Eagles Haven't Swept Cowboys Since Andy Reid Last Roamed The Sidelines

The Philadelphia Eagles can win the NFC East by beating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, but they haven't swept them in one season for a very long time.

Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) reacts after recovering a fumble against the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – It’s been a long time since the Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys twice in the same year. Try 13 years ago in 2011. Andy Reid was the last Eagles head coach to win both games in the same season.

The Eagles needed 185 yards rushing from LeSean McCoy to win the first game that year, 34-7, in South Philly on Oct. 30. In the rematch on Christmas Eve, they needed a pair of Michael Vick touchdown passes, one to Brent Celek, the other to Jeremy Maclin, along with a pair of Alex Henery field goals to finish the sweep, 20-7.

Dallas has swept the Eagles three times (2021, 2018, and 2012) since the Eagles finished the season sweep of their NFC East rival. There have been some outlier games, like the season finales in 2017 and 2021.

The Eagles played deep reserves in 2017 after wrapping up the No. 1 seed in the playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl championship and lost 6-0.

In 2021, the Eagles had their playoff situation locked up, so, again, sat their starters and most of their key reserves. Mike McCarthy's team relished running up the score in a 51-21 romp.

This time there is plenty for the Eagles to play for in Sunday’s Week 17 matchup against the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field (1 p.m.), such as the NFC East championship. They missed a chance to clinch it last week when they blew a 14-0 lead and a 33-28 advantage on a touchdown with six seconds left, losing to the Commanders, 36-33.

The Eagles may have to win without their starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is in concussion protocol. They may have to do it without his top backup, Kenny Pickett, who has a rib injury. It could mean third-stringer Tanner McKee’s first regular-season snaps could come in a very important game.

It will likley be Pickett, however.

Hurts was healthy in the first meeting, and the Eagles won, 34-6 on Nov. 10. Dallas was in turmoil back then, with Dak Prescott injured the previous week and Cooper Rush making his first start of the season. The Eagles held him to 45 yards passing and he lost two of the four fumbles the Eagles recovered that day.

Rush has played better and the Cowboys, who were eliminated from playoff contention last week, are not rolling over. They have won four of their last five games.

“This is a good football team that’s played really good football over the past month and all our focus and attention is on them and the things we need to do to have success against them,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “Going into the first game and going into this game we see a dangerous team that’s well coached, with really good players, so we have to be on our game to go out there and play well."

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