The Cowboys head to Lincoln Financial on Monday night carrying the same record as the Eagles, and this matchup feels built around one simple question: can Dallas keep the game on its terms?
At 2-4, the Cowboys need a cleaner offensive plan than the one that too often turns Dak Prescott into a volume passer. That starts with the run game.
If Brian Schottenheimer’s ground attack is producing, Dallas has to stay with it. If it isn’t, the offense still needs to stay balanced.
The Cowboys cannot afford another night where Prescott is forced to throw the ball more than 50 times.
There’s reason to believe the ground game can do damage. SumerSports has Philadelphia ranked 28th in the league in run defense, allowing a 44.2% rush success rating. That’s the kind of weakness Dallas should be able to test repeatedly if it commits to it.
Last week offered the warning sign. Green Bay came in as one of the league’s weaker run defenses, and Dallas had success when it fed the ground game.
But the play-calling drifted away from that approach too soon, and the offense lost its balance. The Eagles present a similar opportunity, and the Cowboys can’t let it slip away the same way.
The passing game also has a chance to tilt this matchup if Dallas wants to attack that way, because Philadelphia is now without Jalen Hurts for the rest of the season. Tanner McKee will be under center again, and while he is a capable backup, his limitations are obvious.
The 2023 sixth-round pick is more of a pocket passer than a quarterback who can create off schedule, and pressure is a problem for him. He has slow feet and a long release, which opens the door for sacks and turnovers.
McKee also had trouble with tighter throws last week against the Panthers. He completed just 3-of-15 passes in tight coverage and was inaccurate on 8-of-9 throws that traveled more than ten yards downfield and outside the numbers.
With DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks out this week, the Cowboys’ corners have to handle the outside and keep Philadelphia’s backup receivers from finding easy openings. If Dallas can close those lanes, the Eagles offense could spend the night stuck in neutral.
That leaves Philadelphia leaning heavily on what’s left of its skill talent, and the Cowboys have to be ready for both ends of that threat. Saquon Barkley is expected back on Monday night, and he has averaged 5.1 yards per carry this season with 182 yards on 36 carries.
But that production comes with a catch: 59 of those yards came on just two carries. Strip those away, and the average drops to 3.6 per carry.
Barkley could go boom or bust, and Dallas cannot let him find the boom.
The best way to keep that from happening is by making life miserable for an offensive line that has been thrown into chaos. Lane Johnson retired and Cam Jurgens was traded mid-season, and the group has been patched together through injuries and shifting assignments.
It has struggled to run block and pass block alike. That sets up a chance for Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Otito Ogbonnia to make their presence felt up front.
Dallas Goedert is the other name that matters here. With Smith and Wicks unavailable, the tight end should be McKee’s top target on Monday night.
The Cowboys will need to challenge him at the line and force the quarterback away from his most reliable option. DeMarvion Overshown and Caleb Downs could see plenty of time on Goedert.
Beyond that, the Eagles’ remaining weapons are more dangerous in flashes than as steady drivers of the offense. Still, the Cowboys can’t get careless.
One busted coverage, one slipped assignment, and a player like Hollywood Brown can turn it into a deep touchdown. Even so, this is the kind of game where Philadelphia’s offense can be contained if Dallas simply plays clean, sound football.
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