The Dallas Cowboys may have missed the playoffs for the second straight year, but there’s still reason for cautious optimism in Big D. Despite a 7-9-1 finish, Dallas showed flashes-particularly on offense-that hint at a team not far off from turning things around in 2026. And while the departure of Mike McCarthy to Pittsburgh leaves a leadership void, it’s a move made all the more interesting when viewed alongside what’s happening with their biggest rival.
Over in Philadelphia, the Eagles have made a bold-some might say risky-move at offensive coordinator. According to reports, Sean Mannion will be calling plays for the Eagles next season.
Mannion, just 33 years old and a former NFL quarterback, spent the last two seasons with the Packers as an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach. But here’s the key: he’s never called plays at the NFL level.
That’s a familiar storyline in Philly. Mannion is stepping into the role vacated by Kevin Patullo, who also lacked play-calling experience when he took over in 2025.
And if you followed the Eagles’ offense last season, you know how that experiment played out. Despite returning much of their Super Bowl-winning roster, Philly’s offense sputtered.
Including their wild-card loss to San Francisco, they failed to crack 20 points in 10 games and finished the year averaging just 22.1 points per game-19th in the league.
So while the Eagles still boast one of the league’s most talented rosters, especially on defense, it’s fair to question whether Mannion is ready for the pressure cooker that is Philadelphia football. Head coach Nick Sirianni will reportedly still have a hand in the offense, but unless the team brings in a veteran presence to help guide Mannion, the risk of another underwhelming offensive season looms large.
And that’s where the Cowboys come in.
Dallas may have had the league’s worst scoring defense last year (30.1 points allowed per game), but they showed real grit in their two matchups with the Eagles. In fact, they held Philadelphia to just three second-half points combined across both games-including a dramatic Week 12 comeback win after trailing 21-0. That kind of performance, especially against a division rival with a stacked offense, is something to build on.
Now, with Christian Parker stepping in as the new defensive coordinator, there’s hope that Dallas can finally shore up the side of the ball that’s held them back. Parker, who comes over from the Eagles staff, worked closely with standout young corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. If he can bring some of that secondary magic to Dallas, it could mark a turning point for a defense that desperately needs a new identity.
So while the Eagles are hoping Mannion grows quickly into his new role, the Cowboys have every reason to feel encouraged. They’ve already shown they can hang with Philly-even in a down year-and now they’re watching their rival bet big on another unproven play-caller.
That’s not to say it won’t work out for the Eagles in the long run. Mannion could rise to the occasion and lead a high-powered offense.
But for now, the hire adds a layer of uncertainty to a team that’s already under the microscope.
In a division where every edge matters, Dallas might just be catching a break.