Domo's Eagles-Cowboys scouting report, prediction

Recent history: The teams split last season, each winning on the road. The Cowboys lead the series, 64-50. The first game was played on Sept. 30, 1960, at the Cotton Bowl.

WHEN THE EAGLES RUN THE BALL

The Eagles are averaging 27.3 rushing attempts per game, which is the ninth-most in the league. They have averaged 4.6 yards per carry in the last three games. Rookie Halapoulivaati Vaitai has started the last two games at RT in place of Lane Johnson, who is serving a 10-game PED suspension. Vaitai struggled in his first start vs. the Redskins, but played better last week vs. the Vikings. Ryan Mathews is the primary ballcarrier. He's averaging just 3.9 yards per carry, but ran well against a Vikings defense that was ranked fourth against the run. Mathews gained 56 tough yards on 14 carries. Six of those 14 carries gained 6 yards or more. The Cowboys are 10th in run defense, giving up just 92.2 rushing yards per game. But that's mainly because teams haven't run much on them (21.2 carries per game). The Cowboys are giving up 4.4 yards per carry.

Edge: Eagles

WHEN THE EAGLES PASS THE BALL

After a terrific start, rookie QB Carson Wentz has leveled off. In his first four starts, he had a 103.5 passer rating and 67.4 completion percentage, and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt. In his last two starts, he has a 63.5 rating and a 54.0 completion percentage, and has averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt. He has had some accuracy issues and has made some questionable decisions, which is par for the course for a rookie QB. The Eagles have had just one 100-yard receiving game from a wide receiver or tight end this season. That was Jordan Matthews in Week 1 (114 yards vs. Cleveland). Nelson Agholor, a 2015 first-round pick, has just 10 catches for 92 yards in the last four games. Tight end Zach Ertz, who caught 75 passes last season, has just five catches for 73 yards in the last three games since returning from a rib injury. The Cowboys have just 10 sacks and four interceptions.

Edge: Eagles

WHEN THE COWBOYS RUN

This likely is where the game will be won or lost. The Eagles' top priority will be to cool off red-hot rookie RB Ezekiel Elliott. Running behind what is regarded as the best offensive line in the league, Elliott leads the NFL in rushing with 703 yards. He has rushed for 130-plus yards in four straight games and has averaged 5.9 yards per carry in those games. The Cowboys are averaging an NFL-high 33.7 rushing attempts per game. After giving up 230 rushing yards to the Redskins, the Eagles held the Vikings to 93 yards on 27 carries. With the exception of the Washington game, they've done a good job against the run, holding their other five opponents to 3.7 yards per carry. The Eagles have given up two long runs on third down the last two games. With slot corner Ron Brooks out for the season, they need to be wary of the run when they're in the nickel.

Edge: Cowboys

WHEN THE COWBOYS PASS THE BALL

Rookie QB Dak Prescott has played better than the Cowboys ever could have hoped. He has thrown just one interception in 182 attempts. He's fifth in the league in passing (103.9), second in completion percentage (68.7) and fifth in yards per attempt (8.2). The Cowboys have tried not to put too much on his plate, and with their potent ground game, they don't have to. The Cowboys are averaging just 30.3 pass attempts per game, fewest in the NFL. Thanks to the ground game's production on first and second down, Prescott has faced just 28 third downs of eight yards or more. That's the fewest in the league. WR Dez Bryant, who has missed the last three games with a knee injury, is expected back this week. The Eagles are second in sacks per pass play. But it will be much more difficult getting to Prescott than it was getting to Sam Bradford.

Edge: Cowboys

SPECIAL TEAMS

There have been just two kickoffs returned for touchdowns in the NFL this season, and both have been by the Eagles, both in the last two weeks, by Wendell Smallwood and Josh Huff. PR Darren Sproles is averaging 11.2 yards per return and, at 33, still is one of the league's most dangerous return men. The Cowboys are 21st in kickoff coverage and 28th in punt coverage. PK Caleb Sturgis has made his last 14 FG attempts. Twenty-two of his 35 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks. Of the other 13, only one has been returned beyond the 25, and that one was an end-of-the-half squib kick in Week 2. Just seven of Donnie Jones' 27 punts have been returned. Cowboys PK Dan Bailey has a 90.1 career accuracy rate on field goals. He has missed just 12 of his last 134 attempts. P Chris Jones is seventh in the league in gross average (48.2), but 20th in net (39.1).

Edge: Eagles

INTANGIBLES

The Cowboys are coming off a bye, but so were the Vikings, and it didn't do them much good. This has been a strange rivalry the last three years. The teams have split the last six meetings, with the Eagles winning the three in Dallas and the Cowboys the three in Philly.

Edge: Even

Domo's prediction: Cowboys 27, Eagles 20

KEY MATCHUPS

1. Eagles DTs Fletcher Cox and Beau Allen vs. Cowboys C Travis Frederick and Gs Zach Martin and Ronald Leary: Cox and Allen's ability to get penetration will go a long way in neutralizing the Cowboys' rushing attack. ADVANTAGE: Even

2. Eagles S/SCB Malcolm Jenkins vs. Cowboys SWR Cole Beasley: Jenkins will drop down into the slot in nickel. Beasley is one of the league's more dangerous slot receivers. He has 13 third-down receptions. ADVANTAGE: Cowboys

3. Eagles TE Zach Ertz vs. Cowboys S Byron Jones: Ertz had 75 receptions last season, but has just five in the last three games. The Cowboys have had matchup problems with TEs this season. ADVANTAGE: Eagles

HOT AND NOT

HOT

Eagles: MLB Jordan Hicks. Had a team-high 11 tackles, including three for losses, and a sack and hurry vs. Vikings.

Cowboys: RB Ezekiel Elliott. Has rushed for 130-plus yards in each of the last four games, with an average of 5.9 yards.

NOT

Eagles: TEs Zach Ertz and Brent Celek. They combined for just six catches for 80 yards the last three games.

Cowboys: TE Jason Witten. Has one touchdown catch in the last 21 games.

@Pdomo Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian.com