Rick Gosselin: Eagles have scheduling edge over Cowboys

[Cr122]

Rick Gosselin: Eagles have scheduling edge over Cowboys

02:34 AM CDT on Sunday, August 8, 2010

By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@dallasnews.com

Advantage: Eagles

If the Eagles emerge as the team that pushes the Cowboys for supremacy in the NFC East, Philadelphia will have a huge scheduling edge. The Cowboys visit four Super Bowl contenders this season: Green Bay , Houston, Indianapolis and Minnesota. The Eagles play those same four teams at home at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cowboys also play the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. The Eagles do not.
Happy returns

Speaking of the Eagles, they acquired J.J. Arrington last week in a trade with the Denver Broncos . Philadelphia has three players who have returned kickoffs for touchdowns in their NFL careers: Ellis Hobbs , Quintin Demps and Arrington. In fact, all scored touchdowns on kickoffs in 2008. Demps ran one back 100 yards against Baltimore, Hobbs 95 against the Oakland and Arrington 93 against the Cowboys. Hobbs also had a 108-yard return against the New York Jets in 2007. Don't look for the Eagles to finish 30th in the NFL in kickoff returns like last season.
Dolphins dealt blow

The Miami Dolphins lost fourth-round draft pick A.J. Edds last week with a season-ending knee injury. Edds was the best coverage linebacker in the 2010 draft, and the Dolphins were banking on him playing on passing downs this season. He will be missed in those two games against New England when Tom Brady is throwing to Kevin Faulk , those two games against Buffalo when Trent Edwards is throwing to C.J. Spiller and when the Dolphins visit Ray Rice and Baltimore. Edds intercepted five passes at Iowa last season.

Al Davis was famous for his "vertical stretch" passing offense with the Oakland Raiders. But there's been very little vertical of late and even less stretch. The Raiders have ranked in the bottom four in the NFL in passing each of the last four seasons. The Raiders took quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the first overall selection of the 2007 draft, but he was a bust and the Raiders bottomed out in 2008, finishing last in the NFL in passing. Davis released Russell in the off-season and traded for Jason Campbell . He gives the Raiders hope. The Washington Redskins finished 16th in the NFL in passing with Campbell taking the snaps last season.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Rick Gosselin: Eagles have scheduling edge over Cowboys

02:34 AM CDT on Sunday, August 8, 2010

By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@dallasnews.com

Advantage: Eagles

If the Eagles emerge as the team that pushes the Cowboys for supremacy in the NFC East, Philadelphia will have a huge scheduling edge. The Cowboys visit four Super Bowl contenders this season: Green Bay , Houston, Indianapolis and Minnesota. The Eagles play those same four teams at home at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cowboys also play the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. The Eagles do not.
Happy returns[/QUIOTE]


I'm more concerned about the Vikings and maybe the Texans. We seem to play the Colts real well. Now I also have concerns about the Packers---not the team itself, but the Zebras. If the Zebras call another game like that, then yes, we will lose. That was one fo the worst officiated games in Cowboys' history.


I don't think the Eagles have an advantage. Sure they are at home, but how much is that going to help them? I can see them going 2-2 at best. But the Giants also have the same away schedule with those very teams as the Cowboys and they are expected to contend with the Cowboys.

 

[sbk92]

I'm usually afraid of the Eagles. Probably because I hate them like no other and their Super Bowl title would be the worst for me.

But this year I seriously doubt Kolb can just step in with little experience and lead a team deep into the playoffs. At some point there's going to be some growing pains. Maybe next year they'll be a force, but this year I'm more worried about the Giants.

 

[Cr122]

Rick Gosselin: Eagles have scheduling edge over Cowboys

02:34 AM CDT on Sunday, August 8, 2010

By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@dallasnews.com

Advantage: Eagles

If the Eagles emerge as the team that pushes the Cowboys for supremacy in the NFC East, Philadelphia will have a huge scheduling edge. The Cowboys visit four Super Bowl contenders this season: Green Bay , Houston, Indianapolis and Minnesota. The Eagles play those same four teams at home at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cowboys also play the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. The Eagles do not.
Happy returns[/QUIOTE]


I'm more concerned about the Vikings and maybe the Texans. We seem to play the Colts real well. Now I also have concerns about the Packers---not the team itself, but the Zebras. If the Zebras call another game like that, then yes, we will lose. That was one fo the worst officiated games in Cowboys' history.


I don't think the Eagles have an advantage. Sure they are at home, but how much is that going to help them? I can see them going 2-2 at best. But the Giants also have the same away schedule with those very teams as the Cowboys and they are expected to contend with the Cowboys.

I know he's one player, but the Packers without John Jolly really hurts that defense.

As far as our matchups in the division it depends on what we do against each other.

But one thing that happened last year was we were swept by the Giants, and where did they end up?

So, yeah it's important to win your division games, but it doesn't always determine the outcome.

If I had to lose any of those games I wouldn't mind losing to the Colts or any AFC team for that matter, I just want to win the division, and have those byes and home field advantage.

I don't want to go on the road again and have to beat a team like the Vikings in that kind of environment again. Plus I'm still skeptical about our offensive line and the safety position. I want Mike Hamlin as our starting safety, and as far as the offensive line we have question marks all around the depth.

Shit, we are not even sure about our starters really at this point, so we'll have to see what happens. If our offensive line can't block we can't run the football to open up the passing game. Just wanted to put a few points in there.