Eagles face Cowboys without Hurts as spread tightens
Philadelphia enters Monday's game with its starting quarterback and top receivers out, while Dallas seeks a bounce back after two losing efforts.
By Robert Marshall ·
The betting market has Dallas favored by 4.5 points against the Philadelphia Eagles for the Week 7 matchup on Monday Night Football. DraftKings Sportsbook lists the total points at 43.5. The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field.
Philadelphia began the season with two wins but has lost its last four games. The roster is thin due to injuries. Jalen Hurts is out after blood clots were found in his calf and lungs. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also sidelined. Defensive lineman Jonathan Greenard and offensive lineman Jalyx Hunt are listed as questionable. Running back Saquon Barkley and guard Landon Dickerson are also questionable.
Dallas lost its previous two games to the Buccaneers and Packers. The offense scored 29 points in those contests combined, down from scoring 30 or more in each of the prior three weeks. The team struggled against blitzes, with quarterback Dak Prescott completing 20 of 38 passes for 194 yards and no touchdowns when facing extra rushers. The running game produced only 98 combined yards in those two games.
Data from Tru Media shows the Eagles blitzed on 24.1% of opponent dropbacks this season. That is the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL. In comparison, the Buccaneers and Packers blitzed Dallas on 38.8% of dropbacks in the last two weeks. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has rarely deviated from his low-blitz strategy since taking the role.
The Eagles defense allowed opponents to complete 60.4% of passes for 7.0 yards per attempt. The unit gave up eight touchdown passes and three interceptions. Opponents gained 14 drops, the second-most in the league. The Cowboys have allowed opponents to rush for at least 165 yards in four of their five games this season. Opponents average 4.7 yards per carry against Dallas.
The Eagles will likely rely on a pass-heavy offense if Tanner McKee starts at quarterback. He dropped back to pass 48 times in the previous game. If Barkley plays, he has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the two games he completed healthy this season. The Eagles plan to use Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Dallas Goedert as their primary receiving targets. The Cowboys may rotate cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Caleb Downs to cover the outside and slot positions.
The Cowboys are expected to win in a low-scoring affair. The prediction for the game is Dallas 24, Philadelphia 20.
Source: CBS Sports
