Hot off a four-game winning streak, the Dallas Cowboys are set for their biggest challenge yet. This Sunday night, America’s Team will face off against their longtime divisional foe and currently the only undefeated squad in the NFL, the 5-0 Philadelphia Eagles, in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Cowboys have been winning despite their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, being sidelined since suffering a thumb injury in Week One against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ever since, backup passer Cooper Rush has been the starter under center for Dallas, leading them to four straight victories including surprising wins over both of the recent Super Bowl participants, the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams. Dallas was also able to secure two divisional wins since Rush took over as the starter, beating the New York Giants in the Meadowlands and the Washington Commanders at home.
Entering Week Six, it appears the Cowboys will once again be without the services of Prescott who continues to rehab from his thumb injury. Instead, the team will rely on Rush to continue driving the bus behind the rushing attack of running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard along with the league’s top defense.
Entering this critical matchup against the Eagles, the Cowboys defense ranks third in the NFL allowing only 14.4 points to opposing offenses. They also have a combined 20 sacks, second most of any team this season. And it’s for that reason that NFL insider Nick Shook believes the Cowboys will upset the Eagles this Sunday. Here’s what Shook wrote in his recent article titled NFL Week 6 underdogs on the league’s official website.
“Dallas has shut down opposing offenses this season, ranking third in scoring defense and seventh in yards allowed and passing yards allowed. It has not been as stout against the run — ranking 19th — which hasn’t mattered all that much thanks to the Cowboys’ ability to put opposing offenses behind schedule … A matchup between the league’s fifth-ranked scoring offense and third-ranked scoring defense means we’re in for one heck of a showdown. The Cowboys and Eagles are both rolling. I’ll take the team with a defense that has yet to allow 20 points in a game this season.”
Around The NFL Writer Nick Shook via NFL.com
The defense that hasn’t allowed 20 points in a game this season? That’s the Cowboys. In their first five games, the Dallas defense has only given up a single touchdown in each of those contests. The allowed opponent point totals in order are 19, 17, 16, 10, and 10.
Bolstering what could end up being an all-time great defense and a rediscovered commitment to running the football, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to continue their winning streak in Philly. And if they do, their upcoming schedule which features teams like the 2-3 Chicago Bears, 1-4 Detroit Lions, and 1-3-1 Houston Texans could quickly usher in another trip to the postseason for Dallas.
