Dallas Cowboys Take 4.5-Point Lead Over Injured Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys enter Monday night's matchup with a 4.5-point point spread advantage over the Philadelphia Eagles, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The total points line sits at 43.5. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia enters Week 7 after dropping four straight games following a 2-0 start. The roster is decimated by injury. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is sidelined after doctors found blood clots in his calf and lungs. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also out. Running back Saquon Barkley, guard Landon Dickerson, offensive lineman Jonathan Greenard, and wide receiver Jalyx Hunt are all questionable to play.

Dallas has lost two consecutive games in poor fashion. The offense managed just 29 total points against the Buccaneers and Packers, a sharp decline from scoring over 30 points in each of the previous three weeks. The struggling passing attack was exacerbated by an inability to handle blitzes. Dak Prescott completed 20 of 38 passes for 194 yards and no touchdowns when facing extra rushers in those contests.

The Eagles defense presents a different challenge. Philadelphia has blitzed on only 24.1% of opponent dropbacks this season, the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL. That is significantly lower than the 38.8% blitz rate Dallas faced in Weeks 5 and 6. Vic Fangio's unit ranks 20th in opponents' expected points added per dropback, allowing a 60.4% completion rate on 7.0 yards per attempt. However, the defense has given up eight touchdown passes while forcing only three interceptions.

The Eagles' ground game may be their best path to scoring against a porous Dallas run defense. Opponents have averaged 4.7 yards per carry against the Cowboys this season. Five of the six teams that have played Dallas have rushed for at least 165 yards. If Barkley returns to the lineup, he has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the two games he has completed healthy this season.

Tanner McKee will likely start at quarterback for Philadelphia. He has completed 16 of 45 passes for 179 yards and no touchdowns in his career when under duress. The Eagles' offensive line is thin, with multiple starters missing or questionable. This forces a heavier passing approach, as McKee does not offer the same running threat as Hurts. The Cowboys will look to pressure McKee, but their own defensive struggles have made that difficult to execute consistently.