. They’ll be at Lincoln Financial Field in full force, hoping that the Eagles can do what they haven’t done all year, and summon up enough competency to convincingly defeat the Cowboys and restore a little bit of the fans’ confidence in them.
How The Eagles Can Beat The Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a team that has many of the same problems that the Eagles have. They’re ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring, they’ve got a quarterback that turns the ball over, they’re run by an incompetent head coach, and as a whole they’re a talented team that underachieves.
Tony Romo has reverted back into a turnover machine this season, tossing 13 interceptions. He’s going to give the Eagles several opportunities to create turnovers, and change the outcome of the game. The Philadelphia defense needs to be ready to capitalize on these chances. These potential turnovers will not only give the Eagles more scoring chances, but it will keep the Dallas offense from getting into a rhythm. On a good day, Romo can run the offense at a high level if he’s allowed to get into a flow. The Eagles need to force at least two turnovers to win today.
Once again, as laughable as this sounds, the best way for the Eagles to put up points on Dallas is to put the ball in the hands of their best player (LeSean McCoy) and establish a run against an average run defense. The Cowboys are ranked fifth in the league against the pass, and their elite pass rush is sure to give the pathetic Philadelphia offensive line trouble throughout the day. A pass-happy approach is doomed to fail against this defense, but a balanced attack stands a chance for decent production.
Why The Cowboys Will Win
The Cowboys will win this game simply because Andy Reid and Marty Morhinweg won’t do the sensible thing and commit to a run-first offense. For an offensive line that now only has one of their original starters, that’s the recipe for a long afternoon.
The Dallas defense is the difference in this game. They’ve got a number of favorable matchups, and I can’t see how an offense that could only put up 13 points against the New Orleans Saints (who were giving up an average of 30 before last week) will be able to accomplish much against a superior defense.
The thought of guys like DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, and Jay Ratliff matched up against the likes of Demetress Bell, Dallas Reynolds, and Dennis Kelly may be the mismatch of the century.
Offensively, the Dallas offense hasn’t had a good year, but they’ll have a chance for strong success against the Eagles defense. The league has figured out the Wide-Nine pass rush, and the Eagles can no longer count on their defensive lineman to give them a strong pass rush. The secondary figures to struggle again against talented receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.
Final Thoughts
As bad as the Cowboys have been this year, I think they’re the better team right now and that really says a lot about just how bad this Eagles team is.
The difference between the two teams right now is that the Eagles have quit and the Cowboys are still playing to save their season. They gave the Atlanta Falcons a better effort in Atlanta a week ago than the Eagles gave against the same Falcons in Philadelphia two weeks back.
I think the Eagles are going to struggle to put up more than 13 points again, and the Cowboys hand the team another frustrating loss.
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Posted by Denny Basens
on Nov 11 2012. Filed under BREAKING NEWS, Eagles, News.
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its also sad to see 2 teams built to smash on D. Man i wish we had coaches and a style like this.
and i bet if we booed our player while he was getting up off the ground and getting med help…. it would be all over the news. Hey babbin….. what did they say today?
No vinnie….. thats not the point. “ok” is not ok. This team was in it all the way till today. You said they would be better with Vick on the bench and they were not… THATS the point. You have made it clear over and over that this TEAM is not to blame but that Vick is to blame. They changed the QB and NOTHING changed. THATS the point.
I dont like Vick. I dont like him as a man. I dont like the drop back and let it roll…. swag…. crap. BUT…. thats what he was brought in to do. Thats what this O is built to do. And he has not thrown his team under a bus… or “quit” on this team either. He is doing what he can and bottom line….. this TEAM is not good enough.
U backed yourself in the corner. U wanted the rook… not to see what he can do..like you claim now. But because you felt he was the best QB we have… the guy who would take us over the top…NOW.
You’re an idiot.
fitting…. i call you out on all the silly points you try to make and… you change your motives… i call you out on your motives and you name call.
You sir are predictable and simple.
Firstly, It was late and you’re obstinate.
Secondly, I never once said any of the things you said I did.
Thirdly, the team did improve yesterday under Foles, (if you didn’t see that I can’t help you) though I will highlight the improvements for you later today when I have a couple mins.
How? How did they improve?
Did he make the Oline look better? Vick was not sacked last night. Was foles?
Vick had no int’s last night. Did Foles?
How did he make them look better?
Listen, dont get it twisted… I pray Foles is AMAZING… i want him to lead this team to 27 str SB’s. I was praying he led them to a win last night.
My ONLY point against you for these last 2 years or whatever is that THIS TEAM SUCKS AND THERE IS PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO ROUND.
Vinnie is right.Foles played well and the some of the mistakes he made like staring down Havili I saw Vick do as an 11 year vet against Cleveland.The swing pass he threw that go picked was called back was a play where he assumed he looked off the linebacker a play that is very correctable.The pick six to Desean is a play that a top reciever makes and thats one of the big problems on this team.They cant come up with big plays consistently.The sack in the endzone was meaningless,the game was over.I see something in this QB can’t wait to see him again!
i have to do a better job
Have anyone noticed that the media is not blaming Foles for turnovers but would have blasted Vick if he would have did the same as Foles?
hmmmmmmmm
More proof the issues is with coaching nd this pathetic offensive line, along with a soft defense.
