National Football League

Cowboys vs. Eagles: Who has the health edge in NFC East showdown?

Updated Oct. 14, 2022 1:29 p.m. ET

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By Dr. Matt Provencher
FOX Sports Injury & Performance Analyst

Following Week 5, there are a lot of players banged up and playing through injuries. 

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is playing through a partially torn lat, Bengals WR Tee Higgins is fighting through an ankle sprain, Dolphins CB Xavien Howard is battling a groin injury and many others are doing whatever they can to stay on the fields. 

Health is a big part of team, positional and individual player success. Healthy teams win championships. 

Cooper Rush leads Cowboys into NFC East matchup with undefeated Eagles in Week 6 | UNDISPUTED

Dak Prescott is most likely not starting for the Dallas Cowboys against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday as he still is recovering from surgery on his right thumb. He got clearance to practice on Wednesday, but he was only throwing with his left hand in front of the media. Cooper Rush is 4-0 since stepping in as the Cowboys starter. Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe talk Cowboys-Eagles in Week 6.

A variety of factors play into overall team records, and it's no secret that every team battles the injury bug and the adversity that comes along with it throughout the season. Coaching schemes, talent, and even a little luck can help injured teams beat healthier ones at times. As the season rolls along however, usually the health of a team catches up and it becomes a real difference maker. 

In Week 5, according to ThePredictors.com Banged up Score (BUS), winners like the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers and New York Jets held the health advantage over their opponents and were able to go home with wins. 

The Dolphins, who looked like a powerhouse early in the season are finding it exceptionally hard to win after numerous injuries have sidelined their starters. The same goes for the Broncos, who can't seem to find the offensive spark needed to start putting numbers up after  starting running back Javonte Williams went down with a season-ending injury and Wilson being diagnosed with a lat tear, reducing their BUS to a 65.8. 

It's no surprise that many teams doing well sit atop the BUS rankings each week. As we set our sights on Week 6 one game in particular looks especially exciting. 

The NFC East showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys will be one to watch. The Eagles are currently the last undefeated team in the league, and aside from a few ailments, are relatively healthy with a BUS of 77.9 last week, ranking them 8th for the week. 

On the other side, the  Cowboys have been hit early with injuries, including a hamstring avulsion fracture to Tyron Smith in August and a Bennett's fracture to starting quarterback Dak Prescott. Those injures  dropped them early to as low as 21st in the Week 2 health rankings. Fortunately, with players returning like wide receiver Michael Gallup, fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb continuing to play under a questionable game designation, the Cowboys have been able to claw their way back up to a 75.2 BUS as of last week. 

BUS Scores for the Eagles

• Week 1: 89.2 / Record 1-0
• Week 2: 85.9 / Record 2-0
• Week 3: 87.1 / Record 3-0
• Week 4: 82.5 / Record 4-0
• Week 5: 77.9 / Record 5-0

The Eagles have managed to keep their top players on the field for most of the season, which has been a major component to their undefeated outcome to this point. 

It wasn't until last week that their BUS fell below the 80s as starting offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, cornerback Avonte Maddox and running back Boston Scott all of were on the injury report and ended up not playing during Philadelphia's win over the Cardinals. It showed in the game as the Eagles struggled in putting up their lowest point total of the season. 

Overall, the Eagles have been keeping the record up and the injuries down. But in what is starting to look like a downward trend in BUS, the injuries are beginning to add up. They will have to hope they stay down if they want to continue the success they have had thus far. 

The Cowboys, on the other hand, have trended in a different way. They started the season with a big injury as noted previously with Smith. The Prescott injury  dropped them much lower in Week 2. 

Luckily for them, Cooper Rush has limited the mistakes and others on the team have stepped up. Players who have been listed as questionable have started to return to the field, such as running back Tony Pollard, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and tight end Dalton Schultz, who have all been able to play through their chronic injuries and illness. This has allowed Dallas to continue to win and stay only one game back in the division. 

BUS Scores for the Cowboys

• Week 1: 84.6 / Record: 0-1
• Week 2: 76.2 / Record: 1-1
• Week 3: 74.7 / Record: 2-1
• Week 4: 79.2 / Record: 3-1
• Week 5: 75.2 / Record: 4-1

Now the two teams go head-to-head on Sunday night. 

Prescott still doesn't look ready to suit up as his grip strength and ability to throw the ball isn't where it needs to be. The Cowboys are experiencing additional injuries limiting practice participation with defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (chest), Schultz (Knee) and offensive lineman Jason Peters (chest) among them. Linebacker Micah Parsons (groin) missed practice on Wednesday but hopes to still play this weekend. 

The Eagles are nursing injuries this week as well. Center Jason Kelce (ankle), cornerback Avonte Maddox (ankle), offensive lineman Jordan Mailata (shoulder) and Gainwell (ribs) were among the eight players limited in practice Wednesday. Only cornerback Josh Jobe (shoulder) did not practice, however. 

Philadelphia will hope those limited players will be able to go Sunday, giving them an extra advantage over Dallas. The Cowboys will face a hefty challenge going in against the Eagles as the current health underdogs. 

Make sure to check out ThePredictors.com or @SportsDocMatt and @NFLonFOX on Twitter on Sunday for the updated BUS rankings and scores. As we get further into the season, the healthy teams tend to separate themselves from the rest because health matters and healthy teams win championships.

Renowned orthopedist Dr. Matt Provencher and his company, ThePredictors.com, deliver data-driven injury insights to football fans. In this first-of-a-kind role as Athlete Injury and Performance Analyst for FOX Sports’ digital platforms, Provencher provides important predictive player health and recovery information about post-injury performance, the impact of weather, field conditions and more.

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Dallas Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles

Dak Prescott

Dalton Schultz

DeMarcus Lawrence

Tyron Smith

Michael Gallup

CeeDee Lamb

Cooper Rush

Matt Provencher