Michael Vick is out; Nick Foles is in.
No surprise there. As he proved in last week's big win over the Buccaneers, Foles is more than capable of running Chip Kelly's offense.
Unfortunately, that will not be the Eagles' big problem on Sunday when the hated Dallas Cowboys arrive at the Linc for a battle of 3-3 teams with first place in the NFC Least on the line.
The Eagles are going to have to find a way to stop Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense. And therein lies the problem.
One of the big problems the Eagles have encountered on defense is a near complete inability to get pressure on the opposing quarterback.
This week, against Romo, that will be fatal.
Romo has been at the top of his game so far this season, even if he did throw a last-minute pick that led to a loss against the unbeated Broncos. But before that he managed to throw for over 400 yards.
I think Romo will leave scorch marks all over the Birds' defense.
Ironically, Kelly's best plan this weekend might once again fly in the face of what he really wants to do. The Eagles don't want to get in a shootout with the 'Boys. They want to control the clock, extend drives, and keep Romo off the field.
Don't look for so much of that frenetic offense. Instead, the Eagles should feed the beast, getting the ball into the hands of LeSean McCoy, moving the sticks, and banking on the short passing game with Foles.
I think the Eagles offense will be fine, especially if DeMarcus Ware is unable to go for the Cowboys on defense.
But unless they find a way to put some serious pressure on Romo and rattle the Dallas QB - making him vulnerable to his trademarks turnovers - it will be a long day for the Birds.
There is also the not small matter of home field advantage. The Eagles haven't had it in a long time. They now have not won a game at Lincoln Financial Field since last September - that's last season, not last month.
The trademark snarl that used to beat a lot of teams before they ever walked out onto that concrete surface at old Veterans Stadium has been replaced with a much too corporate, antiseptic Linc. That doesn't build home-field advantage.
And the Eagles are going to need every advantage they can get on Sunday.
The Pick: Make it Cowboys 33, Eagles 23. Foles will be fine. That's not the Birds' problem. They'll get torched by Tony Romo and the 'Boys offense.
Last Week: Foles played well in relief of Vick, who continues to nurse a bum hamstring. I found it most interesting in how Vick handled this week, even going to the extent of appearing at a joint press conference with Foles to announce he would not play. The team still lists him as questionable for Sunday.
Give Vick this much: From the moment he arrived in Philly fresh off that two years in the federal pen for running a dog-fighting operations, he has said and done the right things. Still, I don't think I've ever seen a starting QB so welcoming to a situation where his role as the team's starter was in jeopardy.
Season Record: The Eagles are I continue to mirror each other. I've now hit on 3 in a row after taking an 0-fer in the first three weeks of the season. Now we're both sitting at 3-3. I'd love the Eagles to go to 4-3 and assume sole possession of first place in the NFC East, but I don't think they can do it with this defense. One of us is going to be 4-3 after the showdown with the Cowboys. My heart says Birds, but my head says 'Boys.
Game by Game: Eagles 33, Redskins 27 (My Pick: Redskins 31, Eagles 23)
Chargers 33, Eagles 30 (My Pick: Eagles 33, Chargers 17)
Chiefs 26, Eagles 16 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Chiefs 23)
Broncos 52, Eagles 20 (My Pick: Broncos 41, Eagles 27)
Eagles 36, Giants 21 (My Pick: Eagles 29, Giants 26)
Eagles 31, Buccaneers 20(My Pick: Eagles 26, Buccaneers 17)
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