As Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy headed into midfield after his side’s frantic 40-34 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night, his counterpart Nick Sirianni reached out. As the two embraced, the Eagles coach delivered a message explaining the two franchises’ hopeful collision course.
“Mike, you guys are one hell of a team,” Sirianni said. “We’ll probably see you guys again.”
From the mouth of Sirianni to the ears of the football gods, one can only hope for this third meeting between these two teams, which would be the scoring rule in the 2022 season’s edition of this rivalry. It’s certainly necessary too, as neither franchise has gone a full game against the other in two meetings. While both games were entertaining affairs, the reality is that each team beat the other’s quarterback largely by catching mistakes from understudy. First with Philadelphia toppling a Cooper Rush-led Dallas in October with three interceptions, followed by the Cowboys returning the favor on Christmas Eve against a turnover-ridden Gardner Minshew-led Eagles offense.
The elements of both wins were exciting and eye-opening, but none were as fulfilling as a game played with two full-strength quarterback spots. The winner of this The reunion is one we should all want to see against that fearsome San Francisco 49ers defense in an NFC title game.
You have the feeling that these two teams know it too. After all, that wasn’t just Sirianni’s first thought when he welcomed McCarthy into midfield on Saturday. This echoed in post-match interviews as well.
Asked about his confidence in meeting the Eagles in the playoffs, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott replied, “Very confident.”
“It’s big on big,” Cowboys wide CeeDee Lamb told reporters of a potential Game 3.
“I think both teams are probably hoping that we’ll see each other again,” McCarthy said. “Because you know what it means.”
This means that both teams would have done well with the progress they have shown all season. From Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts showcasing an ever-expanding MVP-caliber skill set, to Prescott showing a mark of resilience that could very well be his next significant step up as he enters his prime. Resilience that was never more apparent than after Prescott threw a gruesome first-quarter interception on Saturday, turning for a 42-yard touchdown by defensive end Josh Sweat.
It was Prescott’s second straight drive finished with a six-round pick, dating back to last Sunday’s overtime loss to the Jaguars, when Jacksonville’s Rayshawn Jenkins interception for a 52-yard touchdown. This time, Prescott’s error put the Cowboys in a 10-0 hole less than six minutes into the game, doing nothing to quell the mounting angst over his seven interceptions in the previous four games. But Prescott’s response this time was remarkable: 14 completions and a slew of big plays in the streak that left him with 347 passing yards and three touchdowns. Also inside that was an incomprehensible 52-yard pass for recently added TY Hilton in third and third.
In many ways, Prescott’s rebound was the microcosm of this game that mattered most, as he bailed out a defense that created turnovers, but was also pushed around and nicked on big plays at times. Unquestionably, the Dallas defensive unit is raising red flags on the stretch. The inside of the defensive line looks problematic and the secondary looks vulnerable to big plays when forward pass throwers aren’t wreaking havoc on the line of scrimmage. It’s worth noting in this mix that the Eagles appeared to target cornerback Trevon Diggs at least three times with plays designed to take advantage of his aggressive style.
That’s not to say Philadelphia’s defense was better. Despite a healthy upper secondary, the Eagles gave up several big plays and looked capable of being pushed around by Dallas at the line of scrimmage at times. Overall, that’s arguably what’s been most striking about the Cowboys and Eagles: in many ways, it’s reflected in their ability to play Super Bowl-caliber offense and defense. But they are each equally capable of breakdowns or inconsistencies, depending on the health of their units.
Both are capable of executing dominant offenses by running or throwing the football behind leading offensive lines (again, when healthy). Both are also capable of fielding high-level defenses that can produce game-changing series of turnovers and sacks. All things being roughly equal, the Eagles’ biggest advantage might be their offensive line and cornerbacks, along with Hurts’ two-way play. Conversely, the Cowboys have the best defensive player in the matchup in rusher Micah Parsons, who is capable of destroying games almost single-handedly.
Put it all together and what you get is what we’ve seen: two teams that have created exciting matchups this season despite each losing a quarterback in their respective wins. Division record aside, neither leaves the season with bragging rights until it hits the other when both are at full strength or exit the NFC for the Super Bowl. .
It may be necessary to solve the first part of this equation to reach the second part. And if so, it will undoubtedly be the definitive collision that everyone is now waiting for.
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