The Cowboys are headed into Monday night with no shortage of pressure, and the one thing they can’t afford is another flat start. A win over the Eagles would qualify as a statement of sorts, even if both teams are only 2-4 and coming off losses.
This isn’t a matchup of contenders. It’s the finale to Week 7, and for Dallas, it’s still a chance to stay alive in the NFC East race.
What should give the Cowboys some hope is the way their defense finished last week in Green Bay. The second half looked a lot more like a unit that could travel, tighten up, and give the offense a chance. If that version shows up again, Dallas gets a real shot to stop its two-game skid.
That said, the Cowboys are still carrying a lot of the same problems into this one. Brian Schottenheimer didn’t exactly deliver reassuring answers this week about why the run game has been so easy to knock off track, and that remains a major issue for an offense that’s supposed to lean on balance.
Dak Prescott may get a little help from the return to divisional play, but the Cowboys can’t count on the game script going their way. In the NFL, it rarely does.
The most important path for Dallas is simple: get off the field on third down.
That was a big reason the Packers were able to put up 17 points in the first half last week, and it was also the difference when the Cowboys only allowed six after halftime. More pressure on Jordan Love and more third-down stops changed the feel of that game. If Dallas can repeat that formula, it can force Philadelphia into longer possessions and keep the ball out of rhythm.
The Eagles have not exactly been snapping the ball with ease. In their game with McKee starting in place of Jalen Hurts, they came into this week leading the NFL in percentage of drives ending in a punt at 51.6%.
They also sit last in average distance to go on third down at 8.4. Against the Panthers last week, Philadelphia lost 25-14 at home, punted on its first five drives, and had three straight three-and-outs that produced a net of one yard and 3:35 of clock time.
McKee’s longest completion in that game was a 19-yard throw to Devonta Smith, who was targeted 14 times, caught seven passes, and finished with 75 yards.
The Eagles will also have a different look if Saquon Barkley is back. After missing the last two games, he is trending toward a return against Dallas, and that changes the shape of the offense. Barkley has been second in the NFL this season in time behind the line of scrimmage at 3.14 seconds per carry, which gives him a patient style that can still wear down a defense if he gets room to work.
That’s where the Cowboys have to be better than they were at times against Green Bay. The interior group of Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, and Otito Ogbonnia has not been especially consistent when it comes to stopping runs before they get started, although there were real positives in that area last week. If Dallas can get penetration and force Barkley to stop in the backfield, the whole game changes.
If it doesn’t, the pressure shifts onto the linebackers and the secondary to clean up the mess. Missed tackles in those areas hurt the Cowboys against the Packers, and they can’t afford a repeat.
There’s also a bigger tactical layer here. In the coaching matchup of Vic Fangio against his former top assistant Christian Parker, Dallas needs to make Fangio respect the vertical game instead of letting the Eagles sit on everything underneath.
At the same time, Parker has to find ways to speed McKee up and make him throw under pressure. The Cowboys’ best chance to do that starts with those third-down stops and continues with any early-down help from the run game.
Dallas doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need Barkley on the ground and the Eagles in third-and-long. If the Cowboys can do that, Prescott gets more chances, the field position improves, and the offense has a path to looking functional again. If not, Barkley and McKee both have a chance to make this one ugly fast.
The names that have to be involved for Dallas are clear enough: Williams, Clark, Ogbonnia, Jaishawn Barham, DeMarvion Overshown in his return from injury, Markquese Bell, and the rest of the defenders tasked with finishing the play when it’s there. The Cowboys need to keep the game in front of them, bring Barkley down when they get their hands on him, and find a way to quiet the Eagles crowd before this turns into another problem night.
In Other News...
Cowboys Linked To Young Pass Rusher Who Could Change Their Ceiling
The Cowboys are once again looking for help before the trade deadline, and this time the focus is on the pass rush. According to The Athletic, Dallas could explore a move for Chargers edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, a young defender whose rise and contract situation have pushed him onto the list of possible trade candidates.
For Dallas, the appeal is easy to understand. The defense has been searching for another disruptive presence, and Tuipulotu would fit the profile of a player who could raise the ceiling of the unit if the Cowboys choose to make a move. The Chargers have struggled this season, which only adds to the buzz around the 2022 draft pick, but for now there is still no deal in place. [Read more 🡒]
Troy Aikman Just Put A Cowboys Reunion Back In Play
Troy Aikmans name is back in the Cowboys conversation for a reason other than his familiar voice on television. With his ESPN contract winding down, Aikman has said he would be open to a front office role in Dallas if Jerry Jones were to start that discussion, adding another layer to a relationship that has long carried more meaning than the usual ex-player chatter. Aikman also spent time this year as a consultant with the Miami Dolphins, giving him a recent taste of the kind of behind-the-scenes work that would matter in a potential return.
Jerry Jones, for his part, has already signaled that he believes Aikman could handle more than broadcasting, saying the Hall of Fame quarterback can succeed in a range of football jobs. No formal opening has been announced, and nothing is imminent, but the idea of an Aikman reunion is no longer just a nostalgic talking point. For a franchise that has often leaned on familiar faces and big-picture personalities, the possibility alone is enough to keep this one on the radar. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Face A Very Different Eagles Offense In Week 7
Philadelphias offense will look different when it meets Dallas in Week 7, and not just because of the matchup itself. DeVonta Smith is out with a hamstring injury after missing every practice this week, removing one of the Eagles most reliable pass-catching threats and forcing the Cowboys to prepare for a receiving group that will have to redistribute a major role.
Saquon Barkley adds another layer of uncertainty. He is listed as questionable, yet he finished the week as a full participant on Saturday, which at least gives Philadelphia a chance to have him available in some capacity. With several other Eagles also working through injury designations, Dallas is left to sort through a game plan that could change depending on who is actually active when kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]