Saquon Barkley’s hamstring injury had Dallas hoping for a little help on Monday night, but the Cowboys are not about to get that kind of break.
Barkley is expected to play against the Cowboys in Week 7 on Monday Night Football, despite carrying a questionable tag. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Saturday that Barkley is "expected to play," and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo followed on Sunday by saying Barkley "will be back" after missing two games.
The signs were there all week. Barkley got back to practice on a limited basis, then finished with a full practice Saturday, which pointed hard toward a return.
That is bad news for a Dallas defense that has been shredded on the ground all season. Through six games, the Cowboys are allowing 149.8 rushing yards per game, second-worst in the league behind only the Carolina Panthers at 153.2.
Even so, this isn’t the full-strength Eagles offense. Philadelphia will be without Jalen Hurts, who is expected to miss the rest of the season because of blood clots in his lungs, and Tanner McKee will step in at quarterback. DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also out after not practicing this week because of hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively.
That creates some pressure points for Dallas in another area, too. The Cowboys have had real trouble against the pass and even bigger issues when quarterbacks tuck the ball and run. They are giving up the most rushing yards per game to signal-callers and the 10th-most passing yards per game.
Philadelphia’s defense is also dealing with absences. The Eagles will be missing sacks leader Nolan Smith, and star edge rusher Jonathan Greenard may also sit out after being listed as questionable.
So yes, this game has the look of a spot where Dallas could try to claw its way out of a two-game skid. But nothing about 2026 has been easy for this team, and the Cowboys have not exactly earned the benefit of the doubt.
Barkley’s season has been quieter than usual, largely because he has missed two games and left others early. Even so, he is still averaging five yards per carry this year.
Dallas has handled him better than most teams have, at least in an Eagles uniform. In four games against the Cowboys since joining Philadelphia, Barkley has produced a mixed bag.
He opened that stretch with 66 yards on 14 carries and one catch for 12 yards in Week 10 of the 2024 season. Then came his biggest night against Dallas as an Eagle: 167 yards on 31 carries and two receptions for two yards in Week 17.
In Week 1 of 2025, he posted 60 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, a 3.3-yard average, and added four catches for 24 yards in a Philadelphia win. Later that season, he was held to 22 yards on 10 carries, though he also caught seven passes for 52 yards.
Across his time with the Eagles and Giants, Barkley has averaged 64 rushing yards per game at 4.64 yards per carry, along with 27 receiving yards per game and four total touchdowns in 14 contests. So no, he hasn’t exactly owned Dallas.
Still, given what the Cowboys have shown on defense in 2026, this matchup feels wide open.
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Ross flashed as a pass rusher, Hawkins and Jones kept building their resumes, and Biles continued to show why he belongs on the radar for a team always looking for impact help. Johnsons usage also stood out in Oregons expanded offense, a reminder that some of the most useful evaluations come well before a player is anywhere near draft day, especially when one of these names is already shaping up as a long-range watch item for 2028. [Read more 🡒]