NFL Free Pick: Cowboys vs Eagles
Scott Morris | November 11, 2018
Sunday Night Football features a battle in the NFC East when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys. The two teams are not playing up to par, but due to a mediocre division, they are still battling for the division crown.
The current line on top sportsbooks has Philadelphia favored by 7 points with the over/under on 43.5.
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has played well the past five games with 1,533 yards passing, 12 touchdowns passes and one interception. The Eagles are coming off a bye week and are one game behind the Washington Redskins, the leaders in the NFC East.
Wentz will have Golden Tate to throw to starting Sunday. The wide receiver was acquired by the Eagles from Detroit at the NFL trade deadline in exchange for a draft pick.
Dallas acquired Amari Cooper a week prior to the trade deadline from Oakland and in his first game last week as a Cowboy, the wide receiver caught five passes for 58 yards and one touchdown but Dallas lost to Tennessee 28-14.
Ezekiel Elliott is the feature runner for Dallas and will be facing the NFL’s second best defense against the run. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will have to come up big in the passing department if the Eagles bring up defenders on the line to stop Elliott and the running game.
Prescott has seven touchdowns the last three games with five through the air and two on the ground, but had just 234 yards, one TD and three picks in two games last season against the Eagles.
Dallas rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has 63 tackles and will have to play even better since Sean Lee is likely out with a hamstring strain for the next six weeks.
Golden Tate decimated the Cowboys with 132 yards receiving on eight receptions including two for touchdowns in the Lions’ 26-24 loss on September 30.
Fellow wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has 14 touchdown receptions over his past 17 games but did not catch one in the Eagles last outing October 18 against Jacksonville in London, although Philadelphia won 24-18.
Right tackle Lane Johnson should play for the Eagles even though he suffered a MCL sprain during Week 8.
Prediction: Philadelphia’s defense will shut down Elliott on the ground and contain the Dallas passing game. On offense, the Eagles will attack through the air with Wentz dissecting the Dallas secondary resulting in a 27-14 Eagles win.
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