PHILADELPHIA — This isn’t just any Dallas Cowboys week for the Eagles or their renowned opponent, thanks to a trade by Howie Roseman.
When Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott rolls the film, he will bang the table and curse not once, not twice, but three times when he watches the Eagles’ secondary in action. Prescott was intercepted three times trying to throw the football past veteran safety Kevin Byard, who picked him off twice in one game in a career with the Tennessee Titans.
That alone turns the Sunday showdown between Prescott and Byard, acquired a week ago by the Eagles, into a head trip. Byard was happy and thorough handing out the Prescott scouting report Wednesday.
“Over Dak’s career, he wants to push the ball down the field,” Byard said. “I wouldn’t say that’s different this year. But I will say that on first and second down, they really want to work more of the quick passing game and things like that. Kind of get him going early and make him be efficient, be really good on first and second down so they can be in third-and-short. I think they’re one of the best, if not the best, third-down team teams because they’re really good on first and second down. I just think they’re taking what the defense gives them.”
The Cowboys rank third in the NFL on third down with a 48 percent conversion rate while the Eagles are hitting at a league-best 50 percent entering their Sunday afternoon game (4:30, FOX-29) at Lincoln Financial Field. Byard is just the guy you want in the ear of an Eagles secondary shredded like Swiss cheese last week by Washington quarterback Sam Howell and a youthful stable of receivers headed by Terry McLaurin.
The Eagles’ pass rush couldn’t get to Howell, who was getting the ball out lightning quick, and the communication in the Eagles’ Cover 3 zone was off.
If there is space like that this week for Cowboys receivers Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks it’s going to be a long night. Prescott is 8-3 against the Eagles, including 1-0 versus Jalen Hurts.
“A guy like him, he’s very accurate, he trusts his arm, trusts his receivers,” Byard said. “He wants to get his playmakers the ball early and often. The key is being physical with these receivers, knowing that they’re going to run a lot of quick gains. We have to play well on the outside to win.”
Byard had a bumpy first half in his Philly debut last week against the Commanders, but picked it up down the homestretch. That said, the Eagles had to hang on to secure a 38-31 win victory at FedEx Field. That’s not what you’d expect from a 7-1 team.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, aren’t as good as their 5-2 record would suggest. They haven’t beaten a winning team yet, were routed by the San Francisco 49ers and lost to rookie head coach Jonathan Gannon and Arizona.
The Sunday night war with the Eagles is for firm control of the NFC East lead. It should be a classic … every bit as wild and crazy as some of the all-time Eagles-Cowboys dustups. Don’t think for a minute that Prescott and the Cowboys have forgotten how Byard embarrassed them with his first pick of the quarterback on Nov. 6, 2018. Byard stepped in front of Amari Cooper in the end zone in a 28-14 Titans win over the Cowboys, then ran to the star logo at AT&T Stadium and celebrated a la Terrell Owens.
Then Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones, infuriated by the display, ran to midfield and shoved the dancing Byard off the spot. That was Byard’s favorite interception of Prescott. Byard got so physical that intended receiver Cooper pleaded with an official for interference.
“It was kind of my coming-out party,” said Byard, then a third-year player who the previous season led the NFL with eight interceptions. “My first Monday Night Football, prime-time game. So, it was definitely an exciting moment for me in my career. Obviously, everyone and their mom was hitting me up, saying how cool it was, and they were super excited. Mike Vrabel didn’t like it a lot. The league didn’t like it a lot because they fined me $10,000. But it was worth it. It was a good fine.”
One major difference leading up to this Eagles-Cowboys reunion is that the Cowboys are plus-6 in turnover ratio, the Eagles minus-3. It’s Cowboys week and Byard knows he can endear himself to Eagles fans forever with yet another pick of Prescott.
“I would think it’s the biggest rivalry in football,” Byard said. “Obviously a lot of history there. Lot of great players played in this game between two really good teams. Obviously a lot of playoff implications and division implications. It’s going to be really exciting.”
Contact Bob Grotz at rgrotz@delcotimes.com.
Source: Berkshire mont