• March 29, 2024

The Eagles Versus The Cowboys Down The Stretch For The Playoffs

TonyRomo1With five games remaining on both teams schedules, the scene is set.  It’s going to be a battle between the Dallas Cowboys and the Eagles down the stretch for a playoff berth.  I like the Eagles chances of making the playoffs because they’re a team that’s been improving from week to week.  The teams that are getting better from week to week will make the playoffs and likely be the teams that also advance in the playoffs.

Last night, the Cowboys found a way to get the win after losing a big lead. They beat the Giants on a late, long Tony Romo-led drive.  With time running out on the clock, kicker Dave Bailey booted a 35-yard field goal to the give the Cowboys a 24-21 victory.  That puts Dallas in a first place tie with the Eagles at 6-5, but the Cowboys have the tiebreaker because they’re 4-0 in the division, while the Birds are 3-2.

Now let’s take a look at the five remaining games on each team’s schedule.

Dallas will host the 4-7 Oakland Raiders this Thursday on Thanksgiving Day.  Their next game will be in Chicago against the 6-5 Bears.  The following week the Cowboys will welcome the 5-5-1 Green Bay Packers to Cowboys Stadium.  The week after that they’ll go to Washington to battle the 3-7 Redskins.  The next week of course they’ll play the season finale against the Eagles in Dallas.

Could Dallas run the table before that final game against the Eagles?  There’s a possibility of that, but the health of each team will play a major role down the stretch.  Will Aaron Rodgers be in good health when the Cowboys go to Green Bay?  Hopefully the Redskins will get up for their NFC East rivals in that next to final game.

Now let’s take a look at the Eagles final five opponents.  They will host the 7-4 Arizona Cardinals next Sunday.  The next week they will play in Lincoln Financial Field again, this time against the 6-5 Detroit Lions.  The following week the Birds will go to Minnesota to take on the 2-8-1 Vikings.  The week after that game, Philadelphia will host the 6-5 Chicago Bears.

The Arizona game this week will be a tough one.  The Cardinals are a team that’s just hitting its stride. The next week in their battle with Detroit, it could be a shootout with both teams stressing the scoreboard.  The Birds shouldn’t have much trouble with the Vikings, but the next week against the Bears will probably be a tough one.  Chicago might be battling for their own playoff berth, so that one won’t be easy.

On the final week of the season, the Eagles will have their destiny in their own hands when they go to Dallas.  The health of both teams will play a very important role that week.  Injuries can make a team barely recognizable, so we hope the Birds stay healthy down the stretch.

I think the Eagles will need to win at least 3 of the 4 games left on their schedule before winning the final game to go to the playoffs.  Dallas has an easier schedule, so the Birds must play their best football to get the playoff appearance.

GCOBB

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vinnietheevictor
vinnietheevictor
November 25, 2013 10:37 am

The Eagles clearly have the tougher road. Dallas wins the Thanksgiving game, faces a fading Bears squad, Redskins are irrelevant and they have the advantage of hosting the Birds. GB is another win if AR isn’t back. Hurry back Rogers!

The Birds have the tougher slog, facing playoff desperate teams in Ariz and Det.

I’m hoping the Cardds aren’t up for this game, coming off a big celebratory win over Indy and facing the now semi relevant and division rival Rams the following week. Maybe a letdown for the Cards this week. Hopefully.

The birds also get detroit after a big divisional tilt. That might mean something, except they get the @mini-by@ off the Thangsgiving games. Detroit is an undisciplined team that hasn’t beaten a +.500 team on the road this year.

Win those 2 and its pretty clear sailing over the next 2. Both Minny will be playing out the string, and Chicago is coming apart and thinking about which QB to draft next year.

I think the reasonable scenario is for the Boys to go 3-1 or probably 4-0 and the Eagles to go 3-1 going in to the final showdown. That last game will be very important for the Birds, not to win the division, but for a wildcard birth. I think if Dallas and Philly have the same record after the next 4 games, then mathematically, the Eagles cannot win the division.

Too bad the Eagles started 1-4 eh?

RealTalk777
RealTalk777
November 25, 2013 2:24 pm

Most definitely wish the defense was playing at this level early on…But it is what it is! Sitting where we are now is due to complete team football, no individuals are getting it done by themselves, nor has there ever been a team that got it done relying on a single player….Still the same ole same with you I see.

