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IgglesThe Dallas Cowboys dropped a bomb today by cutting running back Tashard Choice, the guy that a lot of fans wanted starting the last three years.
If you take the last, oh, two years into perspective this seems like a foregone conclusion. Choice never saw the light of day all of last season after the fumble against Washington. He was declared a bubble guy in Training Camp as the Cowboys drafted DeMarco Murray and put so much faith in Phil Tanner.
Even with Felix Jones out, Choice is gone. Seems odd. Not that Choice is gone; just that Choice is gone right now. Ideally, you'd think the Cowboys would want to keep a third back, a reliable back, in a huge road game against Philadelphia. Instead, they'll roll with two.
Seems fishy. Something happened and we may never find out what. But you don't make this kind of move without some kind of provocation and a week after you might have traded him. Smells of Sidney Ponson. Maybe the details will leak out.
Anyway, the game goes on and it's primed for a classic. It's apparently snowing in Philly and the entire northeast. Not that I know if any of its sticking, but it should be nice and sloppy and extremely cold. Extremely pumped. There's is absolutely nothing better than football being played in snow.
Five things:
DeMarco Murray, 2.0
I picked him as a key to the game a week ago, and I'm prepared to go out on that limb again. The Eagles' defense is in shambles. Somewhere Jim Johnson is rolling over in his grave watching a converted offensive line coach leading his squad. Worst of all, the Eagles are a sad-sack 10th worst team in run defense. They give up 123 yards a game on the ground. Keeping the ball out of Tony Romo's hands on the road in a rowdy, cold crowd will be key.
Keeping Everyone In Front Of You
The Eagles have a lot of athletic, speedy dudes on offense. If nothing else, it makes you wonder how such a talented team could be so bad. Outside of turnovers, the Eagles' offense is not the problem. They rank in the top 10 or five in just about every offensive category including yards and third-down conversions. Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Mike Vick, Jason Avant are all very talented guys that can -- and have -- make you pay. The Cowboys' secondary's been surprisingly good this year and this is just another challenge.
The Division
I read an article that stated every game from now on for the Eagles is a playoff game. There is very little wiggle room for them. They can't lose too many more before the playoffs become a mirage. The Cowboys, too, have a lot to play for. They are suddenly 3-3, a game out of the division lead and potentially going into a head-to-head race for the division with the New York Giants. As much as the Eagles could pull the competition back to them with a win, the Cowboys could very well bury the Eagles. Also, just a note, the Cowboys have Seattle, Buffalo, Washington, Miami and Arizona in consecutive weeks. The Cowboys are looking at a potential a seven-game run that could change the entire complexion of the NFC East. Who has more heart?
Turnovers
It's a simple equation -- maybe the simplest in professional sports -- of winning and losing in the NFL. Turn the ball over more than you force turnovers and you will lose. Period. The Eagles are a -8, worst in the NFC. The only winning team close are the New Orleans Saints at -4. If the Cowboys wish to maintain the Eagles' misery, or if the home team wants to reverse their fortunes, the turnover differential must change.
Memories
The number of significant or huge games between these two teams is really quite remarkable over the last 10 years. There was the game Roy "Safety" Williams intercepted Donovan McNabb twice to cap off a huge fourth-quarter comeback. There was McNabb's scramble at Texas Stadium on Monday night. There was DeSean Jackson's catch and run a year ago at Cowboys Stadium. There was Tashard Choice getting an autograph. 44-6. The Cowboys first and only playoff win of the past 15 years. How does this game not mean more to these guys?
Prediction
Philadelphia Eagles 27, Dallas Cowboys 23
I think the Eagles have woken up a little bit. I think they want to get up against the Cowboys. They do see this as a playoff game and a must-win, moreso than the Cowboys see it as an avenue toward burying their hated rivals. I thought the teams would split their games this year and I can't imagine the Cowboys having a better shot in Philly, the cold and snow, than at home in the friendly confines of JerryWorld. If the Cowboys pull this off, the Metroplex starts to take notice.
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