Philadelphia Eagles Vs. Dallas Cowboys: Bold Predictions For Week 8 Of 2016 NFL Season
Week 8 of the 2016 NFL season will be very telling — well, at least when it comes to the NFC East race, that is. After all, the Philadelphia Eagles, who are 4-2, will be taking on the Dallas Cowboys, who are 5-1.
Not only will two rookie quarterbacks be going at it, but the winner will have serious bragging rights in the NFC East. Of course, this contest won’t be the deciding factor when it comes to a team earning a spot in the playoffs, but it will surely go a long way.
Entering this battle, ESPN has Philadelphia down as the 12th-ranked team in its power rankings. Dallas comes in at No. 4 in the same poll.
Although the Cowboys are the better squad according to ESPN, it’s important to note that the Eagles are coming off of a big-time win against the Minnesota Vikings. Before that contest, Minnesota was undefeated. Also, Philadelphia took down the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the year by the score of 34-3, and Pittsburgh has been a trendy Super Bowl pick all season long. Of course, that might change if Ben Roethlisberger is out longer than expected.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys have won five games in a row, which features victories against the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers.
Before one of the better matchups of Week 8 gets underway, make sure to get your fix of bold predictions.
Ezekiel Elliott Rushes For 200 Yards
Ezekiel Elliott is arguably the best running back in the NFL… and he is only a rookie. If you disagree with that statement, then this might change your mind: Elliott is leading the league with 703 rushing yards. Plus, he has five rushing touchdowns on top of that.
Elliott has now rushed for 100-plus yards in four straight games, and he is coming off of a performance in which he racked up 157 rushing yards, which is a season high for him.
The Eagles aren’t the best team in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run. After all, they are allowing the 14th-most rushing yards per game at 102.7. With that said, Philadelphia is only giving up 14.7 points per game, which is good enough for third-best in the league.
Nonetheless, Elliott is a beast in the running department, and he is more than capable of racking up 200 or more rushing yards in one game.
Carson Wentz Looks Like A Rookie
The Eagles might be coming off of a monster victory against the Vikings, but it’s not like Carson Wentz was perfect in that contest. The rookie quarterback only had 138 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions against Minnesota.
He wasn’t much better the game before as he failed to reach the 200-yard mark with 179 passing yards. He also had a grand total of zero touchdowns.
Given the fact that Dallas is only giving up 17.8 points per game, which is seventh-best in the NFL, Wentz could struggle once again in Week 8. To make matters worse for Wentz, the Eagles will have to travel on the road to take on the Dallas Cowboys.
As a result, don’t be surprised when Wentz looks like a rookie once again. What exactly does that mean? Well, he could fail to reach the 200-yard mark yet again, or he could end up throwing two to three interceptions. Nonetheless, he will be far from perfect.
Cowboys Continue To Stay Hot With 10-Point Victory
Dallas is going to have to make a decision on Tony Romo sooner rather than later, but that decision will likely have to wait another week. That means Dak Prescott, who is yet another rookie quarterback, will get to work his magic in Week 8.
Prescott has thrown for 200-plus yards in every game he has played this season. Also, he is coming off of a three-touchdown performance — which is the first of his career — against the Packers. That battle was played on the road for Prescott and the Cowboys — just for the record.
Philadelphia might be coming off of a big win, but so are the Cowboys. However, the Cowboys not only get this game at home, but they are currently red-hot — to say the least. Dallas’ winning ways will continue in Week 8.
[Featured Image by Dylan Buell/Getty Images]
