10 Reasons Cowboys vs Eagles Is the NFL Game You Can’t Miss This Week
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles does not look like a classic contender-versus-contender game if you only glance at the standings. Both teams enter Monday Night Football at 2–4. Dallas has lost two straight. Philadelphia has lost four straight. The Eagles are without Jalen Hurts, the Cowboys have watched their explosive offence cool off, and the NFC East has become one of the strangest divisions in football.
That is exactly why this game matters so much. Rivalry games become more dangerous when both sides are desperate, because the loser does not simply drop one game. The loser wakes up Tuesday at 2–5, staring at a season that may already be moving beyond comfortable recovery range.
Philadelphia will start Tanner McKee again after he stepped into the offence in Hurts’ absence. McKee now gets a full week of first-team preparation before facing the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles have been dominant against NFC East opponents during Nick Sirianni’s tenure. Dallas, meanwhile, has the more established quarterback in Dak Prescott and one of the league’s most aggressive passing identities.
The numbers make the matchup fascinating. Dallas calls pass plays at the highest rate in the NFL, 70.4 percent. CeeDee Lamb has 48 catches for 577 yards, while George Pickens has 33 catches for 428. Yet Prescott has thrown four interceptions over the past two weeks, and Dallas has scored only 29 total points in those games after averaging 30.5 points over the first four weeks.
Philadelphia has problems of its own but also a clear path to making this uncomfortable. Saquon Barkley is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, the Eagles have been excellent in the red zone over the last two weeks and the defence has held opposing quarterbacks to a 60.4 percent completion rate this season. The question is whether the supporting cast around McKee can stay healthy enough to give him a real chance.
Kickoff is Monday, 26 October 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Lincoln Financial Field. The game airs on ABC and ESPN in the United States, with international viewers able to use NFL Game Pass through DAZN. Here are the 10 reasons this is one of the NFL games you cannot afford to ignore this week.
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10. The Records Make This Game More Urgent, Not Less Interesting
Dallas and Philadelphia are both 2–4, which means this is almost a playoff-style desperation game in October. Neither team is eliminated with a loss, but 2–5 creates a completely different season from 3–4. The winner gets a week of oxygen. The loser gets another seven days of questions about coaching, injuries, quarterback play and whether the roster is good enough.
The NFC East is still open enough that both teams can believe a turnaround is realistic. That matters because desperation without hope can produce bad football. Desperation with a plausible division path usually produces aggression.
What I am watching: fourth-down decisions. I expect both coaching staffs to treat midfield possessions more aggressively than they would in an ordinary interconference game.
9. Philadelphia’s Home-Field History Against Dallas Matters
The Eagles have won four straight home games against Dallas and are 15–3 at Lincoln Financial Field against NFC East opponents during Nick Sirianni’s tenure. Rivalry history does not score points by itself, but it shapes confidence and crowd expectation.
Dallas will know the first quarter matters. If the Cowboys allow Philadelphia to build an early lead, Lincoln Financial Field can become extremely difficult for a visiting offence trying to communicate in obvious passing situations. If Dallas scores first and makes McKee chase the game, the dynamic changes.
What I am watching: the opening 15 minutes. Philadelphia needs the crowd engaged. Dallas needs calm.
8. Tanner McKee Gets a Full Week to Prepare
McKee’s first start of the season was always going to be difficult because backup quarterbacks usually inherit game plans built for somebody else. This week is different. He has full practice reps, more individual work with the offensive coaches and a clearer sense of what he can execute comfortably.
Philadelphia has reason to believe he can function within structure. McKee is one of only five quarterbacks over the last 20 seasons to average at least 240 passing yards per game with no more than one giveaway across the first three starts of a career. That does not make him Jalen Hurts, but it means Dallas cannot treat him like a quarterback who only needs to be survived.
What I am watching: early play-action and intermediate throws. Philadelphia should try to give McKee rhythm before asking him to solve long-yardage situations.
7. Saquon Barkley Can Make McKee’s Job Easier
Barkley is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, sixth-best among NFL running backs entering the game. Dallas has been vulnerable defensively, ranking last in rushing yards allowed and yards per play allowed. That is the clearest mismatch Philadelphia can attack.
If the Eagles can stay committed to Barkley, they can protect McKee from a pass-heavy game and force Dallas’ safeties to respect the run. That also creates cleaner throwing windows for play-action and quick-game concepts.
What I am watching: Barkley’s first 10 carries. If he is consistently reaching the second level, Philadelphia can control the pace. If Dallas holds him near three yards per carry, McKee will have to win far more of the game himself.
6. Dallas’ Passing Volume Could Either Save the Cowboys or Sink Them
Dallas calls pass plays on 70.4 percent of offensive snaps, the highest rate in football. That makes sense when you have Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, but it also creates pressure on the quarterback when the offence becomes predictable.
Over the last two weeks, opponents have blitzed Prescott more often and the results have been ugly. He has thrown four interceptions, and his passer rating against the blitz in that span has dropped sharply. Philadelphia does not normally blitz heavily, which creates an interesting decision for the Eagles: stick with the identity that has worked, or attack a recent weakness more aggressively.
What I am watching: whether Vic Fangio-style simulated pressure concepts show up without Philadelphia needing to send extra rushers.
5. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens Can Stress a Banged-Up Eagles Secondary
Dallas is one of only two NFL teams with multiple pass catchers already over 30 receptions and 400 receiving yards. Lamb has 48 catches for 577 yards. Pickens has 33 for 428. That gives Prescott two legitimate boundary and intermediate threats who can win in different ways.
