Did Eagles Do Enough to Take NFC East Title Away from Cowboys?
They don’t play until Week 6 then not again until 10 weeks later.
Talking about Eagles-Cowboys, the two teams who have combined to win seven of the last NFC East titles. Only Washington has interrupted that run, winning it in 2015 and 2020.
The New York Giants? They haven’t done it since 2011.
It’s been, for the most part, Eagles or Cowboys or Cowboys or Eagles.
They’ve volleyed the crown back and forth, neither team able to win back-to-back division titles since the Eagles ripped off four in a row from 2001-04.
Since then, Dallas has won the East six times, the Eagles five, and Washington and New York three each.
Dallas is the defending champ.
Have the Eagles done enough in the offseason to return serve and unseat them?
They are going to have to find a way to beat them - at least once- if they intend on winning the division, but the Cowboys have won six of the last eight games in the series, including a sweep last year and a sweep in 2018. The years in between have been splits.
This year, the Eagles host the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 16 and then go to Dallas for a Christmas Eve rematch at 4:25 p.m.
Have the Cowboys done enough to become the first team to go back-to-back since the Eagles in 03 and 04?
Here’s a closer look:
COWBOYS
Key Additions
They signed defensive end Dante Fowler and receiver James Washington in free agency and drafted an offensive tackle, Tyler Smith, in the first round, and a pass rusher, outside linebacker Sam Williams, in the second.
They also added a WR in Jalen Tolbert and a tight end in Jake Ferguson, who had an impressive rookie camp and could be a key component to any 12-personnel sets Dallas wants to run with Dalton Schultz.
Key Subtractions
The Cowboys have lost several key performers, including WR Amari Cooper in a trade to Cleveland. Free agency saw them lose edge rusher Randy Gregory, WR Cedric Wilson, RT La’el Collins, guard Connor Williams safety Keanu Neal, and kicker Greg Zuerlein.
It’s a lot, especially Gregory, who had 4.5 sacks and seven QB hits in eight career games vs. Philly.
No loss was bigger though than Cooper, who was 6-2 in eight career games as a Cowboy vs. the Eagles with 38 catches for 653 yards and three touchdowns. Wilson was a developing thorn with five catches for 119 yards and two scores in a Week 18 game that saw the Eagles rest its starters, but he also had a TD in the first meeting between the teams last year.
EAGLES
Key Additions
It feels like this list will be more impactful than the Cowboys, with pass rusher Haason Reddick coming on board in free agency, receiver A.J. Brown coming via a trade, and Georgia defensive hammers Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean arriving in the draft.
James Bradberry was signed to a one-year deal on May 18 to solve one of the team's two holes in the secondary, and that was the starting cornerback opposite Darius Slay.
Safety is still an issue, but perhaps not as big of one as some may think with the development of Marcus Epps.
Key Subtractions
The Eagles lost a little depth on the offensive line when they released Nate Herbig, who was picked up quickly by the Jets, but depth doesn’t seem to be of any great concern on the offensive front.
Steve Nelson and Rodney McLeod were big losses, however, in the secondary, while Alex Singleton, the team's leading tackler the last two years, moved on to Denver in free agency.
NOTABLES
Of course, no examination of this can be complete without mentioning the quarterbacks.
Jalen Hurts is 0-2 in two starts against Dallas, with three touchdowns and four interceptions.
Dak Prescott is 7-2 with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. In his last four starts against the Eagles, he has nine TDs and one pick. Five of those touchdowns, however, came in last year’s Week 18 game with Philly sitting its starters.
Still, it’s a big disparity and one that, obviously, leans heavily in favor of Dallas.
VERDICT
Nobody had a better offseason than Eagles GM Howie Roseman.
It's pretty simple at this point, especially after the signing of Bradberry - the Eagles are better.
Of course, 17 games will be the deciding factor.
So too will Hurts. The Eagles QB has the weapons in place and the defense has made some big additions to allow DC Jonathan Gannon to be more multiple in his fronts and coverages with an array of linebackers.
Washington cannot be overlooked with Carson Wentz in the fold and having the motivation of playing against the team that drafted him twice.
Bottom line: The Eagles will win the NFC East.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
