The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of problems after losing 38-21 to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night, but the most alarming development might not be their quarterback situation. It might be what happened on the other side of the football.
Philadelphia’s defense failed to sack Dak Prescott and allowed Dallas to rush for 204 yards. The Cowboys entered the game struggling to generate consistent offense, yet they finished with 416 total yards and 38 points while avoiding turnovers. For an Eagles team that has invested heavily in defensive talent, those numbers are difficult to overlook.
Dallas found room to run everywhere
Javonte Williams delivered a career-high 155 rushing yards and a touchdown, helping Dallas control the game after Philadelphia briefly took a 21-20 lead early in the third quarter. Prescott completed 15 of 27 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns, including two scoring connections with CeeDee Lamb and another with George Pickens.
The #Eagles defense — this season Rush YPG allowed — 131.4 (27th in #NFL) Pass YPG allowed — 239.9 (26th) TOP — 32.19 (31st) PPG allowed — 25.0 (20th) Takeaways — 3 (t-31st) Pressure rate — 30.9% (27th) Sack rate — 3.2% (32nd)
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrPHL) October 27, 2026
The Cowboys responded to the Eagles’ third-quarter lead with 18 unanswered points. Their ability to run the football was particularly damaging because it allowed Dallas to sustain drives and keep Philadelphia’s offense off the field. The Eagles never recovered after the Cowboys regained control.
Perhaps the most concerning statistic was Philadelphia’s inability to sack Prescott. The Dallas quarterback was able to operate without being taken down behind the line of scrimmage, giving the Cowboys a much more comfortable offensive environment than they had experienced in recent games.
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Five straight losses have changed everything
Philadelphia fell to 2-5 with its fifth consecutive defeat, the franchise’s longest losing streak since 2016. The Eagles entered the season with significant expectations, but injuries and inconsistent execution have created a very different reality. Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of blood clots in his lungs, leaving Tanner McKee to direct the offense.
McKee completed 23 of 35 passes for 211 yards, one touchdown and one interception against Dallas. Saquon Barkley returned from a hamstring injury and scored on an eight-yard run, while rookie Makai Lemon also caught a touchdown pass. Philadelphia produced some encouraging offensive moments, but they were overwhelmed by the Cowboys’ response.
The Eagles are still close enough to the NFC East race to make the remainder of the season meaningful. Dallas improved to 3-4, while the New York Giants lead the division at 4-2-1. But Philadelphia cannot expect to remain competitive simply by finding better quarterback play. Monday’s performance demonstrated that the defense has its own urgent problems to solve.
