The Cowboys are headed into Monday night with no shortage of pressure hanging over them, and it starts with a trip to Lincoln Financial Field to face the Eagles.
Both teams are sitting at 2-4, both are trying to stop losing streaks, and both are staring up at the New York Giants in the NFC East. Dallas has dropped two in a row. Philadelphia has lost four straight and hasn’t won since September.
That kind of setup always brings the spotlight, but in Dallas there are five names carrying the heaviest load in Week 7: three players and two coaches who need this one to go right.
Jake Ferguson is one of them. The tight end was moved down to a reduced role in Week 6, when the Cowboys started Brevyn Spann-Ford over him.
Spann-Ford outproduced Ferguson in the passing game, even though Ferguson still played more snaps overall. Ferguson also logged a season-low snap percentage, and the reasons are obvious enough: a fumble, drops and shaky blocking have put him in the dog house.
If he doesn’t clean it up soon, that diminished role could stick. Monday is where the turnaround has to begin.
Donovan Ezeiruaku is in a similarly fragile spot. He also lost his starting job in Week 6, with rookie Malachi Lawrence getting the nod instead.
Ezeiruaku’s response was quiet to the point of invisibility: one pressure and one tackle, per Pro Football Focus. With the trade deadline approaching and Dallas looking like a strong candidate to add an edge rusher because of the weak production from that group, Ezeiruaku needs a real response now.
If not, he could get pushed even farther down the depth chart once the Cowboys make the move everyone expects.
Then there’s the cornerback situation, which is just as tense. Every week already feels like a proving ground for Trevon Bland, but this one carries extra weight.
Cobie Durant is set to return after being taken off the injury report on Saturday, and Joey Porter Jr. is also likely to be a full go after his snaps were limited across his first two games. That squeezes the room even more, and if Bland struggles again while Durant plays well, his starting job could be gone.
The Cowboys have not acted like that’s already settled, but the pressure is there all the same.
The defense as a whole should have a clean chance to look better, especially with the Eagles missing Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Philadelphia will be leaning on Tanner McKee, Marquise Brown, Darius Cooper and rookie Makai Lemon in the passing game.
On paper, Dallas should handle that group. But this Cowboys defense has earned skepticism, and if Parker’s unit can’t make life miserable for a depleted Eagles offense, the heat on Parker will only intensify.
And then there’s Brian Schottenheimer, who may be carrying the biggest load of all. The Cowboys were supposed to have an offense that could carry them, but the last few games have gone badly.
Questions about effort have surfaced in Dallas, and that points directly at culture - and at Schottenheimer. The criticism around him has only gotten louder as the losses pile up, and another ugly night, especially against a stripped-down Eagles team, could push things to a breaking point.
This is the kind of game teams hate calling must-win, but for Schottenheimer, it has that feel.
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CeeDee Lamb Just Gave Cowboys Fans Another Reason To Love This Rivalry
CeeDee Lamb has never been shy about embracing the spotlight, and he added another layer to the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry this week by saying on SportsCenter that winning in Philadelphia is his favorite matchup in the NFL. It was the kind of answer that lands well in Dallas, especially given how central Lamb has become to the offense again this season.
He backed it up the last time these teams met, hauling in two touchdown catches in the Cowboys 38-21 win over Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field. Through seven games, Lamb has piled up 53 receptions for 651 yards and six scores, a steady reminder that whenever this rivalry gets loud, he tends to be right in the middle of it. [Read more 🡒]
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Moulton was remembered not just for his work, but for the professionalism and friendship he brought to everyone around him, which is why the moment resonated so strongly on a night already full of attention in Philadelphia and Dallas. Aikmans emotional tribute stood out because it underscored something fans do not always see: the relationships behind the microphones, and the loss felt when one of those familiar voices is suddenly gone. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Make An Unexpected Defensive Change Before Eagles Game
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DeMarvion Overshown had been expected to reclaim that responsibility, which makes the decision more surprising with the game now here. Dallas is also dealing with the absence of starting linebacker Dee Winters because of an Achilles injury, so the Cowboys are still adjusting their personnel even as reinforcements return. Against Philadelphia, those communication duties could matter as much as any single snap. [Read more 🡒]