The Sunday schedule for NFL Week 9 features multiple must-see matchups, starting with the Dolphins-Chiefs showdown in Frankfurt, Germany. Another crucial contest on the calendar is the renewal of one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL, as the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will face off at Lincoln Financial Field (4:25 pm ET, FOX).
While this is only the halfway point of the season, this is very much a make-or-break matchup for the NFC East title race.
If the Eagles (7-1) hold serve at home, a lot will have to happen for the Cowboys (5-2) to have a shot to win the division.
But if Dallas can win in Philadelphia for the second time in three seasons, a shift in the NFL standings could be ahead in the coming weeks. This is the start of a very difficult stretch for the Eagles, while the Cowboys have a softer upcoming schedule by comparison.
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Can Dak and Defense Deliver for the Cowboys?
In Week 5, Dak Prescott laid an ostrich egg against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. He completed only 14 of his 24 passes for 153 yards, and he was picked off three times.
That performance and Dallas's 42-10 defeat preceded a bye week, and it would appear that both he and his team did not enjoy the feelings that were generated.
In a 20-17 Week 7 road win over the Chargers, Dak went 21 of 30 for 272 yards and a touchdown and ran for a season-high 40 yards. Then in last week's 43-20 win over the visiting Rams, Dak was 25 of 31 for 304 yards and four touchdown passes.
But can he deliver when it matters today?
If Dak lays another egg, it will only add more fuel to the belief that he isn't built for games like this.
But if he can match the magnitude of the moment with a winning performance, the Cowboys' credentials as one of the Super Bowl favorites will look much, much stronger.
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Entering today's games, Dallas is the third favorite in the NFC behind the Eagles and 49ers. But at this point, that is more about what the NFC isn't than what Dallas is.
Of course, it isn't all about Dak doing what he needs to do. Can the Cowboys step up on defense to keep Jalen Hurts and the NFL's third-highest scoring team at bay?
Though the defending NFC champions currently own the NFL's best record and seem to be motoring along, there is a major point of concern that Dallas has the ability to exploit.
Last season, Hurts threw only six interceptions, but he has eight through the first eight games of this season. He didn't throw one in last week's wild 38-31 win over the Washington Commanders, but for the third straight game, the Eagles turned the ball over multiple times, including a fumble by Hurts.
Entering today's NFL action, the Eagles have a turnover margin of -3, which is good for a tie for 23rd in the NFL (with the Tennessee Titans.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are tied for fourth in interceptions (nine) and takeaways (13). And for as hapless as they can occasionally look on both sides of the ball, they are also tied for fourth in turnover margin (+6).
Cowboys vs Eagles Prediction and Best Bets
Prediction: Eagles to win
Best Bets: Eagles -3 (-110 at Bovada) & Cowboys/Eagles over 47 (-110 at Bovada)
The Eagles are certainly beatable, and at their best, the Cowboys are capable of coming away with a win anywhere. That said, I think a statement win will elude them here. It won't be nearly the disaster that they had against the 49ers, but the Eagles will prove to be a little bit better when it matters.
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Eddie Griffin has been writing about and betting on sports for over a decade and has been with Betting News since 2021. For more of his thoughts on sports and sports betting, you can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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