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Mailbag: Does This Season Feels Different?

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Going into this final weekend, which team has the more pressure, Dallas or Philadelphia? In years past, when the last game of the season was played for something, the pressure always seemed to be on the Cowboys as they stumbled into the playoffs (if they made it). It just feels like they are playing more as the hunter instead of the role of the hunted? Which position would you rather be in? – Marco Aspaas/Vancouver, WA

Nick: Two different questions there from the start to the finish. More pressure? Eagles for sure. They had this thing all but wrapped up two weeks ago and now they need to win to avoid being the No. 5 seed. The pressure is on Philly, especially with Jalen Hurts banged up and they've got to figure out how to use him to get through this last game. Pressure? Eagles. Which position would you rather be in? Still the Eagles. Yes, I'd rather have to play the Giants at home to get the No. 1 seed in the entire NFC rather than play on the road and hope the Eagles stumble again. Does it mean the Cowboys have no shot at this? No, they certainly do. But I'd rather be in the Eagles situation, even though they have more pressure.

Mickey: Well, I'd always rather be the hunted, since that means I'm ahead of the curve going into the final game of the season. But in this particular case, since the Eagles have been atop the NFC East the entire season with the best record in the NFL, yet now have to win the final game of the season against the 9-6-1 Giants to clinch the division if the Cowboys should beat Washington to finish 13-4, I'd say the pressure really is on the Eagles. Look, all the 13-1 Eagles had to do to win the NFC East and No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs is win one of their last three games. But after losing what would have been a title-clinching game to the Cowboys, they lost this past Sunday to the Saints, too, falling to 13-3, and now are down to their last strike, while potentially having to play backup quarterback Gardner Minshew a third consecutive game in place of injured Pro Bowl starter Jalen Hurts to gain that elusive 14th win, otherwise . . . That be some pressure in my books.

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