PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It won't be hard for the Eagles to keep their focus on the field Sunday in Dallas, but a quick peek at the out-of-town scoreboard would be understandable.
The Eagles’ slim chances of winning the NFC East could be extinguished on Sunday. As the Eagles look to stay in the race with a win over the Cowboys, they will also need help from out of town.
If Washington defeats Carolina, the Eagles will be eliminated from the division title hunt.
Coach Doug Pederson said he and his players will be concentrating on their opponent and not what is going on with the division leaders.
"We've obviously got a big task against the Cowboys who played well Sunday," said Pederson. "Obviously, we can't control what the league does with scheduling. We know that we've been in those situations before, but I would prefer to go into a game not knowing."
The Eagles will have plenty to concentrate on when it comes to the Cowboys. It has been an equally disappointing season in Dallas, but the Cowboys have won two in a row and will be just as desperate.
Rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts knows Dallas is playing at a higher level than the last time the two teams met earlier in the season.
"We’re facing a really good Cowboys team," Hurts said. "They’ve been playing well. I have a lot of respect for the players that they have. As a whole, we’ve got to come out and execute."
This will also be the first time Hurts will get a chance to participate in the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry as a starter.
Hurts, who was watching the first meeting from the sidelines as Carson Wentz piloted the offense, said it did not take long for him to understand the intensity of the rivalry and what it means to the fans.
"I learned about it very quickly," said Hurts. "It’s a big thing for the city of Philadelphia. It’s a great rivalry, and I’m excited to be a part of it."
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Whether or not Hurts and the Eagles will still be a part of the division race won't be known until Sunday evening.
Even if Washington loses and the Eagles win, the Eagles will still need to beat Washington next week and hope the Giants lose at least one more game.
All of these scenarios will be meaningless unless the Eagles take care of business.
"I think it does give you a level of concentration and focus that you need going into a football game," Pederson said. "But our guys, once we tee it up on Sunday, we're all about the game. We're into the game, we're coaching and playing, and we'll see what happens at the end."