Here are the 10 big storylines for the week, with five for the Eagles and five for the Cowboys.
Eagles
After watching the NFC East title slip through their hands – specifically DaVonta Smith, who dropped a first-down catch to seal the win – the Eagles will be playing for the division championship on Sunday against the Cowboys. At 12-3, the Eagles are looking to put away Washington, which is two games behind them and face the Falcons on Sunday. A win over Dallas would lock up the division and keep the Eagles in the hunt for the No. 1 seed and first-round bye in the playoffs.
The big question for the Eagles is the health of quarterback Jalen Hurts, who left the game with a concussion in the first quarter against Washington. Hurts is obviously the leader of the offense, even though Saquon Barkley has been a huge addition in the running game. Hurts has 18 passing TDs and leads the NFL with 14 rushing touchdowns, usually from the goal-line on the "Tush Push" plays.
If Hurts doesn't play, backup Kenny Pickett will get the start. Pickett replaced Hurts and was 14-of-24 for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a 72.0 passer rating in the loss to the Commanders. Pickett went 7-5 as a starter in each of the last two years with the Steelers, for a 14-10 overall starting record.
Barkley is having a phenomenal season for the Eagles, leading the NFL in rushing with 1,838. Barkley is looking to become the ninth rusher in league history to surpass 2,000 yards in a season. The NFL record is 2,105, set by Eric Dickerson in 1984.
The Eagles have the NFL's No. 1 defense in yards allowed, averaging just 287.1 yards per game. The next-closest team is the 49ers at 304.3. So getting any kind of movement on the Eagles has been a challenge. They also rank fifth in the league in points allowed at 18.9. IN the first meeting with the Cowboys, the Eagles allowed just six points.
Cowboys
The Cowboys have officially been eliminated from the playoffs but it hasn't changed any of the team's approach. Cooper Rush will continue to start even though there might be some interest in getting snaps for backup Trey Lance. Mike McCarthy said Rush gives the team the best chance to win and winning in Philadelphia is still the top priority.
The Cowboys will finish third in the NFC East but still have a chance to have a winning record if they can win out and get to 9-8. The talk has been about Mike McCarthy's job status as this is the final year of his contract. Owner/GM Jerry Jones has been asked numerous times about McCarthy's status but although he has hinted towards a new contract, Jones has tried to avoid the topic as much as possible.
The Cowboys have won four of the last five games for a variety of reasons, but it's starting with defense. Since Micah Parsons returned from injury against the Eagles on Nov. 10, the Cowboys lead the NFL in sacks with 28. Parsons has 9.5 sacks for the season and is looking for a fifth straight double-digit sack season.
Kicker Brandon Aubrey was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his four field goal game to help the Cowboys secure a 26-24 win. Aubrey made three kicks of 50+ yards, giving him the NFL record for most 50-yarders in a regular season with 14.
Rico Dowdle is looking for a milestone of his own. After just a disappointing 23-yard effort against the Bucs on Sunday, Dowdle still has a shot to record a 1,000-yard rushing season. He currently has 903 yards but if he can get 97 in the final two games, Dowdle would be the first undrafted player in team history to have a 1,000-yard rushing season. Troy Hambrick has the most in team history with 972 yards in 2003.
