Eagles vs. Cowboys II: Behind the Numbers 2013

PLAYOFFS BABY! The Eagles did what they had to do, and won the NFC East crown thanks to a 24-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Though Kyle Orton was in for Tony Romo, the 'Boys still put up a fight and had a chance until the final drive. It was a close game throughout, but what do the numbers show?

Pretty even stats here, as the final score would indicate. The Eagles actually ran 2 more plays than the Cowboys, but gained about 50 yards less overall, and gained an entire yard less on average. This is unlike most Eagles wins this year, but they did win the turnover battle in this game (only 1 to 3 for Dallas) leading to 10 points. They also performed better on third downs, converting 38% of their chances to only 27 for Dallas. Surprisingly, Dallas gained nearly 100 more yards through the air with Kyle Orton under center, showing they were not afraid to test the Eagles' secondary. LeSean McCoy and the Eagles rushing game answered right back though, outrushing the Cowboys 137-59. And it's not like Dallas shot themselves in the foot with penalties: their only one went for 5 yards and was due to a clock malfunction. In the end, the Eagles were just the better team and they came out on top in the only stat that truly matters. The Philadelphia Eagles will live to play another week, and the Dallas Cowboys will be watching the playoffs from their couches... again.

Eagles vs. Cardinals: Behind the Numbers 2013

4 in a row! The Philadelphia Eagles won their 4th consecutive game, with the last two at home. They held on to beat the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 24-21, and once again sit atop the NFC East tied with the Dallas Cowboys. In reality the division will probably come down to that week 17 matchup, so the Eagles do control their own destiny. Enough of that; the Birds actually beat a team with a winning record, and will look to do the same next week. Let's once again dissect the numbers from the game, in which trends, both good and bad, have continued:

Once again the final score was closer than the game actually was. The Eagles may have only won by 3 points, but this game was essentially over after the first drive of the 3rd quarter. Wow, I sound like a broken record, but it's been the case the last few games. And much like the last few games, the numbers were closer than one may think. In fact, Philadelphia was outgained and outpassed, achieved one less first down, and fared worse on third downs. Astonishingly Arizona actually ran less plays than the Eagles, which may be a first for the season. Normally the Birds capitalize on their plays, but in this game they gained about a yard less per play. On the upside they did fare slightly better than the Cardinals in the penalty department (5 for 48 yards vs. 6 for 55) and were able to force 3 turnovers, which resulted in 7 points. (Keep in mind the penalties for both teams came at key moments and cost their respective teams.) Despite the evenness of the numbers the Eagles outscored the Cardinals, which is the most important stat of any game.