Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on Eagles rematch: 'We wanna get to this 10th win'
The Dallas Cowboys’ only loss in the past seven games came at the hands of rival Philadelphia, a close defeat on the road in Week 9.
Mike McCarthy’s club winning four straight since that loss and Philly tumbling in a blowout to San Francisco in Week 13 allows Dallas to match the 10-win Eagles with a victory this Sunday.
“We wanna get to this 10th win,” McCarthy said on Monday, via the team’s official website. “We understand where they are.”
In the first meeting, the Cowboys outplayed Philly for stretches of the contest, with the defense forcing three-and-outs on the final three possessions and the offense out-gaining the Eagles 406-292, but McCarthy’s club couldn’t close on the road.
The rematch in Dallas gives the Cowboys a chance to rewrite the season script that’s seen them chasing Philadelphia. A victory leaps Dallas into the top spot in the NFC East and gives them an opportunity to earn the conference’s No. 1 seed.
“It’s the Cowboys [versus] the Eagles,” McCarthy told reporters. “I don’t think you have to say anything more on that.”
Sunday’s prime-time bout kicks off a tough December stretch for the Cowboys. After battling Philly, they’ll face Josh Allen‘s Buffalo Bills, the highflying Miami Dolphins, and the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions. It’s a brutal string of games that will show how well McCarthy’s club is ready to compete in January.
“I really do like the stretch that we’re getting ready to be on,” McCarthy said. “When you look at the teams that we’re getting ready to line up against and, obviously, Philadelphia is all that matters right now — this is an excellent opportunity for us to play in playoff-type games without playoff consequences.
“I think that serves us very well because December football is something I’ve personally always enjoyed, and I think it’s a great indication of where you are as a team and what you need to do to get into the playoffs, and to be ready for the playoffs. We’re looking forward to it.”
