NFL / Andy Richmond / 05 November 2009 / Leave a comment

The Eagles can put one over on their old rivals once again, says Andy Richmond.

"Well though Romo is playing, I have always doubted his ability in high pressure situations and with first place in the NFC East on the line on Sunday night the Cowboys' QB could struggle"

This matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles isn't nearly as big as the last one. Still, it always seems meaningful when these arch rivals play, and the 100th meeting is certainly no different. LAst time out the Eagles thrashed the Cowboys 44-6 to claim a wild card berth in last years play-offs. It was an especially bad day for Cowboys QB Tony Romo as he came up short again in a pressure game - he was responsible for three of the five Cowboys turnovers.

A few weeks after both teams seemed headed in the wrong direction, the Cowboys and Eagles have gotten back on track but only one will spend Sunday night alone on top of the NFC East.

Despite their resurgence, the Cowboys will still remember that defeat last year but must not let any residual effects from that outing linger. The Eagles thrive on burying teams with shaky confidence and they will pounce if they think their opponents are unsure of themselves.

The Cowboys will need all hands on deck to stop Donovan McNabb and his many explosive weapons with the Eagles. The Cowboys defensive backs will have to contend with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy. Jackson already has six plays this season of 50 or more yards which have all gone for touchdowns and he is a player to keep on your side as he has explosive ability and massive potential to be a game breaker.

Equally, the Cowboys will be looking to get TE Jason Witten in the game at every opportunity. Philadelphia's defence has played very well for the most part this season, but if there is one glaring weakness it is the unit's inability to stop opposing tight ends. Players ranging from Kellen Winslow to Zach Miller to Fred Davis have torched the Eagles already this year. Witten is more accomplished than all of those players and could play a significant role in this game - definitely another player like Jackson to look at in the touchdown scorer markets.

I favour the Eagles - just - in this one. Well though Romo is playing, I have always doubted his ability in high pressure situations and with first place in the NFC East on the line on Sunday night the Cowboys' QB could struggle.

Recommendation: Bad memories for the Cowboys - 1pt Eagles -2.5 at [1.96] or better.

Tags: Dallas Cowboys, Donovan McNabb, Jason Witten, NFC East, Philadelphia Eagles, Tony Romo