Death, taxes, and the Birds-Boys rivalry. Every offseason, fans across the country debate how the two teams will perform in the upcoming season. In the 2021 season, Dallas fans won that argument, as the Cowboys won the divison. Both teams have signed a few free agents and picked up a few draftees. Could additions like Haason Reddick and AJ Brown be enough to push the Eagles over the Boys once again? Could Jalen Hurts take a generational leap in Year 3? Or have the Cowboys maintained a roster good enough to keep the Eagles in 2nd place for a second year in a row?
Quarterback
For so many years we had the Dak vs Wentz conversation, another argument that the Cowboys fans have won. Now that the Eagles have a new sheriff in town, does that debate change? While the conclusion is the same (The cowboys have a better QB), the conversation is different. Prescott is pretty clearly better than Jalen Hurts right now, but rational fans would concede that Jalen could have the advantage in the next year or two. The Bird’s quarterback has plenty of elite intangibles, but his passing ability(or lack there of) is what’s holding him back. That’s not to say the Eagles would be better off with someone else, because Coach Sirianni has built his offense around the running ability of their passer. Advantage Dallas.
Running Game
Ezekiel Elliott is one of the more decorated and overhyped players in the national football league. Zeke, through injuries and other off the field issues, is coming off a 1,000 yard rushing season. Such season is the 4th of his career. Tony Pollard, the other Dallas running back is fresh off a 700 yard season as well. Even though the Cowboys may have dynamite in their backfield, the Eagles have an A-Bomb. The Eagles rushing attack ranked #1 in all of football in YPG (Yards per game). The Eagles have a laundry list of hungry dogs that they can trust with the rock. We all know that hungry dogs run faster. Miles Sanders obviously is the leading back, a shoe in for 800 yards on the ground this season. Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell also have home run hitting ability and can get tough yards when their name is called. The real difference maker is Jalen Hurts. Hurts was nearly the Eagles leading rusher last year, with 784 yards on the turf. Advantage Birds
Receiving Core
It’s no secret that the Eagles improved their pass-catchers this offseason. Now they have two of the best young wideouts in football in Devonta Smith and AJ Brown. Their depth out wide include Zach Pascal and Quez Watkins, two guys that have shown flashes of greatness in games early on in their career. Smith was a standout performer in his rookie campaign, breaking the eagles rookie record for receiving yards. That’s especially impressive when you consider that Jalen Hurts threw the ball less than most QBs in the league. Brown was on pace to have his third thousand yard season last year, but missed 3 games due to injury. On the Dallas side of things, they have just 2 receivers that are worth talking about. CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Lamb had just as impressive of a rookie season as Smith did, and Gallup is an experienced #2, but certainly not AJ Brown. At tight end, the teams both have young route runners with high upside. Schultz may be a better blocker, but Philly’s Goedert is on track to be an elite catcher and a mainstay on the field. Advantage Philly.
Offensive Line
In an article by Pro Football Focus, that you can check out here, the Eagles are ranked has the far and away best offensive line in football. In the same article, the Cowboys were ranked at number six. Both offensive lines have been elite in the last 5 years, but the Eagles have gotten younger and more agile. Seemingly every year, the Cowboys deal with injury issues on the trenches. With young guys like Mailata and Landon Dickerson, the Eagles are less prone to injuries then they were in years past with guys like Jason Peters. Also, Lane Johnson has more receiving touchdowns than the entire Cowboys o-line combined so advantage Eagles.
Defensive Front Seven
In the years since the Eagles super bowl victory, the Cowboys have had a front seven that proved to be miles ahead of the Birds. This offseason, Howie Roseman turned an aging core into a youth filled, thunder and lightning defense. The big splash signing of Philly native Haason Reddick was the first pawn to be moved. Then, they went out and drafted Jordan Davis, the 6’5 UNIT defensive tackle out of Georgia and Nakobe Dean, the quick linebacker out of the same college. These players, along with guys like Alex Singleton, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Brandon Graham, make up a versatile defensive unit. In Dallas, they have an aging front seven. Players like Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory are on the downhill now. However, Micah Parsons is definitely a force to be reckon with. Even though the Boys have an elite defender in Parsons, the Eagles have a well-rounded and just a better front seven. Advantage Eagles.
Secondary
Yes, the Cowboys have Trevon Diggs, the NFL interception leader in 2021. However, Diggs ranked 90th(!!) in yards allowed per target. Diggs gave up more plays over 20 yards then any other defensive back in the league. Back at the Linc, Darius Slay was ranked 14th in that category. Pro Football Focus ranked Slay #6 in the NFL and newly-acquired James Bradberry was ranked 22nd. Diggs came in at 21. Neither team has much else to discuss in their secondary. Avonte Maddox is a solid slot-piece, ranked #9 in the slot by PFF. The Cowboys do not have any other corners (slot or outside) on the PFF board. Advantage Gang Green
Special Teams
The Cowboys enter the 2022 season with an undrafted kicker out of Texas Tech. The Eagles have Jake Elliott, their kicker of 5 seasons. Most kickers can go undrafted, so it’s hard to compare the two, but for now I would safely say Elliott has the advantage. Punting is evenly matched, however I anticipate Arryn Siposs to take a step toward his potential in year 2. Returners change all the time on every team, so I’ll assume the week one starters. Assuming Philly has Quez Watkins and Dallas has Tony Pollard, I’d say Philly has the advantage. Watkins has record breaking speed, and was the receiver of the NFL’s longest play last year, a 91-yard reception. Advantage…. I’m running out of nick names for the Eagles.
Conclusion
Advantage Eagles! Howie Roseman and the teams front office has worked tirelessly to build an “all-star team” as Miles Sanders called them. In all seriousness, the Birds are in great position to win this division. Who knows, maybe even the Super Bowl. Who would I be kidding?