The Philadelphia Eagles can take a giant step closer to ending a curious streak when they visit the division rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles are looking to become the first team to successfully defend the NFC East title in more than two decades.
Defense has been a specialty of late for the Eagles (8-2), who entered Week 12 with a four-game winning streak and a comfortable lead over the Cowboys (4-5-1), Washington Commanders (3-8) and New York Giants (2-9).
Philadelphia has won the division in four of the last eight seasons, but no team has gone back-to-back since the Eagles won four straight NFC East crowns under head coach Andy Reid from 2001-04.
Philadelphia and Dallas are both 2-1 in the division this season, including the Eagles’ season-opening 24-20 win at home. In that one, Jalen Hurts rushed for two touchdowns, Saquon Barkley scored another and the defense limited Dak Prescott to 188 yards and no touchdown passes.
Coordinator Vic Fangio’s Philadelphia defense enters the rematch in peak form, coming off a 10-7 win at Green Bay in Week 10 and a 16-9 defeat of Detroit in Week 11.
That unit will have its hands full against a Dallas offense that ranks No. 2 in the NFL in points per game (29.6) and No. 3 in yards per game (378.7).
“They’re one of the best offenses in the league,” Fangio said Tuesday. “… They’ve got balance. They’re really a good offense with those dynamic receivers, the tight end, Javonte (Williams) at running back, and Prescott makes it go. He’s having a hell of a year.”
The Cowboys have hit the 40-point mark three times this season and are unbeaten (4-0-1) when they score at least 30, including Monday night’s 33-16 road win against the Las Vegas Raiders behind Prescott’s four TD tosses.
“The Cowboys always have our attention,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said Wednesday. “They’ve been a good team for a long time and a lot of respect there. This is obviously our next game, so our biggest game of the year. A lot of respect for this team and the moves that they’ve made to help their team out, I have a lot of respect for that.”
The Dallas offense also ranks seventh in the league in third-down conversions with a 42.7% success rate. The Eagles limited the Packers and Lions to 8 of 26 conversions on third down and just 1 of 8 on fourth down.
Anchoring the Philadelphia defensive effort are tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Davis was just named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week after batting down three passes against the Lions. Carter missed most of the Week 1 meeting after being thrown out for spitting on Prescott.
“It’s a big difference. He’s a really good player,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday about what Carter’s presence will mean in the rematch. “He’s packaged in there with some really good players. Jordan Davis is obviously an incredible player as well. And you got Jaelan Phillips. It’s a hell of a defense.
“… The game’s going to be really tough but we love that challenge.”
Prescott is nursing a minor hip injury this week that is not expected to affect his availability for Sunday. He was listed as limited in Wednesday’s walk-through practice. Also limited were defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder/neck) and Dante Fowler (shoulder), defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (calf), left guard Tyler Smith (knee) and safeties Donovan Wilson (elbow/shoulder) and Malik Hooker (toe).
The Eagles could be without center Cam Jurgens (concussion) and right tackle Lane Johnson (foot), who both missed practice Wednesday. Johnson reportedly could miss 4-6 weeks with a Lisfranc sprain. Phillips (shoulder) was a limited participant.
