The Eagles are staring at a game that could settle a lot of nerves, and the fixes start with the lineup. Philadelphia comes into Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys at 2-4, carrying a four-game losing streak and the kind of uneasy feeling that comes with Jalen Hurts' injury. With three divisional games and the NFL trade deadline still ahead before the Week 10 bye, the clock is ticking.
Dallas arrives with the same record, and these two NFC East teams have split their last 10 meetings. But the Eagles have owned this matchup at Lincoln Financial Field, winning four straight there. That gives Philadelphia a real chance to steady itself in Week 7.
Offensively, one of the decisions is already made for Nick Sirianni. DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) were both absent from Saturday’s final practice and have been officially ruled out.
That opens the door for Makai Lemon, who has flashed enough to matter. He has logged a 13-plus yard catch in five of his six games played, and the first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has already shown the route-running and yards-after-catch ability that made him a standout at USC.
The key is how Philadelphia uses him. Bubble screens behind inexperienced blockers won’t do much for his growth. The better move is getting Tanner McKee to find Lemon over the middle early and often, especially with Dallas ranking in the bottom 10 in opponent completion percentage and yards per completion.
Another place the Eagles should lean is Dallas Goedert. In 2025, he was the engine of the red zone offense, leading the team with 18 red-zone targets and 11 touchdowns. That production hasn’t carried over in 2026, in part because of a redesigned offense and a knee issue, but the opportunities still matter.
Goedert has seen only two red-zone targets this season, both coming in Week 1, when he scored twice in a win over the Commanders. He also drew a defensive interference penalty in Week 6 that set up Dameon Pierce's two-yard touchdown.
When the ball goes his way near the goal line, good things tend to follow. Using his 6'5", 250-pound frame, plus some pre-snap motion to create mismatches, would give the Eagles a much better shot at improving an offense that has managed just 17.7 points per game.
On the other side, the challenge is clear enough for Vic Fangio’s defense. Dallas has the playmakers to cause problems, with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens all capable of stressing a defense. But the Cowboys’ last two games have shown a path to slowing them down.
In Week 5 against the Buccaneers, Dallas was held to 50 rushing yards on 13 carries, a 3.8 average. In Week 6 against the Packers, it managed 48 rushing yards on 15 carries, a 3.2 average. Javonte Williams still hasn’t found a rhythm, and that has pushed the Cowboys toward a one-dimensional approach.
For Philadelphia, the job is simple in theory and demanding in practice: hold the point of attack, finish tackles, and force Prescott into longer third downs. In those spots, one tipped ball or one bad throw can swing the game with a takeaway.
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 🡒]