What started as a back-and-forth affair eventually turned into another dispiriting night for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Dallas Cowboys proved to be the better team. They pulled away for a 38-21win on Monday Night Football, extending Philadelphia's losing streak to five and deepening concerns about a team that entered the season with far greater expectations.
The Eagles showed some offensive life. Rookie Makai Lemonhad a nice effort, but a struggling defense and an inability to capitalize on key moments overshadowed that progress. The defeat also spoiled a night when Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame.
Philadelphia falls to 2-5, its first time opening a season with that record since 2021. The five-game
skid is the franchise's longest since 2016, when Carson Wentz's rookie season included five consecutive losses from Weeks 10-14.
The 38 points allowed are also the most the Eagles have surrendered since Vic Fangio became defensive coordinator, but there were some highlights. Here's the good, bad, and ugly from Philadelphia's latest loss.
The good we saw from the Eagles in Week 7
- Philadelphia finally opened a game with a touchdown. The Eagles scored on their first offensive drive of the season, providing an encouraging start after weeks of offensive frustration.
- Saquon Barkley looked sharp early. Before his night ended early, Barkley rushed for 62 yards, caught 9, and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season. His opening-drive performance offered a glimpse of the impact Philadelphia has been missing, although his apparent physical limitations became a concern as the game progressed.
- Landon Dickerson looked healthy on the opening drive. His movement was worth watching after health concerns. Philadelphia needs its offensive line operating at full strength, and his early performance was encouraging.
- At least fortune came early. Facing fourth-and-1 at its own 44-yard line, Philadelphia attempted a quarterback sneak with Tanner McKee. He fumbled the snap, but a five-yard defensive offsides penalty against Dallas gave the Eagles another chance to keep the possession alive.
- Braden Mann remains a reliable weapon. Mann and Cooper delivered a special-teams highlight. On the first punt of the contest, Cooper downed Mann's well-placed boot at the Dallas 2-yard line, forcing the Cowboys to navigate nearly the entire field. That led to a Cowboys three-and-out.
- The offense shows some life. Philadelphia's second offensive possession covered 76 yards over 13 plays and lasted more than seven minutes. The Eagles followed with an even more impressive second-half opening drive, marching 84 yards in 17 plays over 9:16. The possession ended with a long-awaited third-quarter touchdown and Makai Lemon's first career touchdown reception.
The bad news we saw in Philadelphia
- Dallas scored on seven of their nine offensive drives. The Cowboys scored on each of their first three offensive drives. Two of those first three possessions (and three total) ended with touchdown passes from Dak Prescott, putting immediate pressure on an Eagles team that needed its defense to set a much different tone.
- Britain Covey's injury creates another special teams concern. Covey left with a knee injury and didn't return, leaving Elijah Mitchell and Dameon Pierce handling kickoff-return duties.
- Hollywood Brown finally got involved in the passing game. Brown received his first target of the season with about four minutes remaining in the first quarter. The protection held, but an overthrown ball spoiled the initial opportunity. McKee returned to him four plays later for an 11-yard reception that moved the chains. Later, McKee and Brown failed to connect on a fourth-down pass deep in Philadelphia's territory as they tried to keep a drive alive. Dallas scored on an ensuing sic-play drive to put this one out of reach.
- Riq Woolen's penalty problems continued. Woolen's aggressive style can produce big plays, but the recurring infractions are becoming difficult to overlook. Penalties that give opponents automatic first downs undermine the defense and put additional pressure on a unit already struggling to get stops.
- Javonte Williams broke loose against the Eagles. After being held in check for much of the season following a career year, Williams finished with 155 rushing yards on 25 carries. Philadelphia's inability to contain him became a major factor as Dallas took control.
- Donovan Ezeiruaku got to McKee for the first sack of the night. The South Jersey native recorded the first sack of the contest and his first against Philadelphia. That brings his career total to 3.5.
- Dallas added an interception to its season total. The Cowboys entered the game with just one interception, but DeMarvion Overshown stretched out to secure another in his return to action.
- The pass rush failed to answer. Quinnen Williams added a sack as Dallas finished with two. Meanwhile, Philadelphia failed to sack Prescott, leaving the defense without the disruption it needed to get off the field.
The downright ugly
The Eagles' defensive struggles have become especially frustrating when the offense starts to find its footing. Philadelphia managed to produce long scoring drives, but the defense hasn't consistently turned those possessions into momentum. The Cowboys kept moving the ball, particularly on the ground, exposing a problem that has lingered throughout the team's recent slide.
The run defense deserves particular scrutiny. It's hard to reconcile opposing backs finding room against a front featuring Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis with the talent Philadelphia has invested in its defensive line. The Eagles entered the game with a 14.5% missed-tackle rate, ranking 31st in the NFL, and the tackling issues continued against Dallas. Too many defenders failed to finish plays, allowing the Cowboys to turn manageable gains into damaging runs.
Barkley's situation added another layer of frustration. His early production was encouraging, but he left the game before he could make a sustained impact, and a potential back injury raised concerns about his physical condition. Seeing him appear compromised in this game only heightened the frustration surrounding the Eagles' medical staff.
What's next for Philadelphia?
The Eagles have little time to dwell on another defeat. They travel to face the Washington Commanders Sunday night in another NFC East matchup, with kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
At 2-5, Philadelphia needs more than a promising opening drive or isolated stretches of offensive progress. The team must pair those signs of life with a defense that can finish tackles, limit explosive runs, and get opponents off the field. Until that happens, the Eagles' losing streak will remain the defining story of their season.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: The good, bad, and ugly from the Eagles' 38-21 loss to Cowboys
