Cowboys are saddled with 3-game losing streak and missing Dak Prescott as Eagles visit

Philadelphia (6-2) at Dallas (3-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 7 1/2.

Against the spread: Eagles 4-4; Cowboys 2-6.

Series record: Cowboys lead 74-56.

Last meeting: Cowboys beat Eagles 33-13 on Dec. 10, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.

Last week: Eagles beat Jaguars 28-23; Cowboys lost to Falcons 27-21.

Eagles offense: overall (6), rush (2), pass (20), scoring (11)

Eagles defense: overall (3), rush (5), pass (7), scoring (9)

Cowboys offense: overall (14), rush (31), pass (2), scoring (20)

Cowboys defense: overall (27), rush (30), pass (18), scoring (31)

Turnover differential: Eagles minus-2; Cowboys minus-7.

Eagles player to watch

What will RB Saquon Barkley do for an encore after leapfrogging backward in the victory over the Jaguars? He’s certainly a familiar foe for the Cowboys, having spent his first six seasons with another NFC East rival in the New York Giants. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2018 draft is on pace for by far his best season, with 925 yards rushing in eight games (116 per game). Barkley has three consecutive 100-yard games and five total. He had a season-high 199 scrimmage yards against Jacksonville.

Not PARSE.LY: Dallas Cowboys

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Austin Ekeler was concussed late in the Commanders’ loss and taken to hospital for evaluation

 

A late-game rally derailed by a missed extra point and Cowboys stun Commanders 34-26

 

Cowboys player to watch

Cooper Rush makes his first start in place of Dak Prescott, who is out with a hamstring injury that is expected to sideline the franchise QB multiple weeks. Rush has been in this spot before. He went 4-1 after Prescott broke the thumb on his throwing hand in a season-opening loss in 2022. The Cowboys won the first four games before Rush had three interceptions in a 26-17 loss to the Eagles. Rush also won a game filling in for an injured Prescott in 2021.

Key matchup

It looks as if star pass rusher Micah Parsons will return for the Cowboys after missing four games with a high ankle sprain. If he does, it’ll be a juicy matchup with Barkley. The two are close off the field because both went to Penn State. Parsons says Barkley is one of the reasons he chose the Nittany Lions. The Cowboys will mostly be interested in Parsons helping pressure QB Jalen Hurts, but the two-time All-Pro’s speed should help in trying to slow Barkley.

Key injuries

Eagles TE Dallas Goedert returned to practice as a full participant this week, giving him a good chance to play after missing three games with a hamstring injury. ... WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, the only teammates in the NFL with touchdowns of at least 40 yards this season, started the week on the injury report. Brown was limited with a knee injury, and Smith didn’t practice because of a hamstring issue. ... Cowboys CB DaRon Bland still isn’t practicing despite rejoining the active roster last week. Bland had surgery for a stress fracture in his foot late in the preseason. He was expected to be ready for a return by now but has experience persistent soreness in the foot. ... All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb is expected to play despite spraining a shoulder against the Falcons. ... S Juanyeh Thomas is in concussion protocol.

Series notes

The Cowboys have won six consecutive home games against the Eagles, their second-longest active streak behind a seven-game run against the Giants. Dallas has averaged 38 points per game in the past five victories at AT&T Stadium.

Stats and stuff

The Cowboys are on their first three-game losing streak since 2020, when Prescott missed the final 11 games with a broken ankle. Dallas lost the first four games after Prescott’s injury. ... Philadelphia has won four games in a row and is one of four teams with a winning streak at least that long in every season since 2021, when coach Nick Sirianni was hired. ... The Eagles have started 6-2 or better in three consecutive years for the first time since 1979-81 under Dick Vermeil. ... The Eagles lead the NFL with 12 plays of at least 40 yards. The Cowboys have three. ... Philadelphia is the only team in the NFL that ranks in the top six in total offense (sixth) and total defense (third). ... Eagles QB Jalen Hurts accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and a 132.3 passer rating against the Jaguars. He’s the first player with a passing TD, rushing TD and 115-plus rating in three consecutive games. Hurts is the second QB since 1970 with six touchdowns rushing in a three-game span, joining Carolina’s Cam Newton (2011). ... WR A.J. Brown has at least five catches and 60 yards receiving in four consecutive games against Dallas. ... LB Nakobe Dean had his first career interception against Jacksonville, a game-clincher in the end zone in the final two minutes. ... LB Josh Sweat had his sixth career two-sack game against the Jaguars. ... CB Darius Slay has 13 pass breakups in 10 games against Dallas. ... Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle was the closest thing to a lead back for Dallas this season against Atlanta. The numbers were good, with 75 yards rushing on 12 carries for a season-best 6.3-yard average and his third receiving TD this year. ... WR CeeDee Lamb has 10 touchdowns in his past 10 home games, and five total TDs in four home games against the Eagles. ... TE Jake Ferguson has seven career games with at least five catches and 70 yards. Two have been against Philadelphia. ... DE Carl Lawson had his fourth career two-sack game against the Falcons. ... LB DeMarvion Overshown had a career-high three tackles for loss against Atlanta. ... CB Trevon Diggs has eight pass breakups and four interceptions in five games against the Eagles.

Fantasy tip

Entering Week 10, Barkley is second in the NFL in rushing to Baltimore’s Derrick Henry and is facing the league’s 30th-ranked run defense. Barkley leads the Eagles with six touchdowns rushing and is tied for the team lead with eight total TDs.

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