Philadelphia @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 9, 2018 ) Philadelphia 23, Dallas 29

The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys expected to be battling for supremacy in the NFC East this season, but both clubs likely envisioned having better records heading into their Sunday night clash in Arlington, Texas. The Eagles fell to 3-3 following a 38-20 loss to Minnesota last week while the Cowboys own the same mark after dropping their third straight game with a 24-22 setback to the previously winless New York Jets.

"We're going down to Dallas, and our guys are gonna be ready to play. And we're gonna win that football game, and when we do, we're in first place in the NFC East," Philadelphia coach Doug Pederson said on 94.1 WIP. "We control our own destiny. We're right where we need to be." Carson Wentz, who threw for two touchdowns last week versus the Vikings, has 10 scores against just one interception in five career starts versus the Cowboys. Dak Prescott has six total scores (five passing, one rushing) en route to recording three straight wins against the Eagles, perhaps giving Dallas coach Jason Garrett a bit of optimism upon hearing Pederson's comments earlier this week. "My response is we're excited about the challenge," Garrett said. "Obviously they're a great football team and we're going to focus on ourselves and what we need to do to prepare to play our best football on Sunday night."

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Cowboys -2.5. O/U: 48.5

ABOUT THE EAGLES (3-3): Alshon Jeffery has been quite busy since returning from a calf injury, with the 6-foot-3, 216-pound wideout picking up 13 first downs on 19 receptions in that stretch -- with several catches coming off a screen behind the line of scrimmage. "He's a big target. It's a way to get him the football," Pederson said. "He's physical down the field." Jeffery had a team-leading 10 receptions for 76 yards last week and has found the end zone in each of his last two games against Dallas. Zach Ertz, who has four touchdowns in his last five contests versus the Cowboys, joins fellow tight end Travis Kelce (Kansas City) and Michael Thomas (New Orleans) as the lone NFL players with 50-plus receiving yards in each of his first six games this season.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (3-3): Amari Cooper's availability is in question against the Eagles after exiting Sunday's game against the Jets with a bruised thigh. "We'll take his situation day by day," Garrett said of Cooper, who torched Philadelphia with 10 receptions for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the last encounter. "Obviously, he's as tough as they come and does everything he can to get himself in position to play and play through some of those things. He's done that throughout his career. He's done that for us." With the availability of fellow wideout Randall Cobb (back) also in jeopardy, veteran tight end Jason Witten could be in line for an increased workload against the Eagles' 29th-ranked pass defense (280.2 yards per game) after recording season highs in receptions (five), targets (seven) and receiving yards (57) last week. The offense, however, likely will go through Ezekiel Elliott, who ran for a touchdown in his third straight game last week heading into a tilt with Philadelphia's second-ranked rush defense (72.8 yards per game).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Philadelphia WR DeSean Jackson (abdomen) is in line to return from a four-game absence on Sunday night.

2. Dallas DE Robert Quinn has five sacks in his last four games overall after collecting just 6.5 in his lone season with Miami in 2018.

3. Eagles LB Brandon Graham, who leads the team with four sacks, has 5.5 in his past seven meetings with the Cowboys.

PREDICTION: Eagles 24, Cowboys 21