Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles Matchup Preview (1/8/22): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles Matchup Preview (1/8/22)

This Saturday, January 8th, the Dallas Cowboys are set to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in their last showdown of the 2021 regular season. The match will occur at Lincoln Financial Field, and kickoff is set for 8:15 PM EST. Both teams have locked playoff spots and are representing the NFC East division. The teams are fighting for playoff locations to have an easier seed but missed their chances to rematch each other in the first round. The Cowboys’ recent loss to the Arizona Cardinals eliminated them from the running of the number one slot for the NFC conference. This matchup will be the second meeting of the teams this season. The first matchup resulted in a 41-21 victory for the Cowboys. Will this game be a rerun of the earlier meeting, or will the new confidence of the Eagles take over and flip the script?

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles Betting Odds

This matchup is predicted to be much closer in score than the teams’ previous meeting. The newfound confidence of the Philadelphia Eagles is gaining the trust of fans and betting sites to make this a close game. The spread has favored the Cowboys at -4 (-110) and +4 (-110) for the Eagles. This is a great change from the 20 point spread that was allowed in their last meeting in Week 3. Jalen Hurts pushed his team towards excellence, while Dak Prescott has been called out for being in a “flop era.” However, many still wonder if the Eagles are prepared enough to take on the powerhouse team of the Cowboys. The Cowboys have the highest cover rate on away games in the league, going 7-1 (87.5%). They also have not had a game come within four points since they played the Minnesota Vikings 10 weeks ago. The Eagles are coming into this week with a four-game win streak that may bring them the momentum they need to have a chance against the Cowboys, but their young team does not have the skill to overtake a well-established team. 

The over/under is set at 43 points. I don’t believe either team will be focusing on big plays in this matchup to protect their players from injury before entering the postseason. Most of the play calling will be focused on short and safe plays as well as the run game, making it seem less likely large point sums will be scored. They didn’t even cross the 43 point line in their last explosive matchup. With little at stake and the risk of injuries, I think both teams will play an aggressive run game but not risk extra time in the pocket for long throws. 

My Prediction: Cowboys Win 25-17, Cowboys cover, Under 43

TV Schedule

Date: Saturday, January 8
Time: 8:30 PM EST
Location: Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, PA
TV Coverage: ESPN/ABC/ESPN+

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles Live Stream

Where can you watch Cowboys vs. Eagles online? You can stream this game, and many other NFL games live online with Hulu. Hulu has a 7 Day free trial and is cheaper than cable options at $5.99/month. Watch Cowboys vs. Eagles Free Online Now.

Dallas Cowboys Analysis

The most common phrase in the language of a Dallas Cowboy fan is “Cowboys Superbowl this year,” and this year may be their chance. The Cowboys are playing at a heightened level, not many expected. They’re entering the final week of their regular season 11-5 and claiming the top spot in the NFC East. After two dry spells of no playoffs, the Cowboys have finally clinched their place in the top four spots and seek better placement to play a less challenging team in the first round. There has been no confirmation if the Cowboys are going to rest their starters for this matchup, so it should be an exciting one to watch. After a tough loss against the Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys need this win to boost their energy and confidence before the playoffs begin.

Dak Prescott is the leader of this Dallas team. He came back this season with a fire that was missing after a season-ending ankle injury last year. He began the season leading the team to a 6-1 start, only taking a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but has since struggled to keep the mojo moving with less impressive performances. He has 4,154 yards, and 32 touchdown passes so far this season. He is averaging 277 yards per game, which is a stat not many starting QBs in the league can compete with. He threw for 238 yards with an 80% completion rate when he last faced the Eagles. The Eagles’ defense has gained huge strides in their skill over the season, yet their passing defense has not reached a level that can handle an on-fire Dallas offense. Dak will need to get out of his funk to shape up for the new and improved Philadelphia Eagles.

With the stakes of injury in the back of the coaches’ minds, I suspect the run game will become a staple in this matchup. The Cowboys have the rotation of Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard can be a dangerous one to any defense. However, Tony Pollard will be missing this weekend’s game due to a foot injury he acquired last week against the Cardinals. The weight of the run game will be put on Elliott, which shouldn’t be a problem for the beat of a running back. He has 915 rushing yards so far on the season. In the last meeting with the Eagles, Elliott was able to push 95 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles now have a top 10 rush defense, so the Cowboys starter will have his hands full. 

Dallas Cowboys Depth Chart

QB: Dak Prescott
RB1: Ezekiel Elliott
RB2: Tony Pollard
RB3: Corey Clement
WR1: Amari Cooper
WR2: CeeDee Lamb
WR3: Michael Gallup
TE1: Dalton Schultz

Philadelphia Eagles Analysis

The Philadelphia Eagles turned their luck around in the last second of the season, securing a playoff spot. The Eagles are entering the last week of the season with a record of 9-7, which is a grave improvement from their 2-5 start to their season. After their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, returned from the injured reserve from an ankle injury, the team has been on a hot four-game win streak. Hurts has the duality of passing and rushing ability that has been unmatched in the league this year. Not only has he accumulated 3,144 passing yards for 16 touchdown passes, but he also has 784 rushing yards for ten touchdowns. Hurts surprisingly leads the team in rushing yards, passing running back Miles Sanders, who has 754 rushing yards. Sanders is out this week with a hand injury, so expect Hurts to be keeping the ball even more than normal. In their last matchup, Hurts threw for 326 yards but only rushed for 35 yards. This meeting was very early in Hurt’s starting career, so he was not as comfortable on the field as he is now. I expect Jalen to have one of his better performances against the Cowboys in this matchup. The Cowboys will need to have their best eyes on him to keep track; otherwise, Hurts can discombobulate even the tightest of coverage. 

When Hurts decides to release the ball, he will most definitely be looking for his rookie receiver, Devonta Smith, for quick release passes. The Eagles are missing their tight end Dallas Goedert due to COVID, so Smith will be the primary receiver for the Philadelphia team. Smith has 875 yards in his first season, which averages 54.7 yards per game. Smith will be up against the interception king, Trevon Diggs, so accuracy and focus will need to be at the highest level for the Hurts-Smith combination. Diggs has led the league in interceptions and will take full advantage of Devonta’s rookie moves and inexperience to increase his season stats. 

Philadelphia Eagles Depth Chart

QB: Jalen Hurts
RB1: Boston Scott
RB2: Jordan Howard
RB3: Kenneth Gainwell
WR1: DeVonta Smith
WR2: Quez Watkins
WR3: Jalen Reagor
TE1: Dallas Goedert

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles Daily Fantasy Picks

This game is full of fantasy football stars. In the championship weekend for fantasy, you’re going to need all the fuel you need, and you’ll find it here. In the quarterback position, Jalen Hurts has a better history of point values in fantasy. He averages 20.8 points and gains huge increases when he goes for rushing touchdowns. Without Miles Sanders, it’s suspected that he will take the ball to the end-zone more often than average, which can lead fantasy owners to huge gains. 

When the ball is going into the hands of a running back, I would be all over Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott has been a powerhouse for the Dallas team, even with his lacking performance against Arizona. He averages 15.1 points. He had a season-high of points against the Eagles, reaching 26.6 points in their last meeting. I project he will be given more carries this week, especially with Pollard on the sideline. We all know when Elliott is on fire, he is hard to stop. I hope he repeats his last performance and scores massively for all fantasy owners.