Eagles Fighting Human Nature as Cowboys Week Begins

It isn't exactly a typical Cowboys week in Philadelphia unless you look at the trappings

PHILADELPHIA - It isn't exactly a typical Cowboys week in Philadelphia unless you look at the trappings, things like a first-place battle in the NFC East on Sunday Night Football.

The context to that is of course is a 2-4-1 Eagles team against a 2-5 Dallas club that could be down to its third-string quarterback.

"Every game means a lot but [(his week is) different, you know, it's Cowboys week," said star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.

Except it's not Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Tony Romo or even Dak Prescott wearing the star.

If embattled first-year Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is lucky and Andy Dalton gets through the concussion protocol quickly, Dallas might arrive at Lincoln Financial Field with a veteran backup, otherwise it's either going to be seventh-round rookie Ben DiNucci or journeyman Garrett Gilbert.

"Regardless of their record and what transpired (on Sunday) we understand who the Cowboys are and what this game means to both sides," veteran safety Rodney Mcleod said. "It’s a division opponent and there’s a lot of history between the two teams and so you have to just put records aside and you have to just play ball."

Cox had a similar sentiment on the records for what is shaping up to be a historically bad division.

"You know, they've won two games, we've won two games but really, in a bigger picture of things, you really can throw the records out of the window because we know they gonna bring it," said Cox. "Again, it's another division game for us. You know another game for us to go on to get better as a team. And this week, just keep the main thing the main thing, you know, make it about us.

"Attack the week and then obviously attack the game on Sunday."

Despite the Cowboys' struggles and some unnamed players already taking aim at McCarthy's coaching style, the Eagles are trying to stay grounded, understanding that 2020 hasn't exactly been a rose garden for them, either.

"Any given Sunday anything can happen, so we’re going out there preparing for a fight," said McLeod. "It’s going to take us playing 60 minutes of ball, man, in all three phases. That’s what it’s going to take to win this game.

"Despite their injuries. We’re kind of in the same position. There are no excuses and we understand what we have to get done.”

After the Eagles' ugly 1-4-1 start coach Doug Pederson stressed the three-game NFC East stretch that kicked off with a 22-21 comeback win over the New York Giants on Thursday night. Dallas is next before a bye week and the back end of the home-and-home series with the Giants at MetLife Stadium.

“It was spoken by Doug, just making a commitment for these next three weeks," McLeod said. "That first week started last week with the Giants, this is the second week and the Cowboys are next. That’s it.

"... We understand the opponents that we have, let’s take it one game at a time, but it’s about us. Everything that’s transpired this season has been for the most part self-inflicted and like I said we just decided and made a commitment that these next three weeks we’re going to make them count and put ourselves in good position.”

The toughest hurdle in between step two might be fighting human nature and taking the Cowboys seriously after a 25-3 drubbing at the hands of the Washington Football Team.

“I don’t think you can pay too much attention (to the Cowboys' struggles) because they are a talented team," McLeod insisted. "Their record does surprise me, but I understand who they have over there and what they’re capable of doing. I think every man over here understands who they have in the backfield, who they have lined up at the receiver position, so we cannot take them lightly.

"And like I said, man, this is a rivalry game. A lot of history and quite frankly, they embarrassed us last year at their home, so we have a chip on our shoulder. We’ve got to go out there and prove ourselves.”

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Tuesday and Thursday on "The Middle" with Eytan Shander, Harry Mayes, and Barrett Brooks on SportsMap Radio and PhillyVoice.com. He’s also the host of Extending the Play on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Get the latest Eagles news by joining the community. Click "Follow" at the top right of the EagleMaven page. Mobile users click the notification bell. And please follow @kracze on Twitter.