Philadelphia’s injury report makes the matchup even more important. DeVonta Smith did not practise Thursday because of a hamstring injury, and several defenders were limited. The Eagles cannot afford to let Dallas’ receivers dominate while also losing offensive firepower of their own.
What I am watching: who Philadelphia trusts in isolated coverage. If the Eagles have to keep two-high help constantly, Barkley’s opposite number in the Dallas backfield may finally see lighter boxes.
4. The Eagles’ Injury List Could Shape the Entire Game
Philadelphia’s Thursday report was crowded. DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and Nolan Smith were among the players who did not participate, while Saquon Barkley, Landon Dickerson, Jalyx Hunt and several others were limited. That is a lot of important names for a team already playing without Hurts.
The Cowboys have injuries too, including KaVontae Turpin being unavailable with a rib issue, but Dallas is closer to getting defensive help back. DeMarvion Overshown is expected to return on a pitch count, and corner Cobie Durant has been working back from a hamstring injury.
What I am watching: Philadelphia’s final inactive list. The difference between McKee having Smith and Goedert available versus missing one or both is enormous.
3. Dallas’ Defence Has Been Bad Enough to Keep Philadelphia Hopeful
The Cowboys have allowed at least 20 points in 13 straight games, the longest such streak in franchise history. This season they rank 25th in points allowed, 29th in passing yards per attempt, and last in both rushing yards allowed and yards per play allowed.
That is the reason Philadelphia should believe this is the right opponent for McKee. The Eagles do not need him to become a superstar. They need him to stay efficient while Barkley and the offensive line attack a defence that has struggled to stop almost everything consistently.
What I am watching: explosive runs. If Philadelphia gets several gains of 15-plus yards on the ground, Dallas will be forced to compress the defence and McKee will get easier throws.
2. Dak Prescott Has to Reverse a Two-Week Slide
Prescott was excellent through the first month while Dallas averaged more than 30 points per game. The last two weeks have looked completely different: 29 total points, four interceptions from Dak and much more pressure against the blitz.
This is where veteran quarterback play matters. Philadelphia is missing its starting quarterback and has lost four straight. Dallas should enter believing it has the best player at the most important position. Prescott does not need to force throws to prove that advantage. He needs to use it to make better decisions than the quarterback on the other sideline.
What I am watching: Dak on third down. If he is accurate and patient, Dallas should move the ball. If he starts hunting big plays against disguised coverage, the rivalry can turn quickly.
1. The NFC East Could Look Completely Different by Tuesday Morning
This is the biggest reason to watch. The division has been chaotic, and neither Dallas nor Philadelphia has played like the contender it expected to be. Yet the standings have not run away from either team. That means Monday night becomes a reset button for one side.
A Dallas win puts the Cowboys at 3–4, stops a two-game losing streak and gives Prescott a prime-time divisional victory on the road. A Philadelphia win also moves the Eagles to 3–4, ends a four-game skid and gives McKee the kind of result that can stabilise an entire locker room while Hurts remains unavailable.
The loser gets 2–5 and a much darker conversation. That is why this game is bigger than the records. Somebody is going to leave believing the season just restarted. Somebody else may leave wondering whether it ever will.
My Prediction
Dallas has the clear quarterback advantage and enough receiving talent to punish Philadelphia if Prescott protects the football. The problem is that the Cowboys’ defence gives the Eagles a very obvious formula: run Barkley, keep McKee out of third-and-long and force Dallas to prove it can stop somebody without creating a turnover.
I expect Philadelphia to stay competitive deep into the second half because divisional familiarity and home-field energy usually compress the gap between teams. But if the game becomes a final-quarter quarterback contest, I trust Prescott over McKee.
My lean: Cowboys 24, Eagles 20. Dallas’ offence finally steadies, but not comfortably.
How to Watch Cowboys vs Eagles
Dallas visits Philadelphia on Monday, 26 October 2026 at Lincoln Financial Field. Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. ET. The game airs nationally in the United States on ABC and ESPN, with the ManningCast on ESPN2 and international access through NFL Game Pass on DAZN.
Final Thoughts
Cowboys-Eagles is compelling because almost every major storyline contains pressure. Prescott needs to respond. McKee needs to prove Philadelphia can function without Hurts. The Eagles need injured players back. Dallas needs a defence that can finally stop giving opponents automatic production.
The rivalry adds noise, but the standings add consequence. At 2–4, neither team has the luxury of saying there is plenty of season left without also admitting the margin is shrinking.
That is why I would watch even if neither team currently looks like a Super Bowl favourite. This is the sort of Monday night game that can change the emotional direction of a season in three hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Cowboys vs Eagles?
Monday, 26 October 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Where is the game?
Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
What are the teams' records?
Dallas and Philadelphia both enter the game 2–4.
Who starts at quarterback for Philadelphia?
Tanner McKee is preparing to start again with Jalen Hurts unavailable.
How has Dak Prescott played recently?
Prescott has thrown four interceptions over the past two games after a much stronger opening month.
How good has Saquon Barkley been?
Barkley enters averaging 5.1 yards per carry, one of the best rates among NFL running backs.
What is Dallas' biggest weakness?
The Cowboys have struggled badly on defence and rank near the bottom of the league in several major yardage and efficiency categories.
What is Philadelphia's biggest concern?
Injuries. DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and several defensive players were dealing with issues during the week.
Why does this game matter so much?
The loser falls to 2–5 in a still-open NFC East race, while the winner reaches 3–4 and gets a major divisional result.
Who do I think will win?
My lean is Dallas 24–20 because Prescott gives the Cowboys the stronger late-game quarterback option.
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