The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles entered Monday night’s NFC East rivalry game with identical 2-4 records and little room for another setback. Philadelphia brought a four-game losing streak into the matchup at Lincoln Financial Field, while Dallas arrived after consecutive losses that slowed an offense that had opened the season strongly.
The stakes were heightened by the unsettled NFC East standings. The New York Giants began the night in first place at 4-2-1, leaving both Dallas and Philadelphia within striking distance despite their poor starts.
Hurts’ absence reshapes Philadelphia
Philadelphia’s biggest concern is the absence of quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was placed on injured reserve after doctors discovered a blood clot in his left calf. Further testing found a deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, and the Eagles said Hurts is clinically stable and expected to make a full recovery.
Hurts is being treated with blood thinners and cannot participate in contact activities while taking the medication. NFL Network reported that he is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season, although the Eagles have emphasized his favorable prognosis rather than set a firm return date.
Tanner McKee has taken over as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback and made his second start of the season against Dallas. In the Eagles’ 25-14 loss to Carolina the previous week, McKee completed 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown, relying heavily on quick and short throws.
Philadelphia did receive help elsewhere on offense. Running back Saquon Barkley was active Monday after missing time with a hamstring injury, while wide receiver DeVonta Smith remained out with a hamstring injury.
The Eagles hoped Barkley’s return would make the offense less dependent on McKee. A more effective running game could also help Philadelphia control possession and protect a quarterback still settling into the starting role.
Dallas looks to restart its offense
Dallas entered the game searching for answers after its offense cooled dramatically. The Cowboys averaged 30.5 points through the first four weeks, but they scored only 29 total points in their next two games, both losses.
One of the Cowboys’ problems has been handling pressure against quarterback Dak Prescott. Over the previous two games, opponents increased their blitz rate against Dallas, and Prescott completed 52.6 percent of his passes against the blitz with no touchdowns and a 67.2 passer rating.
That trend created an important tactical question for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Philadelphia entered the game with one of the NFL’s lower blitz rates, so the idea that Fangio was certain to use an aggressive blitz-heavy plan was not supported by the available numbers, even though Dallas clearly expected opponents to keep testing its protection.
The Cowboys have leaned heavily on the passing game this season, calling pass plays at a league-high rate entering Week 7. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens have given Prescott two productive receiving targets, while Dallas has struggled to establish a consistent rushing attack.
Dallas defensive coordinator Christian Parker faced a different challenge against McKee and Philadelphia’s short passing game. The Cowboys entered Monday ranked 25th in points allowed per game and last in both yards allowed per play and rushing yards allowed.
Dallas had also allowed at least 20 points in 13 consecutive games entering the matchup. That weakness increased the importance of tackling well and preventing short McKee completions from turning into longer gains after the catch.
NFC East race remains open
The game carried extra importance because it began a stretch of three consecutive NFC East matchups for Philadelphia. For Dallas, the relatively open division offered a chance to recover from a 2-4 start before the gap at the top became more difficult to close.
Philadelphia was also trying to stop its first four-game losing streak since 2020. The Eagles’ injuries have complicated that effort, but the team still entered Monday close enough to the Giants to make the division race meaningful.
Dallas faced similar urgency after a disappointing start. Quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb said during the week that the Cowboys still believed there was enough time to turn the season around, but another division loss would make that task considerably harder.
Monday night’s game was scheduled for October 26 at 8:15 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. ABC and ESPN carried the main broadcast with Joe Buck on play-by-play, Troy Aikman as analyst, and Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge reporting from the sidelines.
Both teams entered the night needing more than a rivalry win for bragging rights. Dallas was trying to stabilize an offense that had suddenly slowed, while Philadelphia was attempting to end a four-game skid and adjust to life without Hurts for what could be the remainder of the season.