The Philadelphia Eagles gear up for a pivotal NFC East clash against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, where a victory would secure the division crown and bolster their bid for the top seed in the playoffs. On the other hand, the Cowboys, already eliminated from postseason contention, come into the game on a hot streak and ready to embrace the role of spoiler. “They have more at stake than we do,” Cowboys standout Micah Parsons remarked, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the matchup.
With no playoff pressure, Dallas is poised to play with an aggressive and carefree style, while Philadelphia must handle the burden of playoff expectations. The Cowboys have emerged victorious in four of their last five games, including a thrilling 26-24 upset over the postseason-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Their surging defense has been a key factor, with cornerback DaRon Bland disrupting passes in four consecutive games and delivering a standout performance against Tampa. Together with Jourdan Lewis, Bland will face the formidable challenge of defending Eagles receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Philadelphia’s passing game, which ranks near the bottom of the league with an average of 183 yards per game (second-lowest in the NFL), now falls on the shoulders of backup quarterback Kenny Pickett. With Jalen Hurts out due to a concussion, Pickett will face a daunting challenge against a surging Dallas secondary and the relentless pass rush of Micah Parsons, who has been the NFL leader in sacks and pressures since Week 9.
Micah Parsons, just half a sack shy of reaching double digits for the fourth consecutive season, is poised to be a disruptive force in Philadelphia’s backfield. Although the Eagles feature one of the NFL’s premier offensive lines, anchored by Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson on the edges, neutralizing Parsons will be essential to protecting Kenny Pickett and maintaining offensive stability.
In their previous matchup this season, Dallas successfully contained Saquon Barkley, holding the NFL’s top rusher to just 66 yards on 16 carries. With Hurts out, Dallas is expected to crowd the line of scrimmage and challenge Kenny Pickett to beat them with his arm, setting up a high-risk, high-reward situation for Philadelphia’s offense.
The Eagles cannot afford to underestimate this game or let playoff scenarios distract them. Division rivalries are known for unpredictable outcomes, and Dallas has plenty of incentive to play the role of spoiler in front of its home crowd. If Philadelphia wants to avoid a costly misstep, they must match the Cowboys’ intensity and overcome a defense that is playing some of its best football of the season.
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