Cowboys face Eagles in critical NFC East matchup

The Dallas Cowboys travel to Philadelphia on Monday night for a contest that determines whether either side can still contend in the NFC East. Both squads hold 2-4 records, placing them directly behind the New York Giants, who sit at the top with a 3-2-1 mark. The division has suffered a collective slump, as no team in the group secured a victory during the previous two weeks. This streak of divisional losses marks the first such occurrence since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

The Eagles are on a four-game losing skid, a drought not seen by the franchise since 2020. Their offense has generated only 58 points over that span. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is out for the remainder of the season due to blood clots. Backup Tanner McKee, who started last week after just two days of first-team practice, will benefit from a full week of preparation with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. McKee stated that he feels he has a solid preparation process and intends to consult with the coaching staff more frequently rather than working in isolation.

The Eagles face personnel issues at running back. Saquon Barkley is sidelined with a hamstring injury, while backups Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby are also injured. Carson Steele, recently elevated from the practice squad, suffered a shoulder injury in the latest loss. Dameon Pierce was the only available runner last week, accumulating 35 yards on the ground. The Cowboys defense, led by first-year coordinator Christian Parker, ranks 30th in the league. On offense, Dallas scored just 29 points across its last two defeats, including a 23-13 loss to Green Bay.

Owner Jerry Jones indicated at the NFL fall meeting that he does not anticipate further coaching changes this season. He characterized the recent hiring of Mike Pettine as a strategic and unique move. Several individual milestones are on the line for players on both teams. Javonte Williams is the second Cowboys player to record seven rushing touchdowns in the first six games, a feat previously achieved only by Emmitt Smith in 1994 and 1995. CeeDee Lamb leads the franchise in receptions through six games with 48 catches and is approaching 8,000 career receiving yards.

Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert requires one reception to move into third place on the team’s career receptions list. The Cowboys are favored by four points in the matchup. Dallas holds the all-time series lead at 72-58 and won the previous meeting 24-21 on November 23, 2025. The game kicks off at 7:15 p.m. CST on ESPN.

The Eagles will travel to Washington on November 1 before hosting the Giants to complete their divisional slate. The outcome of that final game may determine whether Philadelphia’s season remains viable.