4 Stats That Prove the Cowboys Are Better Than the Eagles

Heading into Week 15, both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles have a 6-7 record, sitting tied atop the NFC East in that regard (the Cowboys hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a Week 7 win over the Eagles).

While that might give you the impression that these two teams are relatively equal contenders, a deeper dive into some of their respective statistics shows us just why Dallas has the edge. With that in mind, here are four stats that show why the Cowboys are the superior NFC East team.

1. Point Differential

Ezekiel Elliott rushes the ball against the Chicago Bears. / Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Regardless of how great your defense or offense may be, or how well either one plays in a given week, all that matter is if you get the win and by how much. It's about both sides of the ball putting it together in the same week. Dallas has a +67 point differential through Week 14 this season (No. 6 in the NFL), while Philadelphia has a -4 point differential (No. 19 in the NFL) with the same record. Additionally, the Cowboys own a +5.2 average scoring margin through 13 games, but the Eagles, on the other hand, have a -0.3 average scoring margin.

2. Scoring Defense

Leighton Vander Esch runs to make a tackle in a game against the Detroit Lions / Rob Leiter/Getty Images

Dallas has a ton of young talent on defense, and while Philly does in certain places too, the Eagles have shown more holes on that side of the ball than their divisional counterparts. Through Week 14, Dallas has the No. 12 scoring defense in the league, surrendering an average of 20.5 points per game (PPG). Philadelphia is ranked No. 18 in scoring defense, giving up nearly a full field goal more than Dallas at 23.2 PPG. While roughly one field goal might not seem like a lot, having a -4 point differential – as the Eagles do – means you're probably playing in a lot of closer games, and seven of Philly's 13 results have been decided by seven points or fewer.

3. Yards Per Play (Offense)

Amari Cooper runs after making a catch against the New York Giants / Elsa/Getty Images

While putting points on the board is one thing, how efficiently you score them is an entirely different conversation. When it comes to offensive yards per play, no team in the NFL is better nor more efficient than the Cowboys. Dallas averages 6.5 yards per play, which ranks No. 1 in the NFL. Conversely, Philadelphia weighs in all the way down at No. 24 on this list, garnering 5.1 yards per play this season.

4. Opponent Red Zone Scoring Percentage (Touchdowns Only)

Byron Jones during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. / Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

As mentioned above, the Cowboys' defense has done a better job at keeping points off the board than Philly, and one of the main reasons Dallas leads the way in that category is its ability to prevent touchdowns within the red zone. The Cowboys' opponents have just a 48.94 percent red zone scoring percentage, which ranks No. 5 in the NFL. Philadelphia's defense, however, ranks No. 23 in the NFL in the same measure, allowing a touchdown on 59.46 percent of their opponents' red zone opportunities.

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David Kaestle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username davekaestle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.