Eagles Face Cowboys Monday Night With Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith Out

The Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday evening for a Week 7 contest that pits a depleted roster against a struggling opponent. The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field and will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC.

Philadelphia enters the contest after dropping its last four games following a 2-0 start to the season. The Eagles are managing without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is sidelined after blood clots were detected in his calf and lungs. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks, along with safety Nolan Smith, are also listed as out for the game.

Further uncertainty surrounds the starting lineup. Running back Saquon Barkley, center Landon Dickerson, offensive guard Jonathan Greenard, and tight end Jalyx Hunt are all designated as questionable. Barkley fully practiced on Friday for the first time since sustaining a hamstring injury, but his role remains undetermined.

Dallas arrives in Philadelphia following two consecutive losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys failed to score in those contests despite gaining over 300 total yards in each game. Their offense combined for just 98 rushing yards in those two matchups, a decline from their previous three weeks where they scored at least 30 points per game.

Statistical data from Tru Media indicates that the Eagles present a different defensive challenge than the teams that recently held Dallas to scoreless drives. The Buccaneers and Packers blitzed on 38.8% of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott's dropbacks in Weeks 5 and 6. In contrast, the Eagles have blitzed on only 24.1% of opponent dropbacks this season, ranking fourth-lowest in the league.

Dallas offensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon must account for this disparity in defensive approach. Prescott was 20 of 38 for 194 passing yards with no touchdowns when facing blitzing defenses in the last two games. The Eagles allow opponents to complete 60.4% of their passes at 7.0 yards per attempt, but they have allowed eight touchdown passes against only three interceptions. Their pass rush has been effective on only 32.9% of dropbacks, a metric that falls below the league average.

The Eagles' offensive strategy will likely rely heavily on the passing game with backup quarterback Tanner McKee under center. McKee has completed 16 of 45 passes for 179 yards and no touchdowns when under pressure in his career. His primary targets are expected to be Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Dallas Goedert, as the Eagles lack the running threat typically provided by Hurts.

Dallas defensive coordinator Brian Billick faces a matchup against a thin Eagles offensive line. The Cowboys have allowed opponents to average 4.7 yards per carry this season. If the Eagles can establish a ground game with Barkley or backup running back Dameon Pierce, they may limit the time of possession for a Dallas offense that has struggled to sustain drives.

DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Cowboys as 4.5-point favorites, with a total points over/under of 43.5. The outcome will determine which team breaks its current losing streak in a division rivalry marked by mutual offensive inconsistencies this season.