No QB could survive in this system under Reid…not one
Songs- I expect rookies to play like Foles did tonight.. Especially coming off the bench after not playing ball in almost 3 months.
I expect a 11 year Veteran to be sharp. The facts are that regardless of what Foles is will be or is not and will not be. It was far more interesting to watch something new. We have seen the vick show and it’s average over the course of his whole career.
Foles played like a rookie. So did vick early this year. One is and one should be helping his head coach get out of town. (Well maybe he has)
Not the point. The point is not about WHO is qb. Its not about Foles doing a great job or a bad job. The point is that QB is not the BIG problem on this team.
Who Here ever said that over the past 3 years Coaching was not the primary problem?
Almost everyone agrees with the fact that the coach should have been gone in 2006.
14th year of a 5 year plan. YUCK
Vinnie. Vinnie says it starts and ends with the QB.
Vinnie says that Montana and a butt load of other guys could play behind this system and this oline and win under coach Reid.
I see 1win over the Redskins and Panthers and that’s about it to
Finish 5-11 which should place the Eagles for a 5th-8th Pick
In 2013 Draft and the entire Coaching Staff fired
Vick gone, Avant gone, Dion Lewis, D Bell, Babin. C Jenkins, Asmo
All released or possibly traded if there any takers out there for these chumps
Play CB Boynkin on the outside where he belongs
Play Hughes as Slot CB, convert Marsh to Safety
Play Kendrick’s at WILl and move Fletcher Cox to DE
Then draft a Safety, SAM LB, and DT and another CB
Paulman… im basically with you on all of this. Bull blown rebuild time baby.
what happened to the schill & Navy?
Paid, Eagles PR internet schills.
I think they went on a Cruise..
Right Now the Eagles would be looking at a 5th thru 8th Selection in the Draft
#1) Jaguars (1-8)
#2) KC Chiefs (1-7)
#3) Panthers (2-7)
#4) Browns (2-7)
#5 thru #9 (Eagles,Redskins,Raiders,Jets,Bills are all 3-6)
#10) SL Rams (3-5-1)
Paulman’s 1st Mock Draft of the Top 10 Draft PIcks in the 2013 Draft
1st Overall Pick – Jaguars – DT Star Lutuleile (Utah 6-3 320lbs)
2nd Pick – KC Chiefs – QB Geno Smith (West Virginia 6-3 220lbs)
3rd Pick – Panthers – CB Dee Milliner (Alabama 6-1 200lbs)
4th Pick – Browns – OLB Jarvis Jones (Georgia 6-2 245lbs)
5th Pick – EAGLES – OT Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M 6-6 310lbs)
6th Pick – Redksins – MLB Manti Te’o (Notre Dame 6-2 255lbs)
7th Pick – Raiders – QB Matt Barkley (USC 6-2 230lbs)
8th Pick – Bills – OT Taylor Lewan (Michigan 6-7 310lbs)
9th Pick – NY JEts – DT Jonathon Hankins (Ohio State 6-3 320lbs)
10th Pick – SL Rams – OT Jake Matthews (Texas A&M 6-5 305lbs)
That’s How I see it as of November …
ill take that Pman….
We would get our LT back too.
I would take either OT from Texas A & M and have them Start Day 1 at RT
J Peters returns back at LT, then Maths at LG, Center Kelce returns, move Herremans to RG and play 1st Draft Pick at RT..
Then you have Watkins,Reynolds,Vallos, Vandervelde as back-ups and still need an OT for Depth to groom.
I would release Dunlap.Bell immediately after the Season is over
(actually D Bell would have neve made my 53 Man Roster to begin with as he’s been clueless from his 1st day at Eagles Camp and has gotten progressively worse since )
I would attempt to sign one of the FA tackles: Clady, Vollmer, Long or Bushrod. Agree on moving Herremans back to G and then drafting an impact player at another spot.
I can’t see any of the Top OT’s in Free-Agency not being re-signed by their Current Teams..
You have Franchise QB’s for the Broncos,Pats,Brees, and even the Dplphins Future with up and comer Tannehill at a Premium position that’s hard to fill..
I see all the Players above being resigned by their Current Teams
I can dream can’t I? If not, then yes take the best Tackle available with the 1st pick.
Top 10 OT’s in the 2013 Draft as of Today
#1) L Joeckel (Texas A&M – 6-6 310lbs- Starting LT from Day 1- Top #5 Pick)
#2) T Lewan (Michigan – 6-7 310 lbs- Top 10 Pick in Draft )
#3) J Matthews (Texas A&M 6-5 305lbs – Top Half of 1st Round)
#4) E Fisher (Central Mich 6-7 305lbs – late 1st Rd)
#5) B Williams (UNC 6-7 315lbs -early 2nd Rd)
#6) D Thomas (Tenn 6-5 310lbs- mid 2nd Rd)
#7) O Aboushi (Virginia 6-6 310lbs – mid 2nd Rd)
#8) DJ FLuker (Alabama 6-6 335lbs- mid/late 2nd Rd)
#9) L Johnson (Oklahoma 6-6 303lbs – late 2nd Rd)
#10) J Pugh (Syracuse – 6-5 300lbs – early 3rd Rd)
Lots of Good Tackle Prospects in the 2013 Draft..