Cowboys vs. Eagles 2015: 5 players to watch in Philadelphia's home opener

The Philadelphia Eagles are scheduled to play the Dallas Cowboys today. It's obviously a big game. Here are the five players who deserve extra attention in this matchup.

1) DeMarco Murray

All eyes will be on Murray as he takes on his former team. Murray seemingly has no ill-will towards the Cowboys, but he has every right to feel slighted. Not only did the Cowboys decide to not re-sign him, but they also barely replaced him with anyone. It's almost as Dallas was trying to tell Murray his success was only made possible by the team's highly-praised offensive line. Murray scored two touchdowns in Week 1 but he only ran for nine yards. The Eagles need to rejuvenate the run game against Dallas and it's up to Murray to do his part. Eagles fans really wouldn't mind seeing Murray gash the Cowboys.

2) Nelson Agholor

The rookie had a very quiet NFL debut with only one catch for five yards. To his defense, there were few plays where it looked like Agholor may have been open and Sam Bradford wasn't looking his way. The Eagles need Agholor to step up and makes some plays on offense, especially as a vertical threat. He certainly has the skill set to do so.

3) Andrew Gardner/Allen Barbre

I'm lumping the starting guards together here, and not just because they're lumpy. (Sorry, guys). The play of Philadelphia's starting guards was obviously a big concern coming out of the Week 1 game. Their struggles contributed to why the Eagles couldn't get the run game going. The Eagles don't need these guys to be Pro Bowl players, which they clearly aren't. They just need them to at least be serviceable, which they have done at times in the past.

4) Brandon Graham

The Eagles need to get pressure on Tony Romo, and Graham is just the man for the job. Graham played relatively well against Dallas last season. In two games against the Cowboys, he finished with one sack, two hurries, and three other hits on Romo. Graham has a tough matchup going against Tyron Smith. If Graham can get the best of the Cowboys' pass protection, it would go a long way for the Philadelphia defense.

5) Byron Maxwell

Speaking of players who need to step up on defense ... let's talk about Byron Maxwell. The team's new cornerback was absolutely roasted by Julio Jones. He didn't show many encouraging signs. Defensive coordinator Bill Davis even admitted Maxwell played with terrible technique. Fortunately for Maxwell and the Eagles, he won't have to face off against Dez Bryant this week. Perhaps this could be a game where Maxwell gets his confidence back by shutting down a lesser receiver.