Injuries leave Eagles thin as Cowboys arrive on Monday
Philadelphia enters Week 7 with a four-game losing streak and a depleted roster, while Dallas looks to snap its own two-game slide on national television.
By Rohan Mehta ·
The Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7 of the NFL season on Monday, Oct. 26. The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field. It will air on ESPN and ABC. DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Cowboys as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 43.5 points.
Both teams enter the matchup on losing streaks. Philadelphia has dropped four straight games after opening the season 2-0. Dallas has lost back-to-back contests. The Cowboys scored more than 30 points in each of their first three games but managed just 29 points total against the Buccaneers and Packers in Weeks 5 and 6.
Injury concerns weigh heavily on the home side. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is out after blood clots were found in his calf and lungs. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also sidelined. Running back Saquon Barkley, guard Landon Dickerson, offensive lineman Jonathan Greenard, and safety Jalyx Hunt are all listed as questionable to play.
Dallas faces its own offensive questions. The team was held to 98 rushing yards in its last two games. Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 20 of 38 passes for 194 yards and no touchdowns when facing blitzes during that span. The Buccaneers and Packers sent extra rushers on 38.8 percent of Prescott’s dropbacks in those contests. The Eagles have blitzed at a rate of only 24.1 percent, the fourth-lowest in the league.
Philadelphia’s defense ranks 20th in opponents’ expected points added per dropback. The unit has allowed 60.4 percent completion rates and 7.0 yards per pass attempt. It has given up eight touchdown passes and allowed 14 drops, the second-most in the NFL. The Eagles have generated a sack, hit, or hurry on only 32.9 percent of opponent dropbacks.
If Barkley plays, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the two games he finished healthy this season. He fully practiced on Friday for the first time since a hamstring injury. The Eagles will likely lean on a pass-heavy attack with backup quarterback Tanner McKee, who has thrown 48 passes in his limited starts. The Cowboys have allowed opponents to average 4.7 yards per carry this season.
The Cowboys will rely on CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens to exploit any gaps in the Eagles’ secondary. Philadelphia’s defense has struggled to get off the field on third down, leaving cornerbacks like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in coverage for extended periods. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Source: CBS Sports
