First place in the NFC East is on the line Monday night as the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) host the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1). The game also provides a showdown between quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts, as both need a big win for different reasons. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
Last year the teams split the series, with the home team winning both games. Dallas is 6-4 in the last ten games and 70-54 all-time against the Eagles. The last time Philadelphia won in Texas was in 2017, and they have just two road wins over the Cowboys in the last six tries.
Hurts Needs To Make a Statement
The Eagles are 1-1 with a home loss to the San Francisco 49ers and a home win over the Atlanta Falcons. The offense has been hit or miss with 32 points in the opener and just 11 in Week 2.
Hurts is a Texas native, losing 37-17 to the Cowboys in December of last season despite throwing for 342 yards. This will be his first career Monday night start and his first NFL prime-time game. Hurts has completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 454 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a team-high 144 yards and a score.
Last week against the 49ers, the Eagles wideouts struggled as Hurts completed just 12 passes. The wide receivers had just six catches, two by Heisman winner Devonta Smith. Running back, Miles Sanders has 129 rushing yards and five receptions in the first two games.
The Eagles will be without Pro Bowl defensive end Brandon Graham and Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Brooks. Veteran Ryan Kerrigan will be tasked with replacing Graham and slowing down the Cowboys’ offense. Landon Dickerson, a 2021 draftee out of Alabama, will make his first NFL start in place of Brooks.
The Eagles defense has allowed just 23 points in two games, despite not having an interception yet in 2021. Defensive tackled Javon Hargrave has two of the team’s three sacks.
Prescott Getting Healthy for Cowboys
Dallas started the season with a close loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on National TV. They bounced back last week to beat the LA Chargers on a last-second field goal.
Prescott has returned from a gruesome ankle injury, and Monday will be his first home game since he was hurt last season. In two games this season, he has 640 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Prescott has completed 76 percent of his passes but rushed just four times for 13 yards.
Ezekiel Elliott is off to a slow start with 104 yards in two games and one touchdown. He is averaging 3.9 yards per carry and has been surpassed by Tony Pollard as the leading rusher. Pollard has 123 yards with a 7.7 yards per carry average and a touchdown.
CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper have been a great 1-2 punch for Prescott. Lamb has 15 catches for 185 yards with a touchdown, while Cooper has 16 catches for 163 yards and two scores. They will challenge the Eagles’ secondary all game long as they have already combined for six plays this season of at least 20 yards.
Dallas gets pass-rusher Randy Gregory back from the COVID-19 list, but the line will be without Carlos Watkins and Dorance Armstrong. DeMarcus Lawrence is also out injured, while rookie Micah Parsons will likely move to the line as he did last week against the Chargers.
Betting Analysis
- Philadelphia Eagles +3.5 (-115). Money line +160
- Dallas Cowboys -3.5 (-105). Money line -190
- Total Points: 51.5. Over -105. Under -115
The Eagles scored just 11 points last week against the 49ers, and the offense will need to be on point to keep this game close. Dallas has an explosive offense, and Prescott is getting more comfortable week to week. If they can get anything from the run game, Monday could be a long night for Philadelphia.
Betting Pick: Cowboys -3.5 (-105)
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