NFL Picks – NFC Wildcard – Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys [Saturday @ 8:00]

Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

LINE: Dallas -4.0

** AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH GAME WRITE-UP YOU WILL FIND A CHART WITH EACH TEAMS STATS **

*CLICK HERE For TheCoach’s Weekly Record And Record For Each Conference, Division and Team*

Last week the Cowboys faced the Eagles and humiliated them 24-0 in Dallas, the EXACT same situation as this week considering that if the Cowboys won last week, they won the division and got home-field advantage for this match-up. If the Eagles won, they got the 2nd seed and BYE. Last week was nothing like Green Bay-Arizona or Cincinnati-New York when teams certain teams had nothing to play for and didn’t want to show their game-plan to the opposing team. With so much on the line, I expected the Eagles to win a close hard fought battle and enjoy the BYE. So much for that. TheCoach also said if Tony Romo won another game late in the season (that mattered), I would start to believe in him but he still had to win in the playoffs. After this week, I may have done a complete 180 on Tony Romo (still don’t think he is worthy of the Cowboys jersey for my collection of all teams).

Philadelphia: TheCoach knew the loss of centre Jamaal Jackson would hurt the Eagles offence but I had NO IDEA that they would put up a big fat donut last week. Jay Ratliff (Dallas d-line) exposed second-string centre Nick Cole and a weak Eagles interior while DeMarcus Ware made Jason Peters look like his bitch. How the Eagles offensive line will turn around there problems in a mere six days in beyond me and Ware and Ratliff should give Andy Reid and McNabb headaches all day. When McNabb actually had time to pass, he threw behind Maclin (extremely catchable) and overthrew DeSean Jackson (how the hell can you overthrown Jackson?). If McNabb could have connected with his young wide-outs, last weeks game could have been much different as Jackson’s pass was a definite touchdown and would have knotted up the game at seven a piece. The Eagles need to take advantage of any mistake the Cowboys defence makes because they have been HOT lately. As I write this write up about the Eagles offence and how they match up compared to the Cowboys defence, I feel I have talked more about Dallas than Philadelphia. Hmm… The Eagles offence is too good to be shut out two weeks in a row though, let alone shut out by the same team two weeks in a row. If McNabb could have connected with Jackson, and Maclin could have pulled in the pass behind him, last weeks match-up could have come down to a field goal for the win. Yes, I am serious but Westbrook and McCoy need to be more involved in the game and Andy Reid needs to have a balanced attack. McNabb can’t do everything on his own (there is a reason the Eagles haven’t won a SuperBowl under Reid/McNabb) but the Eagles will be pissed after getting swept by the Eagles in the season series and shut out last week.

Dallas: Tony Romo has suddenly emerged as a quarterback who can perform under pressure and has built up a connection with Miles Austin and Jason Witten that has allowed him to excel. Another thing that has allowed Romo to play they way he has, is the running game of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice who rushed for 179 yards last Sunday and may be able to put up a similar performance this week. Every time a Cowboys running-back touched the ball, they could have hopped in a transport and driven it through the hole opened up by the offensive line. It was ridiculous. The Eagles have surrendered an average of 4.9 yards per carry  in their last four contests and there is no reason why the Cowboys backs can’t averaged between 4-5 yards per touch on Saturday Night. Not only are the Eagles struggling to stop the run but when facing a playoff team this year (Cowboys twice, Chargers and Saints) they have lost all four games and given up 30.8 points per game, I know the Eagles can put up points themselves but not 30+ against the red-hot Cowboys. In those four games mentioned above, the quarterback on the opposing team has averaged almost 270 yards per game and with Romo playing so amazing, and the run-game busting out 4+ yards per carry, how will the Eagles defence ever get off the field?

In Summary, through this whole write up I am saying how much I love the Cowboys and how horrible the Eagles are playing. With the line at -4.0 right now, it is higher than last week because of the 24-0 blow-out and believe it or not. I like the Eagles to cover… (not win, but cover). Much like TheCoach predicted last weeks game would be close, this game will be. If McNabb connects with Jackson last week… the game would have been 7-7 and who knows what would have happened? Everyone in Philadelphia wants McNabb’s head on a platter after last week and if they lose this week, they’ll want him traded A.S.A.P. It’s just the way Philadelphia sports fans are, and besides, they have the Phillies to cheer for now. With their back against the wall, Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb never play and put out a better game-plan and it’s when they are expected to win like last week to clinch 2nd seed, that they collapse. The question is, who collapses? Does Romo get his first playoff win and Dallas first since 1996 or do the Eagles have to suffer another SuperBowl-less year with Reid and McNabb.

The Cowboys have won the last two meetings while the Eagles have won 13 of the last 20.
Teams who beat an opponent twice in the regular season are 12-7 straight up when meeting in the playoffs.
Andy Reid is 7-5 against the spread in same-season divisional revenge games.

TheCoachs Pick:
Dallas 27 Philadelphia Eagles 24

*I dont expect it, but if the line drops to -3.0 or -2.5, I’ll probably take the Cowboys.

Also, Be Sure To Check Out:

NFL Picks – AFC Wild-Card – New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals

NFL Picks – AFC Wild-Card – Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots

NFL Picks – NFC Wild-Card – Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals