Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (-3, 50)
The Big payback?
The Dallas Cowboys will be seeking a bit of payback when these longstanding division rivals meet for the 100th time Sunday night with first-place on the line.
The Cowboys closed the 2008 season in Philadelphia with a wild card berth on the line and were promptly pummeled by the Eagles 44-6. Dallas had five turnovers in that one – three by quarterback Tony Romo – which included fumble returns for touchdowns of 73 and 96 yards.
"We just flat out got our tail whooped, man. No excuse or anything like that," receiver Patrick Clayton told the Cowboys' official website. "We went home and had to sulk and had to deal with that for the whole offseason."
The loss was the most lopsided in the history of the series.
"I think we all remember so much - I know I do and so many players on this team remember - how we left Philadelphia last year," owner Jerry Jones said.
Added head coach Wade Phillips, “The motivation is clear to me that this is a big game. Whoever wins this is at the halfway point of the season and in first place. To me, that’s as much motivation as you need. But if you need more, if that (44-6) sticks in your craw, use that too.”
On the move
Both teams enter this playing their best football of the season. The Cowboys (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) are riding a three-game win streak while the Eagles (5-2, 5-2) have reeled off two straight including a 40-17 spanking of the Giants last week, since their unexplainable loss to the Raiders in week five.
The Cowboys, which now boasts the league’s second-ranked offense, have scored 101 points during their winning streak while giving up just 19 points a game. Romo has posted 100-plus QB ratings in all three games and for the first time in his starting career and he has not been intercepted in three consecutive games.
“I’m seeing things. It’s as simple as that. I’m not throwing and hoping,” Romo told reporters.
A major catalyst in the Cowboys resurgence has been receiver Miles Austin, whose 482 receiving yards in his first three starts are the most by any player since 1970. He’s also scored at least one touchdown in each of those games with five in total.
The Cowboys’ defense has recorded 11 of its 17 sacks and five of its nine takeaways during the winning streak.
"Defensively, they're flying around," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "They're blitzing from all over the place."
McNabb is coming off arguably his best game of the season against the Giants. The veteran signal caller went 17-of-23 for 240 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has a seasonal quarterback rating of 103.2 - a mark he’s bettered just once in his career, in 2004 while leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl.
Action Jackson
DeSean Jackson continues to be the big-play guy for Philadelphia. He notched his sixth touchdown of 50 yards or more last Sunday, three shy of breaking the NFL single-season record.
"I've just been put in some great positions to score long touchdowns," Jackson said. "Whatever we need to do to make it work, that's what we're going to do. I want to keep winning, keep making plays and hopefully make it to the Super Bowl."
Speculation out of Dallas earlier in the week was that cornerback Terence Newman would shadow Jackson all game. The Cowboys used a similar strategy vs. Carolina earlier this year and it was effective. Newman followed Steve Smith all over the field and held him to four catches for 38 yards.
However, growing confidence in second-year cornerback Mike Jenkins could scrap the plan, though Phillips wouldn’t confirm or deny.
“That’s part of our game plan, so I’m really not going to go into that,” Phillips said. “I think Jenkins is playing better and better. Newman certainly is a talent and matched up well with (Smith). It depends on what you’re doing and what they’re doing.
On the mend
Running back Brian Westbrook, who did not play last week because of concussion symptoms, is listed as questionable but is expected to play. Westbrook practiced most of the week, but was held out Friday as a precaution. Reid said he thinks Westbrook “can contribute a bunch” this week and that he’s likely to lead the running back rotation with LeSean McCoy.
Line movement
The line opened with the Eagles as 3.5-point favorites and has moved to -3 virtually everywhere. The total has held solid at 49, though a few betting shops have upped it slightly to 49.5.
Weather
It should be a glorious fall day in Philadelphia as the forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 66 degrees.
Trends
The Cowboys are: 0-5 ATS in their last five games as an underdog…1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
The Eagles are: 5-0 ATS in their last five games as a home favorite…6-1 ATS in their last seven home games…4-1 ATS in their last five games as a favorite.
The Over is: 7-2 in the Cowboys last nine games overall…7-1 in the Eagles last eight games overall.
Head-to-Head: The underdog is 7-2 ATS in their last nine meetings…the Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last six meeting.