Eagles Play, Cowboys Stay Home on Super Sunday; 2 Big Reasons Why
If the Super Bowl is meant to be the football fan's version of Christmas, then Dallas Cowboys fans are getting a lump of coal this Sunday.
Not only are Cowboys fans rendered spectators for the 27th consecutive season but they'll also have to watch the hated Philadelphia Eagles partake in their third championship Sunday in that span. Dallas' longtime divisional rivals are going for their second title in five years after previously stopping New England in the 52nd edition in Minneapolis. The Kansas City Chiefs await in Glendale this evening (5:30 p.m. CT, Fox).
It's hardly any consolation at this point in time, but Dallas was one of the few Philadelphia opponents to hold their own this season. Fans will likely debate the mettle of this hear's head-to-head matchup for years to come: the two teams split their yearly couple this season but each win was earned with the loser showcasing its backup quarterback. Dallas' victory, coming in a Christmas Eve thriller, was part of a 12-win season, giving the Cowboys their first pairing of dozen-triumph campaigns, but that means little as they now face the most unwanted bye week of all. It comes with the relative knowledge of knowing that, despite their flaws, the Cowboys kept relative pace with the potential champions for most of the season. But, of course, if moral victories counted, all 32 teams would be playing on Super Sunday.
With the teams on relatively stable ground, there are two areas where the Eagles truly managed to best the Cowboys...
What's the Catch?
Appropriately, a team whose fanbase constantly belts a song called "Fly, Eagles, Fly" has made its own luck through aerial endeavors. Not only does Jalen Hurts appear to be a legitimately lasting franchise quarterback but the Eagles surrounded him with weapons like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who united for 3,296 receiving yards and 18 scores this season.
Put the Dak Prescott argument in terms of his lasting appeal in North Texas aside for the time being. That argument has been had (and will continue to be had) from the second the final seconds of the NFC Divisional playoffs faded away. There's no doubt that Dallas prides itself as a team built on high-octane offensive weaponry, but that reputation fell by the wayside when it came to addressing the question of Prescott's targets.
CeeDee Lamb, for his part, responded very well to the new challenges he faced as an undisputed top target. But when the Cowboys needed to fill the reserve receiving talent behind them after trading Amari Cooper, they came woefully unprepared.
Injuries doomed James Washington, by far Dallas' most notable foray into the aerial free agency game, from the start. Further medical woes never allowed Michael Gallup to find a rhythm. They waited until Round 3 of the draft to address the situation and that selection, Jalen Tolbert, failed to make a freshman impact.
With that, Dallas was forced to turn to a hodgepodge of hot-and-cold breakouts (Noah Brown), highlight-makers of yesteryear (T.Y. Hilton), and young, developmental tight ends more or less auditioning to replace the franchise-tagged Dalton Schultz (Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot).
Ain't That a Kick!
The Eagles' relatively quick return to the Super Bowl is a testament to what general manager Howie Roseman and Philadelphia management were able to do: the Eagles lost a majority of their star power from the 2017-18 group alarmingly fast (i.e. Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz, Malcolm Jenkins, Brandon Brooks) and could've wound up becoming another would-be dynasty that lost its way. Roseman instead reloaded and, like Darth Sidious before him, found "younger and more powerful" replacements to press into battle.
Equally reliable is the handful that has been part of both championship treks. It's no surprise to see names like Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Lane Johnson, and Jason Kelce making the return trip but Dallas has managed to keep pace in most of those departments. One of Philadelphia brass' more subtle moves, however, could serve a lesson to most of his NFL brethren ... and Dallas should pay special attention.
With the 153rd pick of the 2017 draft, the Eagles selected Memphis kicker Jake Elliott.
If there's anything amateur draft pundits love to do more than refer to every late-round quarterback as "the next Tom Brady," it's to lampoon the selection of a kicker. But Elliott has provided assurance to Philadelphia quarterbacks, no matter who's in charge, that almost any entry into opposing territory, barring turnover, will end with points. Elliott has established himself as one of the league's most reliable legs in an era where scores come quicker than ever.
Compare that to the postseason silliness that transpired in Dallas during their brief run to the Super Bowl, as Dallas found itself having to get as close as possible to boost the confidence of Brett Maher, who has had two separate terms as the starred primary leg since Elliott joined.
Perhaps Dallas could take a page out of the Eagles' book as they seek to get a leg up on their divisional foes. ... with owner Jerry Jones reminding the world that he too knows how to build a Super Bowl roster - even though it's been quite a long time since he's done it.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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