It’s officially game day in Dallas, and a few key Cowboys stars are preparing for a heavy load in this Week 10 matchup.
Let’s face it: The Eagles are no joke, and the Cowboys might be exactly that at this point in the season. They are sitting at 3-5, have a backup quarterback running things, and there is little hope for a playoff push.
That said, the season doesn’t end in Week 10, and Dallas is playing for some pride today as they look to avoid falling to 0-5 at home this year.
The Cowboys are heavy underdogs in this game, largely because of their injuries and Philadelphia’s prowess to this point in the season. They have been dangerous, and their firepower is tough to beat.
If Dallas is going to pull off the upset, it will be with their best players matching the Eagles’ energy and carrying them to a huge victory.
With that in mind, let’s look at a few of these Cowboys stars and what they need to do to deliver a shocking Week 10 win over Philadelphia.
Micah Parsons Must Return With Thunder
At long last, we will be seeing Cowboys All-Pro, Micah Parsons, back on the field today. It has been about six weeks since the perennial DPOY candidate went down with an ankle injury, and while his return may be too late, it is still crucial for Dallas.
Parsons, 25, is the lifeblood of this Dallas defense. His game-breaking talent, and constant focus from the offense, spell danger for any opposing backfield.
Without him, the Cowboys’ pass rush is far from dangerous, and their versatility goes by the wayside.
The return of Parsons will allow the Mike Zimmer-led defense to operate the way it was designed to. After all, the success of the defense as a whole does ultimately bank on Parsons to some degree.
This will also allow some of the depth pieces that have become starters to float back into those roles, which is a very good thing for Dallas.
Here’s the bottom line: Now that Parsons is back in the lineup, they are going to need immediate contributions from him.
It’s fine to be rusty. That is normal when you’re talking about a lower-body injury, but if Parsons can’t make a few impact plays today, you can bet on the Eagles offense to succeed early and often.
Trevon Diggs Playing Through The Pain
As it stands right now, Cowboys star Cornerback, Trevon Diggs, is questionable to play in today’s game. He has both a calf and illness designation on the Week 10 injury report, and it’s up in the air if he will be able to go.
You may have heard by now that Diggs is actually dealing with a tear in his calf. I can’t imagine that is any fun.
For a guy that has gotten a lot of flack so far in this season for his attitude and performance, you have to tip your cap to him that he could play today with both that tear and an illness. Diggs is a true gamer.
He is also in a similar boat to Parsons today. If he plays, we should not expect his absolute greatest performance yet; that likely isn’t physically possible for him.
However, the Cowboys defense is going to need some impact moments from him.
We all know the Dallas secondary is seriously depleted as DaRon Bland continues to miss games and rookie Caelen Carson scraps his way back to the lineup after a nagging shoulder injury.
Diggs, as the leader of this group, has to make some plays today for the Cowboys to have a shot. The Eagles are simply too dangerous offensively to survive without a turnover.
CeeDee Lamb Performing Without His Partner
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, we’ve got CeeDee Lamb. Dallas’ superstar wide receiver is playing his first game this season without Prescott by his side.
Regardless of what you may think about Prescott, there is no question that things get considerably harder for the Cowboys when he is missing, and the same goes for Lamb’s performance as well.
Lamb’s number go down when playing with backup Cooper Rush, as opposed to playing with Prescott. That won’t surprise anybody, but it’s a fact nonetheless.
The Cowboys’ offense really does rely on both Prescott and Lamb to create explosive plays, pick up tough third downs, and finish drives off in the red-zone. With Prescott out, it will be on Lamb to make Rush’s job easy.
He is battling an injury himself, as we all saw his shoulder nagging him throughout last week’s game, but he is clear to go with no injury designation this week.
It’s tough to blame a wide receiver for not coming through as much when a backup is in; there will be plays today that Rush won’t make, that Prescott would have. However, Lamb is talented enough to make up some of that difference on his own.
If the Cowboys want a chance in this game, it will be on CeeDee Lamb’s shoulders to make some big plays, and consistently convert the small ones.
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