MONDAY NIGHT!

Why the Eagles will win:

• History repeats itself! The Eagles have won the last two meetings in Dallas. The Eagles are not afraid to play there because of their past success.
• A revamped run defense matches up great with the Dallas offense. The Eagles are bigger in the front seven then they have been in a long time. Barber will have a tougher time running through this defense.The Eagles have trouble with slashing, cut backs more than they do with smash mouth type running games.
• The secondary will dominate the Cowboy receivers. For all T.O.'s talk, Lito Sheppard owned T.O. last year in the December game. T.O. had all of 2 catches for 37 yards in that game. In the first game, the Cowboys blew the Eagles out. Jimmy Johnson was dropping extra people into coverage and played a lot of zone. T.O. had a huge game (10-174). In game two, he played almost exclusively man and brought the house often. The Cowboys managed 6 points. This year Jimmy Johnson has an extra cover corner to do battle with in Asante Samuel. I expect Sheldon Brown to lock up Whitten, and Lito and Asante to combo T.O. and Crayton. Brown is one of the most physical corners in the NFL, and he can take Whitten out of the game that would allow Dawkins to creep into the box to help on Marion Barber or to occasionally double on T.O.
• McNabb is healthy. He will not throw Ints. Westbrook rarely puts the ball on the turf. The Eagles will be stopped at times, but they will not turn the ball over giving Dallas field position.
• In games like this, field position is everything. The Eagles special teams are vastly improved. Ackers is back on his game. This phase of the game will be the difference.

How the Eagles could lose:

• Greg Ellis has 9 sacks in 19 games against the Eagles while DeMarcus Ware has 5 1/2 sacks in 6 games. The Cowboys defense is one of, if not the deepest defense in the NFL. The can cover, they can stop the run. They mix up their zone coverages and pressures well, and they get after the passer.
• Terrence Newman will play tonight giving them another cover guy in an already deep secondary. With the injuries to the Eagles top receivers, the Cowboys secondary should shut down the Eagles receivers.
• Roy Williams gets knocked for his coverage ability (for good reason), but he is a great run defender. With the Cowboys able to man up with the Eagles, Williams should be free to creep into the box giving the Cowboys numbers versus the run. The Cowboys know they must stop Westbrook.
• Romo moves so well in the pocket he can buy time even versus a relentless Eagles blitz. Jimmy Johnson does a great job of scheming he often creates an unblocked defender getting a run at the quarterback. When this happens, they must bring down Romo.
• Marion Barber can wear a defense down. The Eagles are often feast or famine on offense. If the Eagles have a bunch of consecutive three and outs, it will wear on the Eagle's D. First downs are crucial for the Eagles.

In the end:

I expect LJ Smith to come out against the Dallas safeties and have abig game. The Eagles will throw on early downs to keep Roy Williams on the field and take advantage of his defiencies in coverage. The Eagles will win a close, low scoring, physical game - 17-10. I also predict T.O. will put on a show crying he is open, Jessica Simpson breaks up with Romo, and Jerry Jones' new stadium is swept away by a tornado.

Go Eagles