December 07, 2023
Time will tell.
The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t made life easy, despite having the best record in the NFL. As they head into the most pivotal game of the season, the Eagles have a chance to make a statement. Of course, that can go either way coming off one of the worst losses in the Jalen Hurts era.
All throughout the season the Eagles have found ways to win. One of their only two losses was against Zach Wilson – what the hell – the other was against a team hell bent on revenge. It’s troubling that the Birds allowed San Francisco to roll into Philly and dominate, especially with such an obvious narrative ahead of the contest.
It was eye opening, and it might not be the worst of it. Losing in Dallas puts Philly equal with the Cowboys. Suddenly, that stranglehold on the rest of the NFL would be gone. A loss in Dallas would be devastating in the standings but also in the stands. For months now, we’ve been holding our breath waiting for a massive letdown, mainly because it’s difficult eking out wins while turning over the football and looking disjointed.
Last week validated those concerns. Either that or the Eagles simply didn’t care about the game. While the latter is certainly possible, it’s hard to think that Hurts and Nick Sirianni aren’t interested in winning every game. No, they tried, they just lost to a better team. They face another major test on the road this weekend, one that will define everything the Birds have done – or failed to do – throughout the entire season,
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is now the odds-on leader for MVP, while Dallas has won four straight. They come in with a massive amount of momentum led by the highest scoring offense in the league. Yes, more than Miami. This seems insurmountable for a defense ranked 31st in Defensive EPA and seemingly lives feast or famine on a pass rush.
If the Eagles can’t get to Prescott, it’s over. It’s been over for most of the season, except the Eagles have found ways to overcome poor or inefficient play on both sides of the ball. Crazy, right? A team that seems to continue to struggle with coaching, consistent play on offense and defense, injury, and just better game plans on the opposing side – the Eagles are still 10-2. They beat who is in front of them, much like Dallas, and it’s the exact reason why the Birds need to send the right message on Sunday.
The Eagles are going to win this game and respond with maximum volume. While last week was super frustrating, the week ahead is the best chance to silence criticism. Valid criticism, but still enough to motivate this team. That’s not enough to get the Eagles near or over the top against Dallas, but it’s a start. Hearing boos at home for two straight weeks can’t be a good feeling, especially knowing the product resulted in 10 wins. This is more than just a division clash, or rivalry dating back decades, it’s an entire statement on this season.
Is it fair to base an entire season’s work – one that still isn’t even over – on one game? Yes. This game. Losing the way in which they did to the Niners allowed this conversation. It gave life to the growing concerns about how rough this team can be, even though – (yea yea yea 10-2, we get it).
The Eagles are at their best when coming off a loss, and they are going to need it. Prescott has been lights out since Halloween, Dallas has a league-best +168 point differential, and they are currently riding a 14-game home win streak. Sounds like the Eagles have ‘em right where they want them.
Philly has won nine of the last fifteen games versus Dallas in which the Birds have a .750 winning percentage or better. The better the Eagles are, the better chance they have of beating Dallas. The Eagles also come off an embarrassment at home, and we normally see a major turn around for any team suffering a loss like that. It’s the nature of the NFL. Nothing is guaranteed, but the Eagles aren’t the Panthers either; more talented teams bounce back.
Dallas hasn’t been able to win enough matchups against winning teams. They haven’t beaten a team with a winning record. The Eagles have, despite losing the box score and being outgained – but those were against winning teams. It’s just a matter of which team is battle-tested versus which team has an overinflated ego.
That could have been the Eagles last week, but Christian McCaffery stuck a pin in that hot air balloon. Now it’s Dallas’ turn to be brought down to reality. Betting against Jalen Hurts is the wrong move, especially against winning teams. Hurts and the Birds behind him are 14-1 over their last 15 regular season games versus teams with a winning record.
That means no matter what happens between the opening and closing whistles, the Eagles find ways to win. They will again on Sunday.
Eytan Shander is a long time radio and TV personality in Philadelphia. In addition to his weekly column, you can currently listen and watch him on Fox29’s Good Day and other sports shows. He’s giving betting advice on OddsShopper. A lifetime Eagles fan, Eytan lives just outside the city with his wife.
Follow Eytan on Twitter: @shandershow
