Eagles Win is ‘Golden’

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - The comparison is an obvious one with the Philadelphia Eagles about to head to Dallas with first place in the NFC East on the line.

The 7-5 Cowboys were struggling earlier this season without a significant threat at receiver and sent a first-round pick to Oakland to get one in Amari Cooper. Dallas has since taken off a bit with Cooper giving Dak Prescott and the offense something it didn't have until the University of Alabama product made his way from the Bay Area.

The Eagles also believed they needed another playmaker and kicked the tires on players like Cooper and the New York Jets' Robby Anderson before finally settling on Tate, a proven producer in Seattle and Detroit, who was acquired for a third-round pick.

Things were a work in progress with Tate until Monday night's 28-13 win over Washington, in which he caught all seven targets that went his way, compiling 85 yards, his first touchdown as an Eagle and a big two-point conversion that gave Philadelphia a two-possession lead.

"He's kind of found a rhythm," coach Doug Pederson said. "He's kind of understanding the offense a little bit more. I think tonight it was really good to see because the ball got spread around a bit in the passing game."

What was most impressive was the off-schedule offense between Carson Wentz and Tate as the chemistry between the two continues to develop. An one point Wentz rolled out of the pocket to his left and Tate turned up the sideline, easily dusted a linebacker in coverage as his quarterback dropped a dime for a 32-yard gain.

"Those are things you really can't practice," Tate said. "it's something that comes with the relationship you have, and even then I was kind of like 'Ah, what do you want me to do?' He wasn't sure what I was going to do. I just took off and he dropped an absolute dome on the run and I caught it, ran for a little bit and then fulbed it of course [out of bounds]. If we get more stuff like that I think we're going to be really good."

Maybe even good enough to chase down the Cowboys in the NFC East.

"Coming up this week, I think we are going to need everybody to win this one. It's only going to be us out there in Dallas and our media but we just have to take the same mindset. We gotta go out there with purpse every single day, every singly play, focus in, hols each opther accountable. Just do our jobs as best as we possible can."

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen