Eagles must stand firm versus Washington, Cowboys ground attacks

What can the Philadelphia Eagles defense expect to see in Week 18 versus Dallas?

The week 18 matchup will be an interesting one. We just don’t know who will be on the field for the Dallas Cowboys.

It stands to reason if Dallas is locked into wherever they’re seeded and their regular-season finale becomes meaningless, the Philadelphia Eagles could be playing Dallas’ backups.

If the Cowboys win against the Arizona Cardinals, they may still have a shot at securing the top seed for the NFC’s postseason. on the Eagles’ side of things, they may clinch a playoff spot this weekend if they win and get some help. If they don’t get any (and if Dallas still has something to play for, Lincoln Financial Field will be rocking as these age-old NFC rivals will be playing in what can only be described as a game that’s as close to feeling like a playoff game as one played during the regular season can be.

As of now, it’s best to assume that once Week 17’s game wraps, the Birds will get Dallas’ starters (and their best shot). We may not see a repeat performance of Week 3, but it’s safe to assume that Dallas will be favored. First things first though. Philly needs all hands on deck versus the Washington Football Team.

Records don’t matter. These next two games won’t be easy wins. Facing two top-ten backs in the will further complicate things, but both contests will serve as good tests to determine where this young team and its defense is. Plus, Week 18 could serve as a tune-up for a second straight game versus the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs.