Our Eagles vs. Cowboys predictions for Week 6

The Eagles (5-0) are hosting the Cowboys (4-1) on Sunday Night Football at the Linc.

To the predictions:

Reuben Frank (4-1)

The Cowboys have some serious star power. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. Trevon Diggs. CeeDee Lamb. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. I sat here for a while trying to figure out how the Eagles could possibly contend with all those superstars. And it won’t be easy. But I’ll take the complete team over the group of stars any day of the week, and I do believe the Eagles have a better group of 22 starters and a better 53-man roster than the Cowboys. Both teams have top-10 defenses, but get this: The Eagles are averaging 27 points per game, and the Cowboys haven’t scored 27 points in any game and are averaging just 18.6 points. I don’t think either team is going to score a ton of points, but I just think the Eagles are so much more productive and explosive than the Cowboys that they’ll be able to get into the mid 20s and the Cowboys won’t. The Eagles have won only six of their last 17 prime-time matchups with the Cowboys. They’ve lost four of the last five Cowboys games at the Linc. They’re 14-20 vs. Dallas since 2005 and 2-7 in the last nine meetings. I don’t care.

Eagles 24, Cowboys 19

Dave Zangaro (5-0)

I give the Cowboys a ton of credit for winning their last four games without Dak Prescott. They have a good roster. That defense has some superstars in Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence and that unit has really been winning these games. The Cowboys haven’t given up more than 19 points a game all season and that doesn’t happen by accident. But the defense has needed to be great because the offense with Cooper Rush isn’t very explosive. They’ve averaged 22.5 points in the last four games. The Cowboys’ whole game right now is to play efficiently on offense and great on defense. I think the Eagles are too good for that formula to work at the Linc on Sunday. I don’t think it’ll be a super high-scoring affair but the Eagles should be able to protect Jalen Hurts enough to let him cook and I think they’ll be able to finally force Rush into some mistakes.

Eagles 23, Cowboys 17

Barrett Brooks (5-0)

Dallas week has added importance this year! The Dallas defense looked unstoppable against a terrible Rams’ OL. The DL created pressure with games and slants up front. Matthew Stafford was sacked five times and hit just about every pass play. Let me reassure everyone that will not be the case against the Birds’ OL. The Eagles still have the best OL in football. I admit Micah Parsons is a generational talent, but he will have his hands full against tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. Shane Steichen must run the ball and that will neutralize the pass rush of the explosive Cowboy DL. This will be Jalen Hurts’ opportunity to show he is one of the elite QBs in the NFL by beating a top tire defense.

The Eagles’ defense must stop the run game. Everything the Cowboys try to do is run through Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. My player to watch is rookie NT Jordan Davis having a monster game clogging up the middle to stop the run. The Dallas offense will be run by backup Cooper Rush for at least one more week. He threw for under 105 yards to beat the Rams. He will have to do more than that to compete against the Eagles’ defense. The Birds match up well against the Cowboy’ defense vs. the pass. Avonte Maddox return will allow Jonathan Gannon to mix up coverage and take Rush's first read away. This will make him hold the ball and the DL should get home frequently against this average OL.

Aright, what I really wanted to say is, "I dislike Dallas! Dallas Sucks!” It’s time for the Eagles dynasty to take over the Division!

Eagles 27, Cowboys 18

Mike Mulhern (5-0)

While hot take TV shows are happy to gobble up the Cowboys “quarterback controversy” it’s pretty evident that Cooper Rush is the ultimate game manager. In place of Dak Prescott, Rush has been tasked with operating an offense with the highest run rate in the league and to not make mistakes when he does throw. It’s worked to the tune of a 4-0 record, but they’ve been front-running in every game he’s started, making his job appreciably easier. On Sunday night, the Eagles will deploy their 5-man defensive front with Jordan Davis dropped right in the middle to shut down the ground game and dare Dallas to put more on their backup quarterback’s plate.  Add in a ravenous crowd and a secondary that has a propensity to make big plays and I’m expecting a long night for the Cowboys QB.

This game will also double as a referendum on Jalen Hurts’ progress. As DeMarcus Lawrence put it “all y’all need to write is he hasn’t played the Cowboys yet, so we don’t know how good he is.” All shade aside, Hurts has clearly made strides this season, yet Dallas will be the best defense he’s faced so far. Expect the Eagles to use the running game and their horses up front to help slow down Micah Parsons and company. Then let’s see what Lawrence has to say afterwards.

Eagles 24, Cowboys 13

Adam Hermann (5-0)

A primetime matchup against a division rival having a good start to the season despite missing its franchise quarterback is not the easiest game to size up. I don't want to picture a world in which this iteration of the Eagles loses to Cooper Rush at home on Sunday Night Football, but the Cowboys are legitimately good right now at every position other than QB.

I do think there's a way the Eagles can lose this game. The Cowboys aren't an insanely good rushing team through five games (T-16th in the league in yards/attempt) but running the ball is their best way to win. Cooper Rush is not going to pilot an inspiring comeback through the air, but he can absolutely steer a team with a lead. If Dallas goes up early and leans on the run, we could have a problem. The Eagles allowed DeAndre Swift to torch them in Week 1, and James Conner had success on the ground in Week 5 - though they shut down Dalvin Cook and Antonio Gibson, so who knows?

The key is to get an early lead, as the Eagles have done multiple times this year, and keep the pedal to the metal. Yes Dallas's defense is good (3rd in points allowed, 3rd in yards per play, fourth in first downs allowed), but it's not impenetrable. The Cowboys are allowing 4.7 yards/attempt on the ground, T-20th in the NFL, and the Eagles thrive on the ground when they remember to just run the dang ball.

The Eagles also have an excellent defense, and the Cowboys' offense doesn't scare me. The Birds should - should! - be able to get the ball rolling early, feed off the crowd, and put Dallas away before the fourth quarter begins.

But don't be surprised if it winds up close late.

Eagles 27, Cowboys 21

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