Dallas Cowboys Without Dez Bryant For NFC East Rivalry In Philly
A classic NFC East rivalry will be renewed Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field when the Philadelphia Eagles play host to the Dallas Cowboys. When the Eagles and Cowboys get together, tensions are sure to flare. The Eagles are coming off a season opener in Atlanta on Monday night, which means there is a short week to prepare for the division rivals, but the Cowboys have some concerns of their own.
Series History
The Cowboys hold a decisive edge in the all-time series between the two long-time division rivals. Dallas leads the series with a 63-49 record head-to-head. The two teams split the season series last fall, with each team in the other team's stadium. The Cowboys left Philadelphia with a 38-27 victory last December in a key NFC East division showdown that ultimately helped the Cowboys go on to win the division instead of the Eagles. Dallas has won the last three game splayed in Philadelphia, with the last Eagles win in the Linc coming October 30, 2011.
Cowboys on Offense
The Cowboys will be without one of its top offensive players this weekend. Wide receiver Dez Bryant will be out of action for the next four to six weeks due to a right foot injury suffered in the Sunday night victory over the New York Giants. He was scheduled for surgery this week to repair the broken right foot. Bryant is a big-time playmaker for the Cowboys, so his loss is a big one for the Dallas offense. That means quarterback Tony Romo may end up relying more on his trusted tight end, Jason Witten. Romo and Witten hooked up eight times out of the nine times Romo looked the tight end's way, for a total of 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That has been a steady formula for the Dallas offense for as long as the two have been on the field together, and it shows no signs of slowing down for the Eagles defense.
One of the storylines for this game will be the Dallas running game. With DeMarco Murray now in Philadelphia, Dallas looks to keep the running game going with Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden carrying the football.
Cowboys on Defense
The Cowboys defense is also going to be playing without a key player. Rookie defensive end Randy Gregory will be on the sideline for the next four to six weeks with a high ankle sprain. That injury occurred in the season opener against the Giants on Sunday night.
The defense is led by linebacker Sean Lee, who is finally back on the field and healthy after having an injury-riddled career to date. The former Nittany Lions linebacker should be everywhere on defense. He led the team with seven tackles on Sunday night. The Eagles will also look to find something through the air, and hope for more success than Eli Manning had completing 20 of 36 pass attempts for 193 yards. There should be some opportunities, but the Eagles will have to avoid making turnovers.
Key Players
Tony Romo, QB: The franchise quarterback for the Cowboys has seen his ups and downs against the Eagles, and you just never know just how good or bad he may be. Romo can be taken out of the game with good pressure, but he has a knack for making some solid throws and keeping from making too many risky throws if he is feeling comfortable.
Demarcus Lawrence, DE: The Eagles offensive line showed some holes early on against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night, so any player coming off the edge looking to bring pressure on Sam Bradford will be worth paying attention to. Lawrence had just three tackles against the Giants on Sunday night, but he should be a physical challenge Sunday afternoon.
Outlook
The first of two NFC East battles this season between the top two teams in it should be a good one, even if it does come earlier than usual. A loss would put the Eagles in a hole in the division, but the good news is there is plenty of football to be played the rest of the season. Look for the Eagles to try and carry over some of the offensive momentum gained in Atlanta from the start against Dallas. If the Eagles can get an early lead, Dallas may not be ready to play from behind with Bryant on the field.
Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.