‘Crazy’: The strange fact behind Sunday’s Jalen Hurts-Dak Prescott showdown

In one of many marquee matchups of the NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles (7-1) will host the Dallas Cowboys (5-2) on Sunday.

The celebrities will lastly align on this 129th renewal of this bitter rivalry, with each franchise quarterbacks — Dallas’ Dak Prescott and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts — taking part in towards one another for less than the second time. It appears exhausting to consider.

“Yeah, loopy to assume it is solely been one time. It is a number of pleasure. Makes the sport higher, clearly,” Prescott stated, per Yahoo’s Jori Epstein.

Within the 5 Cowboys-Eagles video games since Hurts took over as Philadelphia’s beginning QB, both he or Prescott have been inactive in all however one recreation.

In Week 16 of 2020, Hurts confronted Dallas backup Andy Dalton with Prescott sidelined by a damaged ankle. The Cowboys gained, 37-17.

In Week 18 of 2021, with the Eagles locked into the No. 7 seed within the NFC playoffs, Philadelphia sat most of its starters — together with Hurts, who was changed by Gardner Minshew. Prescott took benefit of backup defenders by throwing for 5 touchdowns in Dallas’ 51-26 win.

Prescott missed Dallas’s Week 6 recreation at Philadelphia final season with a thumb damage. In Philadelphia’s 26-17 win, Hurts threw for 2 TDs and Dallas backup Cooper Rush tossed three interceptions.

In Week 16 at Dallas final season, Hurts did not play due to a sprained shoulder. Though Minshew threw for 2 TDs, he additionally threw two interceptions. Three TD passes by Prescott helped put Dallas excessive, 40-34.

The one time Hurts and Prescott performed towards one another got here in Week 3 of 2021. Hurts threw for 2 touchdowns and tossed two interceptions, together with a pick-six to Trevon Diggs. Prescott, in the meantime, threw for 3 TDs because the Cowboys cruised, 41-21.

Unquestionably, Hurts has made nice strides since his first two seasons, a reality not misplaced on Dallas.

“After I first obtained within the league, and perhaps his rookie 12 months and second 12 months, he would maintain onto the ball. However from this 12 months and final 12 months, he’s been processing fairly quick. At extra of an elite stage,” Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons stated, per Yahoo. “Actually been approaching. We’ve positively obtained our arms full.”

Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones held nothing again in his evaluation of Hurts.

“He has the expertise, we respect his power, and he has simply advanced and gotten higher and higher and higher at each section,” he stated, per Yahoo. “It’s simple for me to say, however that is severe [expletive] that we’re coping with up there.”

The Cowboys cannot attain first within the NFC East with a win Sunday, however they’ll pull inside a half-game of the Eagles and provides themselves an announcement win. In Week 5, towards its hardest opponent to this point, Dallas misplaced to San Francisco, 42-10.

So, finally, we’ll additionally see these marquee QBs play towards one another. Let’s give Hurts and the Eagles the nod at dwelling, the place they have not misplaced since Week 10 final season.