The Philadelphia Eagles may not have as big an advantage against the Cowboys as one might expect coming off their bye in Week 7.
As NFL.com's Michael Lombardi points out (via PFT), teams are 3-9 coming off their bye week this season. That would include the Cowboys' 20-16 loss at New England in Week 6, for which they had two weeks to prepare.
The old assumption that extra time to rest and get ready for an opponent is beneficial may not be holding true this year because of a change in the league's CBA which mandates players be given at least four consecutives off days during the open date. Combined with no offseason and jam-packed training camps, the thought is that teams and players are letting their fundamentals get away from them during the extra time away from the practice field.
Unlike the Cowboys, Philadelphia entered their bye on a positive note, earning a gut check win over Washington to get to 2-4. But having those good vibes extended may not make a difference.
As opposed to playing an unfamiliar team coming out of the bye, like the Cowboys going to New England, the extra time to prepare for the Cowboys probably won't have an effect for Philly. They know the Cowboys as well as any team in the league, and the Cowboys are just as familiar with Andy Reid's bunch.
