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Mark Sanchez Is Key To Philadelphia Eagles Win Over Dallas Cowboys On Thanksgiving

Mark Sanchez

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The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have one of the best rivalries in football, but rarely do they meet with so much on the line in the regular season. Add on the fact that they will meet on Thanksgiving and that the winner will lead the NFC East, and this has all the makings of an instant classic.

For the Eagles to come away with a win and sole possession of first place in the division, their backup quarterback at the beginning of the season, Mark Sanchez, is going to have to step up in a big way. This is his biggest game since appearing in two AFC Championship games in his first two seasons with the New York Jets.

So far in relief of injured Nick Foles, Sanchez has played pretty well, completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,187 yards and seven touchdowns to go with six interceptions. His turnovers have been a problem so far, so if he can take care of the football, he will give Philadelphia a very good chance to win on Thursday.

The Cowboys rank 19th in the league in pass defense, yielding 248 yards per game through the air. That could bode well for Sanchez and his recently high-powered offense. It’s an opportunity for Sanchez to show that he’s not just a “system quarterback”.

The former USC quarterback has gained that distinction because of reads that are made easy by head coach Chip Kelly‘s offense. Essentially, unlike most other offenses, the Eagles don’t have to work through progressions. Based on the fast pace they play, the offense is designed to get the ball out of Sanchez’s hands quickly.

That has worked relatively well for Sanchez and the Eagles other than against the Green Bay Packers when he had no time to throw, tossed two interceptions and lost 53-20. They will play another elite quarterback this week in Tony Romo, and the Cowboys quarterback looks like a man on a mission this year.

Since it’s a rivalry game, expect it to come down to the final possession or two. If that’s the case, it will be up to Sanchez to prove he’s more than a system quarterback and that he can put the team on his back to win a rivalry game. If he can do that, the Eagles have to feel good about their chances in January.

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