Eagles, Cowboys Meet Amid Historic Slump

The New York Giants currently hold the top seed in the NFC East with a 3-2-1 record. Behind them, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles each hold a 2-4 record. The two teams meet Monday night in Philadelphia, with the division lead still within mathematical reach for either side.

Every team in the division played twice over the past two weeks without recording a victory. That 0-8 divisional mark is the first occurrence since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The Giants remain ahead, but the gap is narrow enough that a win for either the Cowboys or Eagles would reshape the standings immediately.

Philadelphia is on a four-game losing streak, the longest such run for the team since 2020. Jalen Hurts is on injured reserve with blood clots and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Tanner McKee, who served as a backup for his first two NFL seasons, will start for the first time with the outcome still on the line.

McKee had only two days of first-team practice before last week's loss to Carolina. This week he has more than a full week to work with first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. McKee said he feels he has a good preparation process and plans to meet with the coaching staff more often rather than working alone.

The Eagles' rushing attack is in disarray. Saquon Barkley has missed more than two games with a hamstring injury, though a return remains possible. His backups Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby are also hurt. Carson Steele, signed off the practice squad last week, injured his shoulder against Carolina. Dameon Pierce was the only running back to carry the ball in that game, gaining 35 yards. Dallas has allowed 4.7 yards per carry this season.

Dallas faces its own challenges. The defense ranks 30th in the league under first-year coordinator Christian Parker. The offense scored only 29 points in its last two losses, including a 23-13 defeat to Green Bay last week. Dak Prescott has started consecutive games in which the team scored fewer than 20 points for the first time since 2019.

Owner Jerry Jones stated at the NFL's annual fall meeting on Wednesday that he does not expect further coaching changes this season. He described the recent hiring of defensive assistant Mike Pettine as strategic and unique. Individual milestones are in play, including Javonte Williams chasing Emmitt Smith's rushing touchdown pace and CeeDee Lamb approaching 8,000 career receiving yards.

Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. CST on ESPN. Dallas is favored by 4 points and leads the all-time series 72-58. The last meeting ended in a 24-21 Cowboys victory on Nov. 23, 2025. The Eagles will play at Washington on Nov. 1 and then host the Giants to close their divisional schedule.