Eagles' Star Tries To Shift Focus: 'It's Dallas Week'

Yet, through all the “he said, he said” the Eagles stand at an NFC-best 8-2 heading into North Texas with an opportunity to put the Cowboys’ playoff hopes on life support. 

“It’s Dallas week! Let’s focus on that,” Mailata implored.

But this isn’t Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson or Larry Hagman’s Dallas, it’s more like the Temu version of “The Star.” Think Chan Gailey, Dave Campo or heck, Brian Schottenheimer.

So even the hated Cowboys can’t take the steely glaze off the sexier drama many have conjured up in their minds with the Eagles.

Mailata believes the locker room is built to withstand the whispers.  

“I know we have the right people so when we have the right people, we can continue pushing the message that we’ve got a game to prepare for this week,” Mailata said. “We know we haven’t been playing to our best [offensively]. But that’s what we’re going to put our focus in — not whatever stories are leaking out from very prestigious media people. 

“That, we can’t control. What we can control is what we give to the game and what the game will give back to us.”

Distractions are nothing new in Philadelphia.

“I feel like we’ve been here before. Kind of similar last year,” the big man said. “I’ve been telling guys, let’s just move on. We got a game to play. … Let’s focus on that. 

“We’ve got a great opportunity. Because one, it’s the next game, and we’ve got to get back for the way the offense has been playing. That’s what we’re focused on. … We’re focused on getting the offense [going] on the road. That’s our No. 1  priority.”