Cowboys vs. Eagles 'Huge Gap'? DeMarcus Lawrence Reveals Dallas Thoughts
The Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles have primarily dominated the battle for the NFC East crown. In fact, the teams have won eight out of the last 10 division titles.
With the Philadelphia Eagles coming off a 14-3 regular season and a Super Bowl appearance, while Dallas has back-to-back 12-win seasons, many see little separation between the two. And that group of observers includes Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.
"I don't feel like it's a huge gap at all," Lawrence said on the AP Pro Football Podcast with Rob Maadi of the Associated Press. "I feel like it comes down to certain details. Not just the scheme, but also your locker room. I feel like through this time right now when we headed to training camp, that we made those adjustments, we learned those different things that we need to learn about our teammates so we can fully function the way we should out there on the field."
So, has Dallas "closed the gap" on their division rivals? On paper it seems feasible to suggest that. But was the gap that big to begin with?
The Cowboys have added to the roster that nearly took down the San Francisco 49ers last season, with Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks joining ... while Dallas retaining the large percentage of its key guys.
The Eagles, as our own Mike Fisher has repeatedly pointed out, meanwhile have an issue that is largely ignored. The Eagles have lost eight starters from the team that went to the Super Bowl. Also gone are both coordinators in Shane Steichen (offense) and Jonathan Gannon (defense). Gaps? Those could be gaps.
Meanwhile, the two teams were similar in many categories. The Eagles had a 14-3 record, while Dallas was 12-5. Offensively, the Jalen Hurts-led Eagles averaged 28.1 points per game, while Dak Prescott (when healthy) led the Cowboys to 27.5 per game. Defensively, the Cowboys allowed an average 20.1 points per game while the Eagles allowed 20.2.
Dallas had the best red-zone scoring percentage (71.43 percent), while the Eagles were third (68 percent) and both were ranked inside the top five for third-down conversions (Eagles fourth, Cowboys fifth). Lastly, the Cowboys led the NFL in takeaways (33), with the Eagles fourth (27).
So, taking in those stats, then adding in Gilmore and Cooks for Dallas? Against the Eagles having lost a host of starters and both coordinators? The gap between the Cowboys and the Eagles wasn't exactly a chasm last season and one could argue, as Tank has, that due to some smart offseason moves, "the gap'' may not exist at all.
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