The Eagles will look to clinch the NFC East on Sunday by beating the Cowboys. It’s not a slam dunk, especially if Jalen Hurts remains in the concussion protocol.
The quarterback depth chart is weak behind the starter, plus backup Kenny Pickett was seen with protective padding on his injured ribs at a recent practice. Let’s take a quick glance at the playoff picture in the NFC as the Eagles look to secure the No. 2 overall seed in addition to the division crown.
For starters, the Eagles can simply beat the Cowboys and clinch the No. 2 overall seed and NFC East crown. That’s it. The other path would be a Falcons’ victory over the Commanders. The Lions are locked into the No. 1 seed assuming they win out the rest of the way which looks like the most likely scenario with two games left on the schedule. The Vikings would remain in the mix for the No. 1 seed if the Lions and Eagles both slip up. That’s the condensed version. Click here for a full explanation.
Meanwhile, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni downplayed any stress about seeding scenarios, choosing instead to put his full focus on beating Dallas.
“Just worried about beating Dallas right now,” Sirianni told reporters on December 26. “This is a good football team that has played really good football over the past month. All our focus and attention is on them and the things we need to do to have success against them. We’ll have to be on our stuff because it’s a good football team. It’s coached well and with good players.”
Eagles vs. Cowboys: 5 Key Players to Watch in NFC East Showdown
1. QB Kenny Pickett: The former Steelers starter jump-started his Eagles’ career by tossing a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown on his first snap in relief of Jalen Hurts. It was all downhill from there. Pickett finished 14-of-24 for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Aside from a beautiful bomb to Brown for 45 yards to start the second quarter, he tended to look like a deer in headlights. Pickett missed a slew of makeable throws or simply didn’t see open receivers, plus he tended to pull it down and run way too often despite his slow legs. Pickett will likely start in place of Hurts. He’ll need to be better. A lot better. Otherwise, it might be time for Tanner McKee.
2. LT Jordan Mailata: It will be more than just the big Aussie in charge of shutting down All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons. The Cowboys like to move Parsons around the formation, exploiting favorable matchups and letting his supreme athleticism shine, so Lane Johnson is a bonus player to watch. However, Mailata’s job is to protect the quarterback’s blindside. It’ll be his job to set the tone. He held Dante Fowler Jr. in check last week while earning a 95.4 grade in pass blocking (via Pro Football Focus). Mailata hasn’t given up a sack since Week 4 — and that sack is the only one he’s allowed all year. Dominant.
3. RB Saquon Barkley: I’ve run out of adjectives to use on this guy. He’s a true a game-changer, arguably the best running back in the last decade. There is nothing he cannot do. Barkley needs 268 yards to break Eric Dickerson‘s single-season rushing record (2,105). Yes, there will be an asterisk on it due to the extra game. So what? The Cowboys still have to stop him which they did in Week 10: 14 carries for 66 yards, with no touchdowns.
4. DE Nolan Smith: The bust label was officially removed after the Steelers game when he was all over the field while playing 95% of the snaps. One week later, Smith put on another highlight-reel show: one sack, two fumble recoveries, three total tackles. He’s filled the void vacated by Brandon Graham, recording 16 total tackles with three sacks since the future Eagles Hall of Famer was sidelined. Smith is explosive off the edge and his nose for the ball is uncanny. He is the unquestioned starter at edge rusher, with rookie Jalyx Hunt waiting in the wings.
5. TE Grant Calcaterra: Look, no one is expecting Calcaterra to do what Dallas Goedert does. He was a sixth-round draft pick after all. But, the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder has to do a better job in the blocking game to keep getting the snaps he’s getting with the starters. His production in the passing game has been minimal — 21 receptions for 254 yards, with one touchdown — and that’s fine. It is what it is. His main job is to block. And he needs to do it better.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
