Eagles-Cowboys: Week 8 Preview

By Patrick Del Gaone, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 

After two consecutive losses, the Eagles stopped the bleeding last week against previously unbeaten Minnesota with a 21-10 victory on their home field.

This weekend, 4-2 Philadelphia looks to avoid their third straight road loss, and an 0-2 start in the division when they take on the 5-1 Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m.

Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott has surpassed even the loftiest of expectations since taking over for injured quarterback Tony Romo. The vigilant gunslinger from Mississippi State is completing 68.7 percent of his passes with only one interception through six games. At this point, it seems the stellar play of Prescott will allow him to remain the starter when Romo returns.

Carson Wentz is going through a bit of a slump these past two weeks. In last week's win, the rookie threw for only 138 yards and was picked off twice by the Vikings' stingy defense. Wentz's confidence seems to have been shaken a bit by the loss of bookend tackle Lane Johnson. To beat Dallas, Philadelphia will need Wentz's level of play to be taken up a notch.

Running Backs

Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in rushing with over 700 yards, and is averaging over five yards per carry in his rookie season. Aided by the Cowboys' enormous offensive line, the former Ohio State halfback has rushed for at least 134 yards in four consecutive games. Elliott will undoubtedly be the focal point for the Eagles' defense.

Ryan Mathews has been held without a rushing touchdown since Week 2, and once again lost a fumble late in the 4th quarter against Minnesota. Philadelphia coaches could turn to Darren Sproles or Wendell Smallwood to play a more prominent role if the ball security issues continue.

Wide Receivers

Star wideout Dez Bryant is expected to return for Sunday's divisional matchup against the Eagles. In Bryant's absence, Cole Beasley has been the go-to target for Prescott. The former SMU Mustang hauled in two touchdowns last week against the Packers. Jason Witten remains one of the most dependable tight ends in the NFL.

The Eagles haven't received tremendous production out of the wide receiver or tight end position this year. Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor combined for only 20 receiving yards on five grabs in last week's win. Josh Huff netted 39 receiving yards against the Vikings, and gave his team a much needed spark when he returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the first half.

Defense

The Cowboys rank 17th in total defense, allowing over 358 yards per game, but have been able to find ways to keep the opposition out of the endzone, yielding only 17.8 points per game (7th in NFL). When healthy, former Penn State linebacker Sean Lee is a menacing tackler, and one of the best players in the league at his position.

After an abysmal performance in Washington, Philadelphia's defense dominated Sam Bradford and the Vikings last Sunday. Jim Schwartz's unit hit Bradford an astounding 16 times on the afternoon, and gave up just three points before Minnesota scored a meaningless touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Player to Watch

Elliott is a streaky, yet dynamic player. In 2014, the former Buckeye helped Ohio State defeat Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship, then carried the team past Alabama and Oregon to win the Inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship. Right now, Elliott is red hot, and it'll take a collective effort from all three facets of the defense to slow down the all-purpose back.

A return to the 4-3 defensive scheme has allowed Graham evolve into one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranks the former Michigan Wolverine as the No. 2 edge defender in the league with a grade of 88.4, just behind Broncos end Von Miller.

Injury Report

Game Notes

• The Eagles are 3-0 in their last three games at AT&T Stadium.
• Philadelphia is 5-2 at AT&T Stadium since its opening in 2009. Their .714 winning percentage is the best by any Cowboys opponent at the venue.
• The Eagles are 61-49 all-time in regular-season primetime matchups.
• Since 2010, Philadelphia has won four of its last six Sunday Night Football games against the Cowboys.

Where to Watch

TV: NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)
Radio: 94 Sportsradio WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Howard Eskin)
National Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Kugler, James Lofton)