Subscribe
Follow Us
And then there were two, Philadelphia Eagles fans.
That's right, after a season of ups and downs and everything in between, the Eagles finally get to hit the proverbial ring with the Cowboys once more, taking on Jerry Jones' squad in Kelly Green at the Linc no less, but this isn't the same Philadelphia or Dallas team from Week 10. No, in a weird twist of fate, both teams now find themselves suiting up with backup quarterbacks for the penultimate game of the 2024 season, with Jalen Hurts officially ruled out for the game while Dak Prescott has long been on IR since before their first matchup.
So what does this mean? If Hurts was healthy, surely the Eagles would be able to breeze past their heated rivals in the pursuit of NFL glory, putting the final nail in their coffin on the way to a season of changes in Big D. Hurts took care of business the last time the two sides faced off, and with very few injuries across the board at every other position, the Eagles would almost certainly do the same with the NFC East's crown still up for grabs.
And yet, Hurts isn't playing; Kenny Pickett is, with Tanner McKee serving as his backup and the recently re-signed Ian Book – who hasn't been on an active regular season roster since he was a member of the Eagles in 2022 – coming in clutch as the team's emergency QB should Philadelphia suffer a disaster scenario.
Will Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Vic Fangio's defense be able to keep Philadelphia rolling into the playoffs, helping them to rebound from their first loss since all the way back in September? Or will the Cowboys smell blood in the water and do everything in their power to play spoiler to the Eagles and their fans, ruining a game many fans got tickets to see on Christmas, a Kelly Green game, and the final Philly game of the 2024 calendar year? Well, while it's hard to say until it actually happens, the numbers certainly point firmly in Philadelphia's favor regardless of who is under center.
1. Saquon Barkley makes Kenny Pickett's life easier
Now yes, as you have certainly heard from pretty much anyone talking Eagles football as of late, Hurts plays a massive role in what Nick Sirianni, Kellen Moore, Jeff Stoutland, and company do on the ground. Because the pride of OklaBama can take off running with ease, keeping the ball on Philadelphia's signature play, the RPO, with an ability to either keep it for a positive gain or chuck it deep to an outlet pass, opposing teams have to play the Eagles a certain way, keeping their linebackers wide without an ability to attack the ball carrier immediately due to the schematic optionality.
With Hurts gone, the Washington Commanders didn't have to account for a running quarterback in Week 16 and stacked up the box in a big way to limit what Barkley brought to the table. Mind you, he still went for over 100 yards, making things interesting down the stretch in regards to Eric Dickerson's all-time record, but that same rushing dominance that was featured weekly on television simply wasn't there for the fans watching along all over the world.
Could Dallas look to stack the box in Week 17 in a similar way? Yes, they will most certainly place big run stuffers like Mazzie Smith in the middle of the defense to make Barkley's life harder in a classic example of Big 10 on Big 10 crime. But will it really matter? Will a Dallas defense that ranks 27th in rushing yards allowed be able to slow down the best rushing attack the NFL has seen in years?
No, I don't think they will.
Now, sure, Barkley's life will be harder in Week 17 than it has been in recent memory, but Sirianni, Moore, and company can call an offense that makes his life easier, at least slightly, unless the Cowboys commit unquestionably to the run. Throwing checkdowns to Barkley outside of the box can help to neutralize a stacked box, as would underneath passes to tight ends or slot receivers, and even something as simple as a quick slant to Brown, his bread and better play, has scored Philadelphia touchdowns in the past, forcing opposing defenses to stick to more man concepts where elite playmakers can win one-on-one.
If the Eagles coordinate the passing game correctly, there's no reason to believe Barkley couldn't keep up his usual effectiveness on a similar workload, all the while making Pickett's life much easier in the process.
2. Rico Dowdle does not reach the 1,000-yard mark in Philadelphia
While Barkley's pursuit of Dickerson's all-time record has been one of the more interesting storylines to follow in the NFL this season, the number fans in Dallas care about isn't 2,105 but instead 1,000, as Rico Dowdle is just 87 yards away from becoming the first UDFA in Cowboys history to join the four-figure club.
Now, unlike Philadelphia, the Cowboys really don't care much about running the ball in 2024, attempting the 20th-most runs for the 27th-most rushing yards and the 32nd-most rushing touchdowns, but where Ezekiel Elliott has failed in a spectacular way as a lead rusher, Dowdle has really come on down the stretch, going from single digit carries for an average of 29.3 yards per game to averaging 101 yards per game in December alone.
On paper, Dowdle hitting his mark feels like a pretty easy bar to clear before the end of the season, barring injury, but will it happen in Week 17? No, probably not.
Why? Well, for one thing, the Eagles have a really good rushing defense, with Fangio's defense ranking ninth against the run in 2024 versus second against the pass. They run a stout front with rangy linebackers and a defensive line equally comfortable in an odd front or an even, and even have “Big” Jordan Davis for those money downs where Dowdle could pick up a game-changing down.
If Philadelphia gets up early against a Dallas team that is anything but resilient, don't be surprised if Dowdle finishes off the game with less than 20 carries and less than 93 yards to show for his efforts to boot.
3. Kenny Pickett outduels Cooper Rush in Philadelphia
Like him or not, I think he should start in Week 17, as one thing is for certain: Pickett is an Eagles fan, and at his core, he wants to beat Dallas just as much as any fan who bleeds green.
A native of Ocean Township, New Jersey, Pickett has been an Eagles fan his entire life, as both his social media and his early media sessions really hammered in. He knows what it means for fans in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and beyond to get two wins over Dallas and to do so at the Linc, right after Christmas, in a freakin' Kelly Green game, no less. Goodness, that's the stuff of legends in the City of Brotherly Love.
If Pickett can successfully execute the game plan, make smart decisions, and secure the Eagles this win, not only will it lock up the NFC East for Philly's finest – not to mention another start for himself in Week 18 – but he will almost certainly never have to buy another drink in the City of Brotherly Love ever again. Considering Pickett is only 26 and has a good 60 years left in him, that's an offer too good to refuse.
