Beat the Boys

Posted: October 20th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 29 Comments »

Today the Eagles face the dreaded Dallas Cowboys, a team more evil than Justin Bieber and New Coke combined.

I wrote my preview for PE.com.

This game should be a shootout. You have 2 good offenses and 2 flawed defenses. So how do you figure out a favorite?

* Since October 1st, 2012, the Eagles are 0-8 at The Linc. Dallas is 1-0. Advantage Dallas.

* Tony Romo has never won back to back games in Philly. Advantage Eagles.

* Dallas is likely to be without RB DeMarco Murray, while the Eagles have the NFL’s leading rusher, LeSean McCoy. Advantage Eagles.

* The Eagles seem opposed to covering slant passes. Advantage Dallas.

* The Giants are 0-6. Advantage mankind.

* The Eagles have Invincible and Silver Linings Playbook. Dallas has this cinematic masterpiece:

Advantage Dallas.

* Dallas has a QB who grins like Gomer Pyle. The Eagles QB looks like the love-child of Thor and Chuck Norris. Advantage Eagles.

* Dallas has Monte Kiffin. The Eagles have Chip Kelly. Advantage Eagles.

Looks like the Eagles should be favored when you study these angles to the game.

* * * * *

While this is a huge rivalry game for Eagles fans, Chip Kelly isn’t a believer in rivalries. Here’s a good piece from some Oregon hack on Chip and his logic in not believing in rivalries.

* * * * *

The hackiest of hacks, Mr Jimmy Bama, wrote his Tale of the Tape, comparing the Eagles and ‘Boys. Check out his take on the CBs.

Yeah, I said it. The Eagles CBs are playing better right now. Brandon Carr will be the best CB on the field on Sunday, but we’re not talking about a lockdown kind of guy there. Meanwhile, 2nd year pro Morris Claiborne was already benched once this year, and Brandon Boykin has a clear edge over Cowboys slot corner Orlando Scandrick. Boykin is developing into one of the best slot CBs in the NFL. Meanwhile, Bradley Fletcher is tied for 2nd in the NFL in passes defensed, with 10. According to ProFootballFocus (which admittedly is a little iffy on things like picking out which player on defense should by considered the “target”), here are the passer ratings of opposing QBs who have targeted the Eagles’ corners this season:

  • Cary Williams: 82.4
  • Bradley Fletcher: 78.8
  • Brandon Boykin: 64.2

By contrast, here are Dallas’ corners in the same metric:

  • Morris Claiborne: 92.6
  • Orlando Scandrick: 90.8
  • Brandon Carr: 75.8

The Cowboys invested heavily in their CBs, but this group is overrated, while the Eagles’ CBs have been underrated. Both teams have have given up a boatload of passing yards this season (the Eagles give up 6 more passing yards per game than the Cowboys), but the Eagles’ corners have not been the biggest culprits of those struggles.

Interesting.

* * * * *

In case you missed this, the Eagles cut CB Jordan Poyer so they could add RB Matthew Tucker from the practice squad. Chris Polk hurt his shoulder and he’s out this week. The coaches wanted a 3rd RB.

Poyer will likely be added to the practice squad once he clears waivers.

If Tucker does anything in the game (one STs tackle or a carry for 3 yards), I look forward to the Foles-Vick debate taking a backseat to the Tucker-Polk debate.

_

29 Comments on “Beat the Boys”

  1. 1 sprawl said at 12:17 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Also the eagles have an advantage when it comes to websites.

    We have the excellent http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com

    And then there’s http://www.cowboys.com

  2. 2 Anders said at 12:17 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Tommy, Jennifer Lawrence beats those Cowboys cheerleaders.

  3. 3 Average__Joseph said at 12:20 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    I don’t know, sheer quantity of cheerleaders may win out on this one. Definitely bigger pom poms.

    Just An Average Joseph

  4. 4 Anders said at 12:25 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    but is dragged down by them been Cowboys cheerleaders.

