The Importance of Beating the Cowboys

As an Eagles' fan this week's match-up against the Cowboys is the kind of game you live for. There is something about playing a team that you really despise with a chance to not only beat them, but knock them out of first place. The icing on the cake is that a win puts your team in control of the division.

This game is extremely important for the Eagles on so many levels. The first and obvious one is that a win not only puts them in first place on their own, it gives them that vital first win over every other team in the division. While it is only the halfway point of the season, leading the East now plays right into the strength of the Eagles as they have been one of the best second half teams in the NFL over the last several seasons.

The second reason a win is so important is the message it sends not only to the rest of the division, but the entire NFC. A win against the Cowboys would establish Philadelphia as one of the elite teams in the NFC along with New Orleans and Minnesota. While it only separates them from the Giants and Cowboys by a single game, it would create a huge psychological edge as they begin the second half of the year. They will have established themselves as the team to beat. Everyone knows that the view from the top is always better than the one looking up. While I realize that they have to play both these teams later in the season on the road, having that first win under your belt gives them a huge advantage heading into those games.

The final reason that beating the Cowboys on Sunday night is so important is for the players themselves. While the Giants victory was great, there is something about beating the Cowboys that provides not only a sense of satisfaction, but real momentum moving forward. Last season the Eagles needed a win against Dallas in the last game of the season just to have a chance to make the playoffs. They not only won the game, they completely destroyed the Cowboys which sparked this team all the way to the NFC Championship.