Rivalry Clashes Amidst Historic Division Slump
Two struggling NFC East teams face off as the division navigates a rare and unprecedented stretch of losses.
By Lauren Collins ·
Philadelphia hosts Dallas on Monday night, setting the stage for a critical matchup between two 2-4 teams. Both squads are fighting to keep their divisional hopes alive, and with the NFC East in such disarray, a turnaround remains a realistic possibility for either side.
The road to this game has been rough for everyone involved. The New York Giants currently hold the division lead at 3-2-1, but the rest of the conference has struggled mightily. Over the last two weeks, every team in the division played twice without recording a single victory. This marks the first time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger that a division has gone through such a dry spell.
Philadelphia is dealing with a four-game losing streak, its first of that magnitude since 2020. With quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve due to blood clots, the offense has scored just 58 points across those losses. That burden falls on Tanner McKee, who has had limited first-team practice time but now has a full week to work with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. McKee noted that he feels prepared and plans to coordinate more closely with the coaching staff.
The Eagles' running game is also under the weather. Star back Saquon Barkley has missed time with a hamstring injury, and his backups are dealing with their own ailments. Last week, Dameon Pierce was the only healthy option, rushing for 35 yards. Dallas allows 4.7 yards per carry, a number that could hurt Philadelphia if their ground game stays stagnant.
Dallas has its own headaches to solve. They rank 30th in defense under first-year coordinator Christian Parker. The offense has been quiet, scoring just 29 points in the last two games, including a loss to Green Bay. This is the first time since 2019 that the Cowboys have scored fewer than 20 points in consecutive starts for Dak Prescott. Owner Jerry Jones stated at the NFL fall meeting that he does not expect more coaching changes this season, calling the recent hiring of Mike Pettine a strategic move.
Several milestones are on the line for individual players. Javonte Williams is chasing Emmitt Smith’s records for rushing touchdowns early in a season, while CeeDee Lamb holds the franchise record for receptions through six games. On the Eagles side, tight end Dallas Goedert needs one catch to enter the top three on the franchise career receptions list.
Dallas is favored by four points and leads the all-time series 72-58, having won the last meeting in November 2025. Kickoff is at 7:15 p.m. CST on ESPN. The Eagles will travel to Washington on Nov. 1 and then host New York to finish the divisional stretch, a sequence that will likely determine if their season can be salvaged.
Source: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