  5. 5 Average__Joseph said at 12:32 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    I will agree to Katness for a long term relationship plus she is good with a bow and arrow but….

    for for a “fun” weekend it would be hard (pun intended) to turn do a bevy of buxom bimbos. It’s not like we would be talking about football.

    Just An Average Joseph

  6. 6 A_T_G said at 12:54 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Plus, the girls turn their back to the field when the Cowboys are playing. Pretty (and) smart.

  7. 7 TheRogerPodacter said at 1:02 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    agreed. much better than those hooters girls.

  8. 8 Enslaved Meth Cook said at 12:18 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    it will be a defensive battle today..

  9. 9 ICDogg said at 12:28 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    they will be battling to determine whose defense is worse

  10. 10 Enslaved Meth Cook said at 2:41 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    lol…. after the 1st half i couldnt have been more correct

  11. 11 Enslaved Meth Cook said at 11:19 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    yup…. i am god.

  12. 12 Corry said at 12:27 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    I’m watching the game today with two friends, one is a Steelers fan, the other is a Giants fan. We are united in our hatred of Dallas.

    I’m still thinking the Cowboys have the advantage on special teams. Hopefully Henery is putting the ball out of the end zone and Donnie Jones can keep it away from Harris.

  13. 13 GEAGLE said at 12:40 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Ask your friends, how excited they are about drafting in the top 5 this year!!! Lol
    …
    Ask your Giant friend if he is still laughing at our 4-12 season lol….I torture my giant fan friends. I don’t have any cowboy friends lol

  14. 14 TheRogerPodacter said at 1:00 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    nothing like a common hatred of Dallas to bring people together

  15. 15 GEAGLE said at 12:30 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Not only havent we won a game at the corporate hell hole we call home, but we have lost homes games during this horrible streak by an average of 10 points per game….I want nothing more then to snap this putrid streak against the dirty stinkin cow FOCKERS and forget this losing streak ever existed…

  16. 16 ICDogg said at 12:30 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Is that your replacement on the D-line today? RT @DeMarcusWare #GameDay #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/3cY9AyDZOs— InsultComicDog (@InsultComicDog) October 20, 2013

  17. 17 Alex Karklins said at 12:31 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Is that a young John Clayton in that opening scene?

  18. 18 GEAGLE said at 12:34 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    I heard Monte Kiffin hasn’t been able to fall asleep since Thursday..
    ..
    Hopefully the cow sluts have a good doctor near by that specializes on the Heimlich maneuver… After all, it’s only football, we need Romo in the division, we can’t have him dying on the sideline

  19. 19 OregonDucker said at 12:42 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    “we need Romo in the division, we can’t have him dying on the sideline” – then don’t play Curry!

  20. 20 A_T_G said at 12:50 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    They will definitely need the Heimlich maneuver, because we are going to run it down their throats.

  21. 21 TheRogerPodacter said at 12:59 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    can’t tell why, but i read your comment and this comes to mind:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC4XwpmJGi0

  22. 22 ICDogg said at 12:40 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    I expect the Eagles to crank up the pace like they did in the first half of game 1 today.

  23. 23 OregonDucker said at 12:41 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    No ST or O TURNOVERS, please. But lets get a few turnovers on D!!

  24. 24 T_S_O_P said at 12:51 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Watched Pickle Juice in preparation yesterday. Let’s go all DUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE all over their ass.

  25. 25 A_T_G said at 12:56 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Wow, pickle juice, Duce, all over their ass.

    Not a nice mental image.

  26. 26 T_S_O_P said at 12:59 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    Then maybe you’ll not like to hear that I am feeling PUMPED.

  27. 27 OregonDucker said at 1:00 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    A nightmare is born!

  28. 28 TheRogerPodacter said at 12:57 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    we going to have a gameday thread?

  29. 29 TommyLawlor said at 12:59 PM on October 20th, 2013:

    game thread is posted