Beating the Eagles: Dallas’ 3-Part Strategy
The Dallas Cowboys are preparing to take on the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time this season, and they will have to do so without Dak Prescott. Among many other injuries to key starters, Prescott is just the newest.
Prescott suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to Atlanta, and the severity of the injury was brought to light after further testing. His hamstring is not only strained, but it is partially torn off the bone. Dak and his team are seeking second opinions before moving forward with a treatment plan.
On a good note, it appears the defense will finally welcome DE Micah Parsons back into the fold. Parsons suffered a high ankle sprain in a week 4 win against the New York Giants, and has not seen the field since.
When a chunk of your team’s talent is missing, including the starting quarterback, game plans must adjust to put players in the best position to win. The Cowboys’ coaches haven’t done the best job of that, but have no fear, I am here with the keys to victory.
Here are three things the Cowboys need to do to have any chance at upsetting the Eagles and securing their first home victory of the season.
Control the Clock
The best way to control the clock is to run the ball. We all know the Cowboys rank dead last in nearly every rushing metric recorded. The way they have been doing things in the run game hasn’t worked, but that doesn’t mean they can’t adjust.
Philadelphia has two monsters in the middle: Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. The tandem has helped the Eagles’ defense rank fifth this year at just 101.1 rushing yards allowed per game.
Trying to get a hat on a hat won’t work. Carter and Davis are too dominant to be blocked one-on-one. They need to be clever and change their patterns for running the ball. Combo blocks (double-teaming a defensive tackle), traps, and misdirection with a lead blocker can help open up lanes.
It will also help that there should be a renewed commitment to running the ball with Cooper Rush under center. Rush’s skillset is not to drop back and throw the ball 40 times a game. He will do it if he has to, but that’s not a formula for winning for the Cowboys.
To supplement the run game, Mike McCarthy can also incorporate more screens and short passes into the game plan.
Scheme the Playmakers Open
I know what you’re thinking. But, Mario, we’ve been asking for them to scheme players open for years. What makes you think they will do it now? Well, for some reason, the coaches feel they need to make things as difficult as possible for Dak Prescott to throw the football.
Something tells me they are going to simplify the offense for Rush, and give him a better opportunity to be successful. The need to cater for Rush will lead to a simpler offense, and will open up the opportunity for WR CeeDee Lamb and TE Jake Ferguson to have a larger impact.
McCarthy needs to send Lamb in motion, but not just pre-snap motion. Have him sprinting across the formation at the snap to create the separation needed to get him the football. Lamb is one of the best players in the NFL in YAC (yards after catch) opportunities.
Getting Lamb into the open field and away from the tight coverage of rookie sensation Quinyon Mitchell and veteran Darius Slay will be key to moving the football.
As for Jake Ferguson, McCarthy needs to work him in the middle of the field to put pressure on the linebackers and safeties. Getting the ball in Ferguson’s hands quickly and in space allows him to use his incredible run after catch abilities to move the chains.
Slow Down Saquon
My final key to victory is to slow down Eagles RB Saquon Barkley. It rolls off the tongue much easier than it is to actually slow him down on the field, but the Cowboys must do so to have a chance to win the game.
The Cowboys defense has not shown it can be trusted to cover AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Saquon Barkley. However, Barkley has been the added piece this season that has taken the Eagles’ offense to the next level. If he can be slowed, the secondary might be enough to slow the rest of them.
Let me put it clearly: Saquon cannot be stopped. He can only be slowed, and the best way to do that is to have good tackling and not allow him to hit the outside. Containment must be kept, and if players can’t tackle him on their own, then hold on for dear life until the rest of the defense rallies to help.
On passing downs, whoever is tasked with covering Barkley will need to make sure he doesn’t leak out and give Jalen Hurts an easy option to dump the ball. The broken plays seem to be the plays that Barkley does his most damage, and not allowing him to impact the passing game is the first step in slowing the entire Eagles offense.
