Eagles vs. Cowboys: A battle for survival

There will be an even greater disparity than usual between the winning and losing locker rooms on Sunday evening. Eagles coach Andy Reid and Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett - as well as their teams - are already answering questions about the future and teetering on the edge of a lost season.

Both teams are 3-5. Rumblings of coaching changes are merely conjecture, because eight games remain and both teams seek a second-half turnaround. Yet Sunday's game between the Eagles and the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field could become a quasi-elimination game in the NFC East, with the loser facing a real possibility of a losing record and further scorching the seat of Reid or Garrett.

Sunday's game could also serve as a measuring stick for which team is better positioned in 2012, and which team has a more promising roster for the future - an analysis that must include the long-term evaluation of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

"The answer to both questions is the Cowboys," said Charley Casserly, the NFL Network analyst and former general manager of the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans. "The Cowboys have a better defense at every level. . . . You go to offense, you start with the most critical position, and that's quarterback. You go with Romo over Vick."

The teams have taken similar paths to 3-5. Both are in the top 10 in the NFL in yards per game and near the bottom of the NFL in points per game. Both have quarterbacks beleaguered by turnovers and lost two games on the final play. If they win those games, both teams are 5-3. Split them, and they're .500.

"Games come down to a few plays, and there have been obviously a few frustrating moments with a few feet deciding a few different games," Romo said. "Whether it's a missed field goal, a hand just going out of bounds, things like that, that could determine the football game."

Injuries to key players also have hurt. Linebacker Sean Lee, a Penn State product and a central part of the Cowboys defense, will miss the season. The Eagles have lost four of their expected starting offensive linemen, including Todd Herremans and Jason Kelce for the season. They hold slim hopes that Jason Peters could return.

The new offensive line will be critical in Sunday's game. It is the first time this season the Eagles will play without Herremans, and the reshuffled group has inexperienced players and no time together.

"I think we just have to roll," Vick said. "I try not to think about it. I just try to go out and play."

Vick said earlier in the week that he had to make adjustments such as throwing the ball quicker or rolling out to create time. How well Vick can play behind a leaky offensive line and what kind of improvement the linemen show could determine the Eagles' prospects this season.

There's also the issue of the defense. The Eagles changed coordinators from Juan Castillo to Todd Bowles two games ago, and the defense has regressed.

"Defensively, there's things you didn't see coming," Casserly said. "[Nnamdi] Asomugha is not nearly as effective as I thought he was going to be. [Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie] has been inconsistent. . . . You've had some things happen there you couldn't expect. Injuries, and players not playing as well as you expected."

Optimism for both teams comes from the possibilities presented with a victory Sunday. A win would put the Eagles at 4-5 and without an opponent with a winning record until the season finale against the Giants. The remaining opponents besides the Giants have a combined record of 20-37. A rally could put the Eagles - or the Cowboys, who have a similarly soft schedule - within sight of contenders.

"I think it's just understood - we all know where we're sitting," tight end Brent Celek said. "We're 3-5, they're 3-5. We want to make the playoffs, we've got to beat this team."

Reid is in his 14th season in Philadelphia, where he has full control over every aspect of football operations. Garrett is in only his second full season as head coach and works for an owner, Jerry Jones, who is also the general manager.

That makes the evaluation of their jobs different. Yet both lead popular franchises with demanding fans, and their teams are recognized as underachievers this season.

"To me [when] you evaluate the coach, is he getting the players to go play hard? Is he making good decisions on his coaching staff? Is the team sound strategically?" Casserly said.

Both teams feature young talent, although the Cowboys have nine players 26 years old or younger who have started at least five games this season and the Eagles have six. The difference might be at quarterback, where the 32-year-old Romo might offer more stability than the 32-year-old Vick.

"I think they're both attractive, because in both cases, you have an owner who's committed to winning," Casserly said. "I think Dallas is a better team, so I think at the moment Dallas would be a better job from a talent point of view."

The different atmospheres also play a role in how the jobs are viewed. In Philadelphia, owner Jeffrey Lurie provides resources and support, but does not involve himself in day-to-day operations. Reid has had full control for much of his tenure in Philadelphia, and general manager Howie Roseman was signed to a contract extension during the offseason.

"I don't think [the Eagles are] that far away if they can get the quarterback situation resolved," said Casserly, who added that he expects the offensive line to be addressed this offseason.

Casserly said the Eagles have become "a victim of their own success." By drafting near the bottom of each round, the Eagles are theoretically at an annual disadvantage in finding elite players. So they must scout and develop better than other franchises. The drafts have not been as fruitful in recent years, and the Eagles have been more aggressive in free agency. In the last playoff game the Eagles won, 18 of their 22 starters were homegrown players. On Sunday, 14 of their starters will be homegrown.

The Eagles also staked their future on Vick with uneven results. They drafted Nick Foles in the third round this season, but he has much to prove to become a franchise quarterback despite his strong preseason.

"I wouldn't pass on a high-rated quarterback if he was sitting there in the first or second round, absolutely not," said Casserly, who likes Foles but has not seen enough to view him as a potential replacement for Vick.

Casserly was adamant that the problem with the Eagles is not Reid or general manager Howie Roseman, and that the most pressing long-term issue is performance at quarterback and studying their draft picks.

"That's something they need to sit down and say, what were we doing before, what are we doing now, and what can we do better?" Casserly said. "I know Andy Reid well enough to know he can do it. And I know Howie Roseman well enough to know he could do it."

Lurie will make that determination. He already made clear that another 8-8 season would be unacceptable and that the Eagles must demonstrate substantial improvement for Reid to return. That improvement has yet to come, and if it doesn't arrive against Dallas, it might be too late.

"I don't think it's as simple to me as, you win seven games, you fire the coach," Casserly said. "It might be to Jeffrey Lurie. Having been in those positions, people on the outside don't know all the facts involved. Those are the hard questions you have to answer in the meeting."

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