Jason Kelce didn’t need a long introduction in Philadelphia. On Monday Night Football, he got the kind of reception only Philly can deliver: confetti in the air, pyromaniacs brought out for the big game, and a crowd that treated one of its favorite sons like royalty, as ESPN showed.
The former Eagles center spent his entire NFL career in Philadelphia from 2011 to 2023, and his place in the city’s sports pantheon is long secure. Kelce still shows up around Eagles games often, and his big, booming personality has only made him more popular with fans who already embraced him years ago.
That scene played out against a rough backdrop for Nick Sirianni’s team. The Eagles entered Week 7 at 2-4, matching the Dallas Cowboys’ record heading into their Monday night meeting, with Tanner McKee starting at quarterback and two key pass catchers set to come back.
Philadelphia’s offense has been a talking point all season, and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has been forced into “Hail Mary” changes. He’s taken heat for how conservative the unit has looked, but the situation around him has been messy, with Jalen Hurts expected to be out for the season and Barkley’s availability limited.
The Eagles were also looking up at the 4-2-1 New York Giants on the day, even as trade rumors swirled around Saquon Barkley, who has been one of the team’s injury victims this season.
@JasonKelce got his own intro for Monday Night Countdown in Philly 😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/CgLPVSzUGo
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 26, 2026
And the matchup itself is no soft landing. Philadelphia was staring at a Cowboys offense led by Brian Schottenheimer that the source described as better than its record, much like Sirianni’s own team. The Eagles had already dropped four straight, including a 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 6.
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Eagles Face A Bigger Week 7 Problem Than DeVonta Smith
DeVonta Smith is set to miss his third game of the season with a hamstring injury, leaving the Eagles to sort through another week without one of Jalen Hurts' most reliable targets. Philadelphia has enough wideout options to patch the hole in the passing game, with Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore and Marquise Brown all in line to help absorb the workload left behind by Smith and Dontayvion Wicks.
The bigger concern may be on defense, where Michael Carter II's absence carries more weight than the missing production at receiver. Carter is expected to sit again because of an abdominal injury, and the Eagles have not gotten the same level of coverage from the players filling in for him, a problem that becomes even more glaring with the Dallas Cowboys on deck and a secondary already under pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Pass Rusher Gets A Huge Cowboys Chance At The Perfect Time
Arnold Ebiketie has spent this season in a useful, if often overlooked, role as the Eagles fourth pass rusher, but the next stretch could put him in a much bigger spotlight. On a one-year deal worth $4.3 million, he has already found himself on the field far more than expected, logging 91% of the defensive snaps in Week 6 and positioning himself for even more responsibility with injuries thinning the edge-rushing group.
A possible start against Dallas would arrive at exactly the right time for a player with plenty to prove. Ebiketie has talked about keeping his focus on the field and using the rest of the season to strengthen his standing, and the opportunity matters because every rep now carries extra weight for what comes next. With the Cowboys looming and more snaps potentially waiting, he is suddenly in the kind of spot every pending free agent wants, even if the bigger picture is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Face Bigger Questions Than Just Another Loss
The loss to Dallas only deepened the sense that Philadelphia is dealing with more than a bad stretch. The defense gave up chunk plays and touchdowns, while Tanner McKee had stretches that looked encouraging before the mistakes began to pile up. Saquon Barkleys return gave the ground game a needed boost for a little while, and his presence was one of the few signs the offense could still find some rhythm.
But the bigger concern now is how fragile everything feels around this roster. Barkley left early because of a back injury, leaving another question mark in a season already marked by disruption, and the quarterback situation remains unsettled as the losses keep coming. With the offense still searching for consistency and the results not changing, the Eagles are left weighing whether the current setup can hold, or whether more changes are coming sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]