Eagles Face 4.5-Point Deficit Against Cowboys in Week 7

The Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday, October 26, for a Week 7 matchup on ESPN and ABC. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET. DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Cowboys as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 43.5.

Philadelphia enters the game with a four-game losing streak following a 2-0 start. The roster is depleted by injuries. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is out after blood clots were found in his calf and lungs. Receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also sidelined. Saquon Barkley, Landon Dickerson, Jonathan Greenard, and Jalyx Hunt are listed as questionable.

Dallas has lost two consecutive games. Its offense scored over 30 points in the first three games of the season but combined for only 29 points against the Buccaneers and Packers. The defense, which was criticized early in the year, now faces questions about its ability to stop opponents.

The Cowboys' passing attack struggled against blitzes in their last two games. Dak Prescott completed 20 of 38 passes for 194 yards and no score when facing extra rushers. The team rushed for only 98 yards combined in those contests. The Eagles blitz on 24.1% of dropbacks, the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL. The Buccaneers and Packers blitzed on 38.8% of dropbacks against Dallas.

Vic Fangio, the Eagles' defensive coordinator, has rarely used such a high blitz rate. He has blitzed on at least 38% of dropbacks only once since taking the role. The Eagles allow opponents to complete 60.4% of passes for 7.0 yards per attempt. They have given up eight touchdown passes and three interceptions this season. Opponents have dropped the ball 14 times against Philadelphia.

The Eagles' run game relies on Saquon Barkley, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the two games he completed this season. He practiced fully on Friday for the first time since a hamstring injury. The Cowboys allow 4.7 yards per carry. Opponents have gained at least 165 rushing yards against Dallas in five of the first six games.

Tanner McKee will likely start for the Eagles. He is 16 of 45 for 179 yards and no score in his career when under duress. His top targets are Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Dallas Goedert. The Cowboys may return Cobie Durant to the secondary, potentially replacing Daron Bland. The prediction is for a Cowboys victory, 24-20.