The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a heartbreaking and unconventional loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 16. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was removed from the game in the first quarter and didn’t return due to a concussion. He remains in concussion protocol heading into the Week 17 NFC East clash with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles last played the Cowboys in Week 10 in Dallas, coming away with a convincing 34-6 win. Hurts has been ruled out for the Week 17 contest, so backup quarterback Kenny Pickett will be QB1 as the Eagles try to lock up the division against their hated rivals in South Philadelphia. Here are three bold predictions for the Eagles vs. Cowboys game:
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught six passes for 51 yards against the Commanders last week. Most people would look at his stat line and think he had a solid game, but the former Heisman winner had one crucial drop.
The Eagles took a 30-28 lead with 3:48 remaining in the game. Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels threw an interception on the following drive, caught by Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. The Eagles had the opportunity to come out with a win after a late fourth-quarter comeback by Washington.
It was 3rd & 5 at the Commanders’ 22-yard line with 2:07 left after Washington called its second timeout. Pickett found Smith wide open in the middle of the field, but the usual shore-handed receiver dropped the pass to bring up fourth down. The Eagles had to settle for a field goal to take a 33-28 lead and give the ball back to Daniels with 1:58 on the clock.
The Commanders would orchestrate a nine-play, 57-yard touchdown drive and convert the two-point conversion to take a three-point lead with only six seconds remaining. Many things went wrong for the Eagles in their Week 16 loss, but Smith’s drop proved costly late in the game. The offense could’ve run down the clock and escaped with a win if he had caught the pass.
Look for Smith to rebound in the Week 17 matchup with the Cowboys. He had just two catches for 14 yards in the previous matchup, but he’ll want to make up for his drop last week. It’s also worth noting that Smith and his wife announced on Christmas Eve that they were expecting their second child.
One of the biggest storylines as the 2024 NFL regular season ends is Saquon Barkley’s chase for the single-season rushing yards record. Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson set the record in 1984 with 2,105 rushing yards. Dickerson recently chimed in, saying he doesn’t think Barkley will break his 40-year-old record and doesn’t want him to.
Barkley is the NFL’s leading rusher, with 1,838 rushing yards in 2024. He needs 268 yards in the season’s final two games to break Dickerson’s record. The Eagles’ running back must average 134 rushing yards in the final two weeks. He averages a league-leading 122.5 rushing yards per game.
The Cowboys have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL this year. Barkley only had 66 yards on 14 carries in the Week 10 matchup, but he was used far less than usual due to the big lead the Eagles had. Look for Barkley and the Eagles to take advantage of the Cowboys’ weakness, especially since Hurts is unable to suit up.
The Eagles’ stellar defense had their way with Cooper Rush and the Cowboys’ offense earlier in the season. Rush was 13/23 with just 45 passing yards. He was replaced by 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance late in the game.
The Eagles have one of the top pass defenses in the league. Cowboys’ superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury ahead of the Week 17 matchup. The Cowboys’ next leading receiver is Jalen Tolbert, who has 482 receiving yards this season and averages 32.1 yards per game. He had three catches for 14 yards in the previous matchup against the Eagles.
The Eagles will look to bounce back after an embarrassing loss a week ago. It’s hard to imagine the Cowboys’ offense having much success against one of the best defenses in the NFL, especially with their top offensive weapon on the sidelines.
Barkley is closing in on a historic record against a bad run defense. He’ll likely get plenty of opportunities on the ground with Pickett as the starting quarterback. Smith may not have a massive game depending on how the game unfolds, but the star receiver will make the most out of his opportunities after his drop against the Commanders.
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