Stevo
Stevo
November 25, 2013 5:00 pm

agree vinn- at the start of the season, the eagles D gave up over 30 points a game. Now they are down to about 17- thats an amazing turn around. I pin point the SD game as a game that may really hurt us this season… When your O gives you 30 points… u just need to finish- as we watched last night.

koolbreeze
koolbreeze
November 25, 2013 11:46 am

This is when the real test for Nick Foles begins! We are well rested getting this bye after a grueling start with 3 games in 11 days with a struggling defense! There are no excuses… We now get to see Foles against tough competition! If he wilts under pressure like he did in the Dallas game, Kelly can’t wait around for the kid to collect himself…we have to stay in the race and keep up with Dallas! He might have to have a quick hook and put the veteran Vick back in IF we see clear signs of choking up!

mhenski
mhenski
November 25, 2013 3:11 pm
Reply to  koolbreeze

lmfao

you are so transparent kool. i dont get the vick worshiping and foles hating at all.

you did say something very true though – “This is when the real test for Nick Foles begins! ” and “We now get to see Foles against tough competition! ”

agree with that and cant wait to see how he does

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
November 25, 2013 3:22 pm
Reply to  koolbreeze

koolbreeze —
Mike Vick stats vs Arizona week 3 last year (17-37 for 217 yards 2 fumbles in a 27 to 6 loss to Cards with Kolb )

mhenski
mhenski
November 25, 2013 3:37 pm

cmon eagles0superbowls the coaching, the refs, o line, wr were terrible last year. lmfao

frankdialogue
November 25, 2013 12:44 pm

I give the nod to the Cowboys for the following reasons:

1) Eagles have tougher schedule with 4 out of their last 5 opponents in the thick of the playoff hunt.

2) Cowboys are a better team on BOTH sides of the ball, even considering their injuries on defense.

3) At this time, I give the nod to Romeo over Foles at QB; one must also consider that Romeo is simply due to get back to the playoffs even though he seems to shoot himself and his team in the foot every year…Romeo has all the tools.

4) Cowboys might have the edge as far as field goal kicker.

I would venture 10-6 will win the East…Eagles maybe 8-8 0r 9-7.

I hope I’m wrong…Nick Foles’ job should not depend on the Eagles winning the East, unless he has a total collapse in the remaining games.

paulman
paulman
November 25, 2013 6:35 pm
Reply to  frankdialogue

I disagree Frank
Cowboys have a better WR Corps and a better TE which I agree about,
But their OL is Average, their RB’s can’t stay healthy,
Their DL is Average, their Safeties are worse than the Eagles…
and the LB Corp’s is about a wash for both Teams….
COwboys Kicker is more consistent, Eagles Punter is Better

These are 2 pretty evenly match Teams in my opinion,
but a month of Games to worry about and prepare and play before worrying about th Cowboys for the final game…

Eagles need to beat the Cardinals at home this Week which is going to be a tough game, Cardinals play in the toughest Division in Football with Seahawks,49ers and an improved Rams Team ..

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
November 25, 2013 2:46 pm

Giants ran out of Cornerbacks yesterday due to injuries — in the final drive Romo completed three 3rd down conversions to whoever Antrel Rolle was covering one on one ( 2 to Dez Bryant and one to some little white guy named Beasley where Rolle fell down on an out pattern)

koolbreeze
koolbreeze
November 25, 2013 5:16 pm

Drawing comparisons to last year is ridiculous…it’s all about THIS YEAR! It’s even between us and the hated Cowboys! We should be a game up on the Cowboys if it were not for Foles choke up against them! The media has sung the praises of Foles, the offensive line has been brilliant, the defense and special teams has been excellent in the last few games and Foles has been hot! so there are no excuses now,,,none at all…the quarterback will now take us over the top or he won’t ! To get the job done Foles has to beat some good teams and good defenses! It’s simple…he gets the job done and he will prove that he is truly the Quaterback of this team! But if we see another sup-par, choke job like the Dallas game…if he stumbles now under the pressure..like he did in the preseason fight for the QB job…then We know what we got!

mhenski
mhenski
November 25, 2013 6:06 pm
Reply to  koolbreeze

U have to work for gcobb, and are paid to make foolish posts to get more pageviews. You can admit it people will still respond.

koolbreeze
koolbreeze
November 26, 2013 10:15 am
Reply to  mhenski

LOL..are you paid to be a jerk?