NFL Week 7: Dallas takes 4.5-point lead over Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday evening, October 26, for the Week 7 edition of Monday Night Football. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC. DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Cowboys as 4.5-point favorites with a total points line of 43.5.

Philadelphia enters the contest after losing four consecutive games following a 2-0 start to the season. The injury report for the Eagles is extensive. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is out with blood clots found in his calf and lungs. Receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks will also miss the game, as will linebacker Nolan Smith. Running back Saquon Barkley, guard Landon Dickerson, offensive lineman Jonathan Greenard, and defensive end Jalyx Hunt are all listed as questionable.

The Cowboys arrive in Philadelphia after dropping their last two games. Their offense struggled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers, scoring only 29 points across those two contests after averaging more than 30 points in the previous three weeks. While Dallas gained over 300 yards in both losses, they combined for just 98 rushing yards. Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 20 of 38 passes for 194 yards and no touchdowns when facing extra rushers in those games.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is expected to run his standard scheme, which features a low blitz rate. According to Tru Media, the Eagles have blitzed on just 24.1 percent of opponent dropbacks this season, the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL. The Buccaneers and Packers blitzed on 38.8 percent of Prescott’s dropbacks in Weeks 5 and 6. Fangio’s unit has blitzed at a rate of 38 percent or higher only once since he took over the role.

The Eagles’ defense has allowed opponents to complete 60.4 percent of their passes for an average of 7.0 yards per attempt. However, the unit has given up eight touchdown passes while picking up only three interceptions. The defense has generated a sack, hit, or hurry on 32.9 percent of opponent dropbacks. Cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, and Cooper DeJean have been required to cover receivers for extended periods due to the lack of pass pressure.

On the offensive side, the Eagles will likely lean heavily on the passing game with backup quarterback Tanner McKee starting. In his previous starts, McKee has averaged 44 dropbacks per game. Without Hurts’ ability to run the ball, the Eagles’ rushing efficiency may decline. If Barkley plays, he has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the two games he has completed while healthy this season. He fully practiced on Friday for the first time since his hamstring injury.

The Cowboys’ run game has been a weakness all season. Running back Javonte Williams is averaging 3.7 yards per carry, down from his 4.8 average last year. The Eagles allow only 4.0 yards per carry on the ground. Conversely, opponents have averaged 4.7 yards per carry against Dallas, with every opponent except the Texans and Packers gaining at least 165 rushing yards against the Cowboys.

McKee has completed 16 of 45 career passes for 179 yards and no touchdowns when under pressure, with a 15.1 percent sack rate. The Cowboys’ defense has not been particularly effective at rushing the passer, but the Eagles’ offensive line is currently depleted. Receivers Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and tight end Dallas Goedert are expected to be McKee’s primary targets. The Cowboys may use Joey Porter Jr. to cover either Cooper or Lemon, while Cobie Durant is set to return to the secondary.