"Matchups. Football is a game of matchups. The Cowboys, across the board, don't match up with Philly."
Based on what was observed two months ago, that's a valid theory. On Oct. 30, the Cowboys were kneecapped, 34-7, in Philadelphia. That score is deceiving. The game was not that close.
In fact, Jerry Jones is still confused, eight weeks later. Imagine that. Jerry confused.
Jones said this week he was "scared" of the Eagles "after that butt-kicking we had up there."
Except after the game up there, he bravely proclaimed, "there's no alarm. I want to be real clear. There is no alarm in me. . . . I'm going to say one more time. There's not a cause for alarm."
This kind of confusion over the Cowboys is not unusual this season. Check the Cowboys' defense. That bunch plays confused much of the time.
Now also hear this:
The NFL "formulas" for making the playoffs tell us the Eagles will know by kickoff Saturday if they still have a postseason shot. The Birds have to have the Jets beat the Giants, a game that kicks off three hours before they tee it up at the Big Yard.
But the Cowboys will also be fully engaged if the Jets win. They can beat the Eagles and clinch a divisional title.
If the Jets don't win, it's a grab-bag situation in attempting to evaluate the Eagles' motivation. And for the Cowboys, based on a Giants win on Saturday, there would be the technical situation that the Eagles game doesn't matter. Only New Year's Day in the Meadowlands against the Giants would matter.
My answer to all this mumbo-jumbo is the same as Jason Garrett's answer this week:
The Cowboys need to win, period. This week and next week. For motivation, for momentum, for manhood. (There's also still the remote chance for a wild-card spot on the line for the Cowboys, but it's real, real remote.)
Forget the formulas. Just win.
