The NFL’s top rusher, DeMarco Murray (1,606 yards, 9 TDs), will be on display when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Both Philadelphia (9-4) and Dallas (9-4) go into this game with an opportunity to continue their winning ways. The game will begin Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC.
The last time the Eagles and Cowboys faced each other was in Week 13, a 33-10 loss for Dallas. LeSean McCoy had a great performance running the ball in that game, rushing for 159 yards and one TD on 25 carries. Jeremy Maclin had a great game as well, adding 108 yards on eight receptions. Murray had a huge day, putting up 113 total yards and a score. He finished with 73 yards rushing and 40 yards receiving.
The Cowboys are a three-point underdog against the Eagles and the Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is set at 55 points. Heading into Week 15 of league action, the Eagles are 9-4 both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last five games, the Eagles have records of 3-2 both SU and ATS. They rank fourth in the league with 29.9 points per game, making them one of the league’s most dynamic offenses. Judging from past Cowboys road games this season, expect to see a heavy dose of the Eagles passing game. The Cowboys currently rank 27th in the NFL with 269.3 passing yards allowed per road game. Turning to the Eagles defense, a few key spots could be deciding factors this week. It is critical for the Cowboys to prepare for Philadelphia’s big-play defense, which ranks fourth in the league with 1.9 turnovers per game. The Eagles make it hard on their opponents right from the first whistle, averaging 8.4 points in the first 15 minutes. With an average of 114 return yards per home game, the Philadelphia special teams has put in one of the top performances in the league this season.
Across the field, the Cowboys have a record of 7-6 ATS and 9-4 SU. The Cowboys went 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS over the last five games. If earlier games are any indication, the Cowboys will pound the rock on offense. They average 148.7 rushing yards per game, good enough for third in the NFL. Shifting to the other side of the ball, it might be tough for the Eagles to keep up with Dallas’s defense in a few areas. Dallas, only allowing 3.6 yards per rush during away games, has a good chance of shutting down its opponent’s rushing offense. The Cowboys will look to capitalize on Philadelphia’s offense mistakes. The Eagles lead the league in turnovers with 2.3. The Cowboys have a habit of pouring it on before they go into halftime. They average an NFL-best 11.3 points during the second quarter of road games. With the lowest average time of possession of any team in the NFL (27:00 per game), don’t expect Philadelphia to control the ball during the game.
Predictions: SU Winner – PHI, ATS Winner – DAL, O/U – Over
Notes
Dallas is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia’s last 6 games.
Dallas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games.
Philadelphia is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games.
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road.
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas’s last 5 games on the road.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia’s last 7 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas’s last 8 games when playing Philadelphia.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia’s last 8 games when playing Dallas.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia’s last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas.
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas.
Dallas is 6-1 SU when leading at the half this season. Philadelphia is 7-1 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
Dallas is 7-0 SU when leading at the start of the fourth quarter this season. Philadelphia is 6-1 SU when leading after three quarters.
Dallas is a perfect 6-0 SU in games where it wins the turnover battle, and only 2-4 SU in games where it loses the turnover battle.
This season, Philadelphia is only 3-3 SU in games where it loses the turnover battle.
Dallas is only 1-3 SU this season when allowing at least 3 sacks in a game. The Philadelphia defense is currently averaging 3.4 sacks over the last five games.
The Philadelphia defense has forced an average of 2.3 turnovers per game this season, but Dallas is a perfect 6-0 SU when turning the ball over at least 2 times in a game.
Dating back to last year, Philadelphia is 7-2 SU against NFC East opponents, while Dallas is 7-3 SU against division foes.
The Philadelphia passing attack is ranked eighth in the league, while the Dallas pass defense is only ranked 25th. The Cowboys’ passing game is ranked 18th, compared to the 26th-ranked pass defense of the Eagles.
The Philadelphia offensive ground attack is ranked seventh in the league, while the Dallas rush defense is only ranked 17th. The Cowboys’ rushing game is ranked third, compared to the 18th-ranked run defense of the Eagles.
Dallas has only allowed 22.8 points per game on the road, which is ranked 14th in the league. Philadelphia, however, has put up 33.4 points per game at home (ranked fifth overall).
Philadelphia has only given up 21.1 points per contest at home this year, which is ranked 14th in the NFL. The Dallas offense has averaged 32.2 points per game on the road (ranked second overall).
