Cowboys at Eagles: 3 bold predictions for Sunday’s primetime matchup

The Dallas Cowboys (5-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (7-1) square off on Sunday in one of the biggest games of the entire NFL regular season. Before these two divisional rivals go head-to-head, here are three bold predictions for this matchup.

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1) Eagles lean on their run game, recording over 150 rushing yards as a team

Even with Jalen Hurts dealing with a knee injury, we are going to see the Eagles lean on their rushing attack in this football game. Compared to their start to the season, Philadelphia has struggled to run the ball the last three weeks, averaging 79 Y/G on the ground.

In the first five games of the season, the Eagles were averaging 164 rushing Y/G and posted a 0.036 Rush EPA, the third-best in the NFL. In their win at home over the Cowboys last season, the Eagles recorded 136 rushing yards and used their run game to sustain a long drive and drain the clock in the fourth quarter. They’ll attempt to do the same on Sunday.

Despite all the success they have had, Dallas’ defense has had two games, their two losses against Arizona and San Francisco, where lack of ability to stop the run played a big part in them losing the game. Philadelphia has shown they are not afraid to run the ball repeatedly until you stop it and that will be their gameplan going into this matchup.

Philly follows the 49ers’ footsteps and uses their ground game to set the tone, finishing the day with over 150 rushing yards for the fourth time this season.

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2) CeeDee Lamb continues to dominate, recording his third-consecutive 100-yard game and scoring two touchdowns

Think back to December of 2014. The Cowboys came into Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in a pivotal Week 14 matchup. Dallas’ WR1 Dez Bryant, who got into it pregame with some Eagles’ defenders, absolutely took over the game.

The former first-round pick caught six passes for 114 yards and scored a career-high three touchdowns. Bryant set the tone from the second he stepped on the field and would not be stopped all night. On Sunday, CeeDee Lamb, wearing Bryant’s old number 88, will follow in his footsteps with a huge day.

If Dallas is going to win this game they will need Lamb to have a significant impact. Just like the past two weeks, we’ll see getting Lamb the football become the focal point of the Cowboys’ offense. When you consistently get the ball in CeeDee Lamb’s hands good things happen. Dallas feeds their WR1 big-time on Sunday and he delivers with a 100-yard, two-touchdown night.

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3) Micah Parsons comes through when the Cowboys need him most, making the play of the game

We’ve seen Micah Parsons play well against the Eagles before, but he hasn’t had a moment where he’s made the play at the game’s biggest moment. On Sunday that will change.

Parsons has been on a tear this season and is getting after the quarterback like we’ve never seen him before. He’ll be at his best Sunday when the Cowboys need him most and will be the reason Dallas walks away with a victory. With a little under two minutes remaining the Eagles are driving. Forced with a critical third down, Parsons strip-sacks Jalen Hurts, giving Dallas the ball and sealing a Cowboys victory.