Defeating Dak: Does Eagles' Road Back to Super Bowl Go Through Cowboys QB?
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Goals for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023:
*Avoid the dreaded Super Bowl-losing slide.
*Become the first team to repeat as NFC East champs in 20 years.
*Have Jalen Hurts finally beat Dak Prescott.
The Washington Commanders might fancy themselves as contenders to Philly's divisional throne. And the Eagles might glide into the regular season against a slew of quarterbacks ranked outside the Top 10 in passing.
But we're pretty sure that when push comes to shove in the NFC East this season, all eyes will be on Nov. 5 and Dec. 10 ... the two games against the Dallas Cowboys.
Hurts has played three seasons in the NFL. Due to injuries and/or coach's decisions, he's started only three games versus the Cowboys. In those games he's 1-2, with the one win carrying an asterisk. Last October, the Eagles remained unbeaten for the year with a 26-17 win in Philadelphia that featured not Prescott, but rather backup Cooper Rush at quarterback.
Given the Dallas and Dak track record? If Prescott plays in that game - he was still recovering from that Week 1 thumb/hand injury - Hurts might be 0-3.
The Cowboys' record vs. the Eagles in the last five meetings is 4-1. In Dak's last three Philly games, he's 3-0. In his last eight Philly games, he's 7-1. Since 2016 (Dak's rookie season), Dallas - with or without Prescott - is 9-5 against the Eagles.
Beating Prescott at full strength is something Philly will almost certainly have to do to win the East. (Of course, the Cowboys' win over the Eagles last December came not against Hurts but instead backup Gardner Minshew, so there's that.) Dak's lifetime record against Philly of 8-3 is is right there with his record of 9-2 vs. Washington and 10-2 vs. the Giants.
For all his shortcomings - last year's league-high 15 interceptions come to mind - Dak is 27-7 vs. the NFC East.
Meanwhile, Hurts' numbers against the Cowboys: Yards per game: 274. Completion rate: 59.3 percent. Touchdown passes: Five. Interceptions: Four. QB rating: 87.1. And, surprisingly, he hasn't scored a rushing touchdown against the Cowboys.
Does the Eagles' road back to the Super Bowl go through ... Dak?
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