Here’s how Cowboys can beat the Eagles: Avoiding laundry, stressing seams

Dallas will need to play with discipline and take advantage of the Eagles’ secondary in order to pull out a victory, says @cdpiglet.

The Dallas Cowboys extended their home undefeated streak to 14 straight games Thursday night, but it was unlike any game at AT&T Stadium thus far in the 2023 season. The Cowboys weren’t sitting their starters with a significant lead in the fourth quarter. Instead, they needed nearly every second to put away the Seattle Seahawks 41-35. The offense showed up like they have every game since their bye week. Dak Prescott continued to play like an MVP candidate, and CeeDee Lamb kept up his dominant performances in 2023.

The defense was a surprising letdown,  but they came up with big stops late to help seal the victory for Dallas.  That was enough against Seattle, but if the Cowboys want to beat the 10-2 Philadelphia Eagles, the offense must continue to carry a considerable burden, and the defense will also need to play much better. Here are some things the team must do to beat Philadelphia and take over the lead in the NFC East.

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy to have appendix surgery, plans to coach vs Eagles Sunday night

From @ToddBrock24f7: The 60-year-old coach experience abdominal pain Wednesday morning, but is expected to be released from the hospital later in the day.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is set to have appendix surgery on Wednesday, according to the team, but he still plans to be on the sideline Sunday night when the Cowboys host the division-leading Eagles.

McCarthy, who just turned 60 last month, reportedly experienced abdominal pains Wednesday morning “that warranted further evaluation and resulted in a diagnosis of acute appendicitis,” the Cowboys said via a statement.

The coach is expected to be released later in the day; coordinators Brian Schottenheimer, Dan Quinn, and John Fassel will run team practices until McCarthy returns. Additionally, Quinn will handle Wednesday’s regularly-scheduled press conference; Schottenheimer will do Thursday’s.

The typical recovery time from an appendix surgery is only a few days, provided the appendix has not burst. If the appendix has burst, recovery time can be longer.

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McCarthy reportedly intends to be back on the job in time for an NFC East showdown that could see the 9-3 Cowboys move into a first-place tie with a win over the 10-2 Eagles.

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Eagles TE Dallas Goedert ‘feeling really good,’ expects to play vs Cowboys

From @ToddBrock24f7: The Philly TE broke a forearm against the Cowboys in Week 9, but he’s made a quick recovery and expects to be heavily involved this Sunday.

The Philadelphia Eagles could be getting a major piece of their passing attack back just in time for Sunday night’s visit to AT&T Stadium.

Tight end Dallas Goedert, who has been out with a broken forearm suffered in the teams’ Week 9 meeting, tells a Philadelphia radio station that he is mostly recovered exactly one month later and eager to suit up in the monumental showdown that will help determine the NFC’s playoff picture.

“It’s been healing really well,” Goedert said Tuesday on 94 WIP SportsRadio. “I’d say it’s probably feeling like 85, 90 percent of the way there. Feeling really good, back to normal.”

Goedert suffered a fractured forearm on a sideline tackle made by Cowboys safety Markquese Bell in the third quarter of the teams’ previous meeting on Nov. 5. Irate Eagles fans were quick to accuse Bell of dirty play, even though Goedert initiated contact with an extended stiff-arm.

Goedert had amassed three catches for 50 yards on four targets prior to the injury.

The sixth-year veteran returned to practice late last week but was declared inactive for the Eagles’ Week 13 home date versus San Francisco. The 49ers won that game decisively, dropping Philly to 10-2 on the year. Now the 9-3 Cowboys could move into a tie with the Eagles atop the NFC East with a win on Sunday.

The Eagles have definitely noticed Goedert’s absence. During the three games he’s missed, backups Jack Stoll and Albert Okwuegbunam have combined for two receptions on five targets for 17 yards. Despite not playing since that Week 9 injury, Goedert remains the Eagles’ third-leading receiver in targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns.

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In the eight full games that Geodert played before the injury, Philadelphia averaged 286.5 passing yards per contest; in the three full games without him, that average has fallen to 201.3.

“I’m able to do everything I need to do in my position group,” Goedert continued, “so I’m planning on going down to Dallas and playing every snap that they allow me to.”

The Cowboys defense is allowing an average of 181.1 passing yards per game, the fifth-best mark in the league. But they’re also giving up 1.42 passing touchdowns per outing, eighth-worst among all teams.  And of the 27 total touchdowns the Cowboys have allowed in 2023, six have been scored by opposing tight ends.

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