The Dallas Cowboys’ defense has been straight-up terrible this season, and that’s not just my opinion, it’s a fact backed by their last-place ranking in EPA per dropback allowed. This week, with Saquon Barkley back in the lineup and Landon Dickerson potentially returning, the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense faces a massive test: if they can’t exploit these glaring weaknesses, then what are we even doing? Sean Mannion seems to think execution is the main problem for the Eagles, and if that’s true, this is absolutely the week to prove it.
Communication? What Communication?
Seriously, watching the Cowboys’ pass defense is like a masterclass in how *not* to communicate. Since the season kicked off, receivers have been running into completely vacant areas of the field again and again. These aren’t even hard throws into tight windows! Sometimes you see two defenders taking the same route, leaving another wide-open guy to just stroll into space. The source even showed an example where both defenders went for the flat, and literally no one was responsible for the corner route. That’s not just a bust, that’s a defensive system breakdown right there. This kind of chaos is exactly why they’re dead last in EPA per dropback allowed.
Zone Struggles and Eagles’ Opportunity
The Cowboys run a lot of zone, which means their defenders *have* to communicate and exchange routes when receivers move through their areas. That’s a system that takes time to learn, especially when you have a new teacher like Christian Parker implementing it for the very first time. Even Vic Fangio’s Eagles have had their communication hiccups with new secondary players, so imagine the growing pains for Dallas. While you can’t expect these same mistakes to last forever, the Eagles absolutely have to make the Cowboys show they’ve fixed them *now*. Philadelphia’s offense cannot line up, run the same static combinations over and over, and make life easy for this struggling secondary. There are weaknesses everywhere to attack, and another performance where the offense just can’t function would leave a writer like me with very little hope for what’s ahead.
This isn’t just another game. This is the Eagles’ chance to silence the doubters, show some real offensive execution, and capitalize on a defense that’s been handing out free yards like candy. Keep an eye on Saquon Barkley and how the Eagles attack those vacant zones. They’ve got to make a statement this Sunday.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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