Monday night at the Linc brings together two teams that have spent most of the year staring at the same ugly record. The Eagles and Cowboys both enter Week 7 at 2-4, both still hanging around the NFC East race, and both carrying plenty of questions into a primetime meeting that could swing the direction of their seasons.
For some around the Eagles, the concern is simple: the offense just hasn’t done enough to inspire confidence. That’s the biggest reason several predictions lean Dallas.
The Eagles are getting Saquon Barkley back, but DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are out, and the unit now has Tanner McKee in charge with Jalen Hurts unavailable for the rest of the season. The passing game has been described as a sinking boat, and even with Barkley back in the mix, there’s not much belief that the offense can suddenly find enough answers against anyone, much less a Cowboys team with explosive potential through the air.
The Cowboys’ offense is the one area in this matchup that looks like a clear edge. Dak Prescott has thrown a record-223 passes at the Linc without an interception and is 10-5 in his career against the Eagles.
Even with Dallas sitting at 2-4, the feeling is that their passing game is dangerous enough to push this one in their favor if the Eagles can’t keep them under control. Some of the picks call out the Eagles’ defense as likely to compete, but also as a group that may need to take risks to create offense, which could leave them vulnerable to explosive plays.
There is at least one prediction for the home team, though, and it comes back to defense. The thinking there is that the Eagles can snap their four-game losing streak by leaning on a unit that won’t collapse again late after that has been such a focus all week. Jalyx Hunt returning is seen as a boost for the pass rush and the defensive line rotation, and with the Cowboys carrying the 30th worst ranked defense in the league, that view is that Philadelphia has a path to a close win if the defense holds up.
Still, the broader theme in these predictions is that the Eagles offense is hard to trust. One assessment goes so far as to say the unit is on a historically bad pace through six weeks, with no real sign of adjustment or urgency.
That side of the ball is expected to determine everything, even with Barkley back and the Cowboys defense struggling. There’s also a push for the Eagles to tailor things more clearly to McKee, using the quick game, shotgun looks and more targets for Makai Lemon, rather than forcing him into an uncomfortable setup.
In the end, though, most of the picks circle back to the same concern: the Eagles may compete, but Dallas has the offense to finish the job. The forecast is another difficult night for Philadelphia, with the Cowboys favored in several score predictions and the Eagles’ losing streak projected to continue.
In Other News...
Cowboys Facing An Awkward Reality Ahead Of Eagles Showdown
The line for Sundays Cowboys-Eagles matchup has turned some heads, and not just because of the rivalry. Dallas is coming in at 2-4 and still searching for answers on both sides of the ball, yet the early number has the Cowboys installed as a 4.5-point road favorite in Philadelphia. That kind of respect has raised eyebrows for anyone tracking how shaky the Cowboys have looked, especially with their offense and defense both under pressure.
Skip Bayless was among those expressing surprise, pointing to the way the Eagles have handled business at home with their rushing attack and defense. Even with Jalen Hurts a looming question, the sense around this matchup is that Philadelphia has enough in place to make life difficult for a Cowboys team that has not earned much trust so far. For a division game with so much baggage already attached to it, the opening number only adds another layer of intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
Makai Lemon Suddenly Faces A Huge Eagles Test Against Dallas
The Eagles offense could look a lot different when they line up for Monday night against the Cowboys, and rookie Makai Lemon may be right in the middle of it. With DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks and Dallas Goedert all missing practice because of injuries, Philadelphia is already dealing with some uncertainty at key spots, while Lemon has quietly been on the field for a significant chunk of the season and now looks poised for an even bigger workload.
Lemons expanded role comes at an awkward time for an offense trying to adjust around Tanner McKee, who is set to start with Jalen Hurts dealing with health issues. Still, the rookie has sounded confident about where he is in his development, even as the challenge gets tougher in a divisional game that could ask a lot more of him than the Eagles originally planned. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Still Have One Big Jalyx Hunt Question Before Dallas
Jalyx Hunts return remains one of the more important Eagles health questions heading into the Cowboys game, especially after the scare at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium left him with a knee and ankle injury. He missed the Panthers game, then got back to practice the following week, which at least gave Philadelphia some hope that the issue is trending in the right direction.
Even so, Hunt is still not sure whether he will suit up against Dallas, and his own standard for coming back is clear enough. He has stressed that he wants to be medically ready before returning to the field, which leaves the Eagles waiting a little longer to see whether one of their young defenders can make it back in time for a rivalry game that could use as much depth as possible. [Read more 🡒]