duel for the top

PHILADELPHIA – Jason Peters is ready to return to Philadelphia and play in front of some idiots.

His endearing words to the fans, of course.

A nine-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro, Peters built a Hall of Fame career as a left tackle for the Eagles, which included a spot on the NFL Team of the Decade for the 2010s.

However, he missed the biggest moment in franchise history when he suffered a torn ACL during the 2017 season and missed the Super Bowl. Peters still won a Super Bowl ring, but his performance never recovered to an elite level. He spent last season with Chicago and signed this season with the Cowboys, you know, the Eagles’ most hated rival.

Peters returns for a pretty big game: The Eagles are 5-0 and the only undefeated team in the NFL. The Cowboys (4 wins and 1 loss) have won four games in a row. The Eagles can take a two-game lead over the defending division champions with a win tonight.

Philadelphia is 5-0 lost for the third time in franchise history. The Eagles started 7-0 in 2004, when they went 13-3 in the regular season before falling in the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots, and started 6-0 in 1981, but lost their first playoff game.

The Linc will be loud, and Peters will be ready.

“I just know that Philadelphia fans are ‘idiots’ when it comes to camaraderie and worse against the Cowboys, any team, really,” Peters said. “They start throwing things at the teams. Like when we played the Vikings one time, they were throwing things. I mean, they’re nasty.”

Peters made 148 starts, made seven Pro Bowls and earned both All-Pro selections with the Eagles after they acquired him in a trade with Buffalo in 2009.

Peters used to reserve his criticism for the Cowboys, a franchise he once called “arrogant.” His tone, of course, changed when he needed a job and the 40-year-old, who signed with Buffalo after he went undrafted, has served as a mentor to the offensive line. He doesn’t start games anymore and has been injured lately.

Peters still has some love for Philadelphia, the organization and, yes, the fans, as he comes in as the enemy.

“I put a lot of bricks in there,” Peters said. “Philadelphia, that’s my city. It will be great to come back to beat them.”

sharp copper

Dak Prescott is eager to start with Dallas, but Cooper Rush will still be the Cowboys’ quarterback on Sunday night.

Prescott broke his thumb in the loss to Tampa Bay. Rush took over and won four straight, including over last year’s Super Bowl teams in Cincinnati and the defending champion Los Angeles Rams.

It would be the first start against the Eagles for Rush, who won the first five starts of his career, including a win at Minnesota last season.

Rush has been solid, but has barely lit up the scoreboard. He threw for just 102 yards in Sunday’s 22-10 win over the Rams. Dallas ranks 27th in the NFL in passing with 182.2 yards per game and is coming off its lowest net passing total in a win since 2000.

“He goes out there and he’s executing and he’s putting them in a position to help them win,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “So there’s a lot of respect there. We have more tape on him than the Rams or the Giants. But he does the job well for these guys in putting them in position to be successful.”

the heat hurts

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is coming off his first start that chilled his MVP candidacy. However, Hurts has won eight straight regular season games, the longest active streak in the NFL. Hurts has thrown for 1,359 yards and four touchdowns and has rushed for 266 yards and six touchdowns this season. He has turned the ball over twice while amassing a 97.4 quarterback rating.

Hurts has also tried to stay out of the recent debate over roughing the passer penalties.

NFL defensive players are frustrated at being called, questioning what constitutes a legal hit and wondering how far referees will go to protect quarterbacks.

“I think there’s a balance to that,” Hurts said. “Obviously, I want to be protected back there. But those are things I really can’t control.”

Borrowed time?

While the Cowboys are tied for the fewest offensive touchdowns allowed (five), they are also tied for second-fewest scrimmage touchdowns scored. This from a team that was among the best in the NFL last season.

Rush has kept the Dallas offense out of trouble by avoiding turnovers. He is the only qualified quarterback in the league without losing a fumble or an interception (two potential picks were fouled out against Washington).

But the offense could only take credit for 13 points in a 22-10 win over the Rams, the fewest in Rush’s four starts. And one of the two drives that led to a field goal covered just 35 yards.

How much longer can the offense lean on a defense that is third in points allowed?

“I think eventually we have to start scoring more points,” running back Ezekiel Elliott said. “Hopefully we don’t have to improve. But we want to improve.”

Tome notes

Dallas (4-1) at Philadelphia (5-0)

Thursday, 6:30 p.m. / 9.1, ESPN

Starting lineup: Eagles by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook

Against the line: Dallas 4-1; Philly 3-2

Series record: Cowboys lead 69-53

Last game: Cowboys defeated the Eagles 51-26 on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia

Last week: Cowboys outscored Rams in Los Angeles 22-10; Eagles defeated the Cardinals in Arizona 20-17

Eagles offense: overall (2), running (4), passing (7), scoring (5)

Eagles defense: overall (4), running (10), passing (5), scoring (7)

Cowboys offense: overall (27), running (15), passing (27), scoring (E-24)

Cowboys defense: overall (7), running (19), passing (7), scoring (3)